General Chat

In Canberra Australia that is near the National Library Australia, I'm hoping to be able to go there as soon as it is safe. Thank you.

You'll have a long wait, I'm afraid. Australia is keeping all its borders closed until the whole population has been vaccinated and the programme only started this week. On Monday, the tourist minister said that he hoped that international tourism would resume by this time next year.

Annie

Thank you Annie, that is when I was thinking of going, so at the moment only looking for hotels to look at and get a rough idea of the price <3

ZZzzz

It's many years since I've been to Canberra. Last time I stayed at Olims.

Olims, though, is quite a distance from the 'admin' Centre of Canberra and also the actual centre, but is within walking distance of the magnificent War Memorial and is also close to the Defence Force Academy of Duntroon and is used by visiting senior officers

The following is a link to a booking site that I have now used for a number of years, with good results (It's where I found Olims)

https://www.booking.com/country/au.html

Alternatively, do a Google search such as "Hotels near the National Library, Canberra, Australia"

Although it's been many years since I was last there, I really like Canberra as a city even though it is somewhat 'artificial' and was only chosen as the site for the National Capital of Australia to prevent any further rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney :-D :-D

ZZzzz

I'm on another site where there are 2 people who live in Canberra, so I asked them for suggestions.

They have never stayed in hotels, but came up with the following

Both mentioned the Hyatt which is across the road from the Library, but one added some extra information .........

The Hyatt is a 5 star hotel, therefore pricey but has position, position, position.

Hotel Kurrajong Canberra is probably the next nearest at ca $200/night. It's within walking distance of some eateries, and a nice easy kilometer walk to the National Library.

One other thought was that there is a free tourist Bus to main attractions from the Civic area (north of the bridge), hop on hop off, so you could possibly widen your search to that area. It would be cheaper (hopefully!!), nearer to a choice of eateries and also not too far from the Library .......... the free bus stops near there.

Like Sylvia, it is many years since I was there - in the time of the old Parliament House in fact, which I did get inside. It will have grown since the mid-1980s so there ought to be a lot more accommodation to choose from.

Canberra was known as a public service city then and it seemed as though people were only resident because they were government employees. Unlike Sylvia, I did not care for it - much too 'pristine' and artificial for me. Plonked in the middle of nowhere because of cities' rivalries, it is missing the vibrancy and diversity a city ought to have, in my opinion but if you like a sterilised atmosphere you can't beat Canberra!

As the capital, though, it is worth a visit. Two things I would recommend - visit inside the new Parliament House (you ought to get to sit on the benches) and Black Tower (if it is still there!).

I hope you enjoy your trip and look forward to an update on the place. It will be interesting to hear ways it has changed over the last 40 years. Have a great trip ZZzzz.

ZZzzz, if you do visit the New Parliament House check out one of the few surviving copies of the Magna Carta.

I visited later than JoyLouise and disagree with her regarding Canberra's vibrancy, but, and it is a big but, Canberra has two 'centres' the Administrative one as the Nation's Capital, and then the 'Normal' City Centre.

Imagine my surprise when I walked down one street in the City Centre and found a Branch of W H Smiths. :-D

What may be worth a visit is Australi's National Institute of Sports which was in its early-infancy when I was there,

I checked my dates and I was last there in 1982 so it will have changed vastly, At that time it had a lot of 'weekday' residents but that has obviously changed over the years.

I hope you get a good look around and enjoy it ZZzzz.

There is newspaper report that Quantas is hoping to start international flights from October.

Bet they’ll be busy.

Thank you all so much for your help, I always like recommendations and the Hyatt hotel is looking good so far but need to consult with my cousin later today. :-)

The first time we visited Canberra was back in early 1976 when we were living in OZ, and we were really lucky in that the cousin we stayed with had remarried after moving to Canberra, to an Australian war veteran who drove taxis.

Doug took us on the "insider's tour", including the war memorial, every side of Lake Burley Griffin and all round the city to the places that the locals went. We loved it, but it was very much a "civil servant's town" ...... just like Ottawa, or Washington DC.

However, it seems times are a'changing ......... one of the people who gave the above advice had nothing to do wtth government but retired about 20years ago to Canberra. The other has lived there for many years, but neither of that couple worked for the government.

As Allan said, I think it is now a city of two centres.


It was actually quite funny back in the 1976, because the other sisters didn't really like Doug, they called him a "real ocker" and couldn't understand why she had married him :-D . He was a lovely man, so we understood, although we had some difficulty with understanding some of the things he said! Referring back to Dermot's thread! :-D

Our main purpose for going there is to do some family history research but we may have to do some retail therapy too :-D :-D :-D :-D

but of course, ZZzzz

don't we all have to retail therapy? :-D :-D :-D :-D

SylviainCanaada :-D :-D :-D :-D

What’s retail therapy. :-S


;-)

Zzzzz, I have just goggled the place and discovered how much it has grown since we visited - much like other towns.

Also, I asked my OH about visiting and he said that the Aussie War Memorial ought to be a must. He mentioned Black Mountain Tower (I called it Black Tower), however when I googled that, the place seems to need a complete overhaul - but the view from there was great.

I don't think you mention what time of year your visit was but it does get cold in Canberra at times. If your cousin lives in Oz she will be aware.

In my 10 years in Oz, I only visited Canberra once. I was driven to do so because for a short while I was employed by a State Government, followed by a longer stint with a LGA.

I may be approaching your trip from the wrong perspective - are you doing an Oz tour or do you live there? If you are resident there, we may all be teaching our grandmother how to suck eggs! (If that is so, I apologise in advance.)

Whatever ..... I hope you enjoy the visit.

Edit: haha, I've googled (as well as goggled). :-D

Definitely the War Memorial, which is also a Museum. I found the whole experience of my visit there very moving.

Canberra is another place on my 'to visit again' list

I would also recommend the War Memorial .......... as I would the "new" War Museum in Ottawa, and the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC, for those who have the opportunity. All are very moving, and very evocative.


ZZzzz ................. One of my friends on the other site said that you have to understand that Canberra is unlike any other city that you might see in Europe. It is a purpose-built government town, just like Ottawa and Washington DC, but younger than either.

She said .............there are not a lot of places to eateries near the library ..... one at the Hyatt, one at the Library which caters for lunches and other public buildings around also have public cafes in them.

Then you can find a coffee shop down on the Lake, and a short westerly walk around the Lake from the Hyatt gets you to a Yacht Club with a take away fish shop and a Restaurant above it.

All the eateries tend to be pricey.

There are NO ordinary shops in the National Triangle where the Library is situated. Just parks, trees, flowers, grass and water.