When it comes to weekend getaways, Canberra is a fantastic option. Canberra is the capital city of Australia, and it’s easy to reach from many major cities. Better yet, there are heaps of things to do in Canberra.

Whilst you are on a working holiday abroad, you will undoubtedly endeavour to see as many sights as you possibly can. However, this can eat into your wages. If you planned to put a little money away during a 1 year working holiday programme, this will surely render counterproductive. You may even sign up for a 2 year working visa, so you will want to budget as best as you can.

In this blog post, we will discuss FREE things that you can experience in Canberra.

Climb Mt. Ainslie

At an elevation of 842m, a full hike of Mt. Ainslie should take you around a couple of hours to complete. Located on the north-eastern suburbs, the recommended route is to make a full loop of the mountain. The climb is not so difficult, in terms of terrain but has a good combination of steep and flat trails.

Dependent upon the time of year, the bushes and trees vary in colour. Don’t forget to take your sun cream and water bottle!

A definitely rewarding and thrilling experience in Canberra.

Visit the Australian War Memorial

Visiting any war memorial is without a doubt a thought provoking experience.

The Australian war memorial houses aircraft, a tank, and even a Japanese midget submarine that made it into Sydney Harbour during the Second World War! There are artworks, imagery, videos and interactive displays that make the exhibits captivating.

With soldier and trench sculptures, you experience history and can create a sense of feeling like you were there.

Australian National Botanic Garden

A botanic garden is a garden dedicated to the preservation, collection, and display of an array of plants and flowers. Plants are monitored and maintained and labelled, which helps the public when they visit.

The Australian National Botanic Garden is a beautiful and boasts a collection of native plants and flowers. Opened in 1988, the garden is now a cherished and relaxing environment.

The gardens are a therapeutic way to unwind after a full day’s work, and there is so much to see that you would not see at home in the UK. Banksias, waratahs and eucalyptus are a few of the species you can expect to see in the Australian National Botanic Garden. Did you know? Koala bears live off of the eucalyptus tree and can consume around half a kilo of eucalyptus tree leaves per day!

National Museum

The National Museum of Australia is a social history museum, meaning that it focuses on the land, nation and people of Australia. In particular, there is a focus on the Indigenous cultures and early European settlement.

There are often new and exciting exhibitions to explore, ranging from innovative artworks to aboriginal designs that incorporate the aboriginal journeys.

Australia’s national museum has plenty of unmissable on-going exhibitions, so regardless of when you visit there is always something spectacular to be enjoyed.