Canberra
Sitting between Melbourne and Sydney, Canberra, the Australian capital, was designed by a very special architect: Walter Burley Griffin who gave the city its unique sense of calmness and harmony. The city, whose original Aboriginal name means “meeting place”, has abundant parks and green spaces where it’s even possible to catch sight of wild kangaroos! Whereas visits to the Australian National Museum, the parliament, the Australian Royal Mint or the National Gallery provide a compact history of Australia, Canberra also has numerous activities and things to discover that will appeal to both children and parents.
To discover, to understand, to wonder, and enjoy oneself, to marvel…So many entertaining opportunities to be enjoyed by the WHOLE FAMILY and which can be reached from your hotel in Canberra.
Novotel Canberra
1908
After long discussions to decide if Sydney or Melbourne would be the capital of Australia, the decision was made in 1908 to build the new city of Canberra for this role.
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The Australian Royal Mint has the capacity to produce 2 million coins per day!
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With 12 million trees for a population of 300,000 inhabitants, the city of Canberra is unique in the fact of having 40 trees per 1 inhabitant!
Museums & Exhibitions
Questacon
The National Science and Technology Centre is an enjoyable and educational place where children and parents can experiment with new scientific phenomena. Experience an earth tremor, follow a tornado, reveal the secrets of our brain and of the world of illusions, understand human DNA or scientifically determine who would win a battle between a Pirate and Ninja…The themes are topical, serious or humorous, and are presented in the form of exhibitions, workshops or shows.
King Edward Terrace, Canberra – Tel. : (+61) 2 6270 2800
Every day from 9.00 to 5.00 pm.
Deep Space Communication Center
The aerials of the Centre allow probes sent to discover our solar system to be tracked. There are only three centres of this type in the world: one in California, another near Madrid and finally this one in Canberra. This visit is therefore a must, but it is also a chance to see a piece of the moon from 3.8 million years ago, to observe the latest images from Mars, to see equipment that has actually travelled to space or to try astronaut food… A galactic journey!
421 Discovery Drive, Tidbinbilla – Tel. : (+61) 2 6201 7880
Every day from 9.00 to 5.00 pm.
National Dinosaur Museum
The museum has collected over the years what is today the most significant collection of dinosaurs and prehistoric fossils in Australia. Children and parents will be impressed by the 23 complete dinosaur skeletons, and will travel through time to better understand the evolution of life. The museum has the objective of educating the whole family about prehistoric animals in an entertaining way: learn while having fun!
Gold Creek Village, Nicholls – Tel. : (+61) 2 6230 2655
Every day from 10.00 to 5.00 pm (9.00 pm during school holidays).
Zoos, aquariums, parks and gardens
Cockington Green
Become a giant in a world of miniatures…Cockington Green offers an unforgettable experience for the whole family. The houses, gardens, trains and miniature landscapes are a real invitation to travel. First of all in a typical English village, then around the world in the international area where more than 20 countries are represented. After having seen the replicas of a cricket ground, of Stonehenge or even a plant labyrinth, parents and children can also take a trip in a miniature train before having a picnic in one of the purpose built areas.
11 Gold Creek Road, Nicholls – Tel. (+61) 2 6230 2273
Every day from 9.30 to 5.00 pm.
National Zoo & Aquarium
A few minutes from the city centre, Canberra Zoo and Aquarium will definitely surprise you! The whole family will enjoy observing the leopards, zebras, pandas and reptiles in the zoo that offers an extraordinary activity: feeding the lions, tigers and other predators for the over 10s, and feeding the monkeys, llamas, kangaroos or even the giraffes for the younger ones! Extending the zoo experience, it is also possible to feed the sharks in the aquarium or simply to marvel at the beauty of the fish and coral reef.
999 Lady Denman Drive, Weston Creek – Tel. : (+61) 2 6287 8400
Every day from 10.00 to 5.00 pm.
Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
About 40 minutes from Canberra, Tidbinbilla Park is the ideal place to go for a family walk amongst kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, emus and birds. Picnic with games areas for children, bicycle rides, discover the Aboriginal culture with a complete day of a change of scenery.
Paddy River Road, Tidbinbilla – Tel. : (+61) 2 6205 1233
Every day.
Kids’voyage’s special treats
Telstra Tower
In the middle of a nature reserve, Telstra tower, 195 m high, offers the whole family one of the nicest views of Canberra and its surrounds. The tower also has an interactive and enjoyable exhibition of the history of telecommunications, a cinema that shows a video about its construction and a revolving restaurant. Telstra tower has become, over the years, one of the symbolic buildings in Canberra.
Black Mountain Drive, Acton – Tel. : (+61) 6 248 191
Every day from 9.00 to 10.00 pm.
Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)
Discover all the secrets of Australian athletes. The Institute of Sport, a place for training performance athletes, welcomes you and allows you to see the work of swimmers, gymnasts and other athletes. During the visit, children and parents can play football, go climbing, play basketball in a wheelchair, do virtual rowing thanks to the “Sportex” animation.
Leverrier Crescent, Bruce – Tel. : (+61) 2 6214 1444
Guided 90 min visits every day at 10.00, 11.30, 1.00 pm and 2.30 pm.
Canberra Bicycle Museum & Resource Centre
The museum exhibits over 750 models of bicycles as well as posters, books and tools. It is a chance for the whole family to discover the differences between Asian, European or Australian bicycles for example, or even between the Penny farthing with its front wheel of over 1.3 m and current bicycles. Children will be particularly attracted to the models of tricycles dating from 1880 as well as by the impressive collection of pedal cars with reproductions of the Rolls Royce or fire engines.
3 Rosevear Place, Dickson – Tel. : (+61) 2 6247 1363
Wednesdays from 10.00 to 4.00 pm and Saturdays from 11.00 to 3.00 pm.
Good places for a family meal
Dickson Family Food Court
The restaurant is, as its name implies, family oriented. It has a copious and varied buffet. There is also a children’s menu.
28 Wooley Street, Dickson – Tel. : (+61) 2 6247 2477
Lunch from Wednesday to Sunday from 11.30 to 2.00 pm, Dinner from Monday to Sunday from 5.30 pm.
Santa Lucia Trattoria
This spacious restaurant has a terrace for eating in the sun…The menu is typically Italian, and there’s the children’s menus.
1 Kennedy Street, Kingston – Tel. : (+61) 2 6295 1813
Everyday from 12.30 to 2.00 and from 6.00 to 10.00 pm.
The Pancake Parlour
How can you resist a pancake restaurant? At any time of the day, the whole family can enjoy this in Pancake temple – and children in particular, with the Alice in Wonderland speciality and the children’s menu.
Alinga Street, Canberra City – Tel. : (+61) 2 6247 2982
From Monday to Friday from 7.00 to 10.30 pm and 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday.
KIDS' VOYAGE travel guides and NOVOTEL hotels wish you an excellent stay in Canberra.