Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Old Parliament House
The seat of government from 1927 to 1988, the Old
Parliament House is now home to exhibitions from the National Museum and
the Australian Archives. The National Portrait Gallery is also here, and outside
on the lawn is the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, which was set up in 1972 in a bid
to persuade the authorities to recognize the land ownership claims of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people. The red, black, and yellow Aboriginal flag first
came to prominence here. Interestingly, the Australian Heritage Commission
now recognizes the campsite as a place of special cultural significance.
On King George Terrace, midway between the new Parliament House (see below) and the lake.
&
02/6270
8222.
www.oldparliamenthouse.gov.au. Admission A$2 (US$1.30) adults, A$1 (US65¢) children, A$5
(US$3.25) families. Daily 9am-5pm. Bus: 39.
Parliament House
Conceived by American architect Walter Burley Griffin
in 1912, but only built in 1988, Canberra's focal point was designed to blend
organically into its setting at the top of Capital Hill; only a national flag sup-
ported by a giant four-footed flagpole rises above the peak of the hill. In good
weather, picnickers crowd the grass that covers the roof, where the view is spec-
tacular. Inside are more than 3,000 works of Australian arts and crafts, and
extensive areas of the building are open to the general public. Look for a mosaic
by Michael Tjakamarra Nelson entitled
Meeting Place,
which represents a gath-
ering of Aboriginal tribes, and can be found just inside the main entrance.
There's also a 20m (66-ft.) long tapestry by Arthur Boyd in the Great Hall on
the first floor and one of the four known versions of the Magna Carta in the
Great Hall beneath the flagpole. Free 50-minute guided tours are offered
throughout the day.
Parliament is usually in session Monday through Thursday between mid-Feb-
ruary and late June, and mid-August to mid-December. Both the Lower
House—the House of Representatives (where the prime minister sits)—and the
Upper House—the Senate—have public viewing galleries. The best time to see
the action is during Question Time, which starts at 2pm in the Lower House. If
you turn up early, you might get a seat; otherwise, make reservations for gallery
tickets via the
sergeant-at-arms
(
&
02/6277 4889
), at least a day in advance.
Free tours of the building go for 45 minutes and start at 9am (then follow every
30 min.).
Capital Hill.
&
02/6277 5399.
Free admission. Daily 9am-5pm. Closed Christmas. Bus: 39.
Questacon—The National Science and Technology Centre
Ques-
tacon offers some 200 hands-on exhibits that can keep you and your inner child
occupied for hours. Exhibits are clustered into six galleries, each representing a
different aspect of science. The artificial earthquake is a big attraction. The cen-
ter is great for kids, but give it a miss if you've already visited the Powerhouse
Museum (p. 149) in Sydney.
King Edward Terrace, Parkes.
&
02/6270 2800.
Admission A$10 (US$6.50) adults, A$5 (US$3.25) children,
A$6.50 (US$4.20) students, A$28 (US$18) families. Daily 10am-5pm. Closed Christmas. Bus: 34.
Telstra Tower
The tower, which rises 195m (640 ft.) above the summit of
Black Mountain, has both open-air and enclosed viewing galleries that provide
magnificent 360-degree views over Canberra and the surrounding countryside.
Those who dine in the pricey, revolving
Tower Restaurant
(
&
02/6248 7096
)
are thoughtfully entitled to a refund of their admission charge.
Black Mountain Dr.
&
02/6248 1911.
Admission A$3.30 (US$2.15) adults, A$1.10 (US70¢) children. Daily
9am-10pm. No bus service.
Kids
