What to do in South Canberra

Activities, attractions and tours

Melbourne which includes a square or plaza, heritage architecture and a city
Australian Capital Territory which includes autumn colours and a park
Royal Australian Mint showing interior views
Royal Australian Mint which includes interior views
Parliament House which includes an administrative building, modern architecture and interior views

South Canberra Attractions

Let Expedia help you experience the best that South Canberra has to offer! If you’re looking for fun itinerary ideas, we can provide you with a list of the top sightseeing attractions, as well as helping you to find unmissable activities. Whether you’re travelling with your family, planning a romantic trip with your loved one, or visiting on business, we’ll make it easy to plan an unforgettable holiday that checks all the boxes.

Activities and Tours

South Canberra is crammed with must-see places to visit and things to do. We can help you decide where to stay, and make it a breeze to explore the surrounding areas with our guides on where to go, what to see and when to see it. No matter how long your stay, it’s easy to find places of interest in South Canberra to make sure that you enjoy your experience to the fullest and don’t miss a thing. Leave the local knowledge to us and leave the hassle behind.

If you’re planning a visit, why not check out our handy guides to places of interest in the area? You can browse lists of things to do, learn about the most popular attractions, and get help with planning the details of your trip. Expedia makes it easy for you to check out all the top sights.

South Canberra Attractions

Expedia has something for everyone, so whether you’re planning to get active on a summer holiday, put a spring in your step with a romantic rendezvous, or pamper yourself with a leisurely winter trip, you’ll find plenty of attractions to keep you entertained. In addition to scheduling local tours, booking reservations and scoring advance event tickets, Expedia makes it easy to book your flight, hotel and rental car in advance, all on one consolidated travel itinerary, making for hassle-free travel and freeing you up to explore the sights of South Canberra.

Looking for things to do can be time consuming, but we can take the hassle out of planning your holiday. Whether you’re looking to get active in the great outdoors, sample the cuisine or catch up with the vibrant local culture, our guides to South Canberra attractions ensure that you’ll have a successful trip, whatever the season.

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Top places to visit

1. Parliament House

Australia’s Parliament House is the standout structure in the capital. It’s in the very centre of the city and has an impressive 62 acres (25 hectares)) of floor space. It’s the work of New York-based architectural firm Mitchell and Giurgola, who beat 329 entrants from 28 countries in a competition run by the Australian Government. Construction started in 1981, and it was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1988.
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Admire the scale, architecture and artwork of the building where Australia’s politicians make the big decisions.

2. National Gallery of Australia

The National Gallery of Australia is the largest art museum in the country. It’s home to over 160,000 works, including the most extensive collection of Aboriginal art in the world. It also holds traditional and modern works from all around Asia, statues and paintings by European and American masters, and Australian works from the colonial era to the present day.
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National Gallery of Australia showing interior views

3. Questacon

Questacon is the Australian National Science and Technology Centre. It features a range of exhibits about everything from water, to electricity and light. Most exhibits are targeted at children, but there’s plenty to see and do for adults as well.
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Questacon

4. Old Parliament House

Old Parliament House was constructed in the 1920s as a provisional base for the national parliament. It was designed in a stripped classical style with little ornamentation, but is decorated with numerous artworks and Australian timber panelling. Today it’s home to the Museum of Australian Democracy, hosting exhibits about the evolution and workings of the Australian political system.
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Tour this building to see where Australian politicians met and debated for over 60 years and learn about the history and workings of Australian democracy.

5. Manuka Shopping Centre

Experience a friendly village atmosphere at Manuka Shopping Centre, which provides interesting outlets for everyday needs, entertainment and luxuries all in one location. Visit for essential services and stay for the restaurants, fashion and gift shops, all in close proximity to Canberra’s major attractions.
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Manuka Shopping Centre which includes autumn colours and street scenes

6. Royal Australian Mint

The Royal Australian Mint was opened in 1965 by Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh ahead of the introduction of the new Australian dollar in 1966. The mint makes every single coin in circulation as well as medallions and commemorative tokens. It does not produce notes; these are produced at Note Printing Australia.
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Royal Australian Mint showing interior views as well as a large group of people

7. National Library of Australia

The National Library of Australia is the most comprehensive reference library in the country. It was formed as the National Parliamentary Library in 1901 and became the National Library in 1960. Its collection includes Asian literary works and documents, rare books and manuscripts, photographs, maps, paintings, music and video. Browse the archives, choose something interesting and settle down in a reading room. There are over 10 million items in the library catalogue, so you’re sure to find something to your taste. The periodicals section has copies of the first newspaper printed in Australia as well as an enormous range of overseas publications. Explore the manuscripts archive to see gems like Captain Cook’s journal and original documents written by the country’s first prime minister.
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National Library of Australia

Recommended things to do in South Canberra

Number of things to do
30
Cheapest thing to do on Expedia
eSIM: Airalo Australian Package: CA $3
Top 5 things to do
Half-day tours
With kids

What to do in South Canberra

Discover the most popular places to visit in South Canberra

Parliament House

Parliament House

4.5/5(14 reviews)

Admire the scale, architecture and artwork of the building where Australia’s politicians make the big decisions.

Parliament House
National Gallery of Australia showing interior views

National Gallery of Australia

4/5(6 reviews)

Australia’s national gallery has objects from across Asia and the Pacific, European and American works, and indigenous, colonial and contemporary Australian art.

National Gallery of Australia
Questacon

Questacon

5/5(2 reviews)

Join the kids for a day of learning about the wonders of science and technology at Australia’s national science centre.

Questacon
Old Parliament House

Old Parliament House

4.5/5(6 reviews)

Tour this building to see where Australian politicians met and debated for over 60 years and learn about the history and workings of Australian democracy.

Old Parliament House
Manuka Shopping Centre which includes autumn colours and street scenes

Manuka Shopping Centre

4.5/5(2 reviews)

Make a stop at this suburban shopping oasis in Canberra’s inner south region, for gourmet foods, fashion, coffee and specialty stores.

Manuka Shopping Centre
Royal Australian Mint showing interior views as well as a large group of people

Royal Australian Mint

Visit the building where every single coin in the country is made, learn about the production process and browse through a huge collection of coins.

Royal Australian Mint
National Library of Australia

National Library of Australia

5/5(1 review)

Explore the collections of Australia’s biggest reference library to find books from all over the world, early European maps and documents from the first explorers.

National Library of Australia
National Archives of Australia featuring interior views

National Archives of Australia

Browse millions of immigration records, photographs and old government files at Australia’s national repository of historical documents.

National Archives of Australia
High Court of Australia

High Court of Australia

Observe justice in action at the highest court in the land inside a modern edifice on the banks of a tranquil lake.

High Court of Australia

Explore areas of South Canberra

Kingston which includes a bridge and modern architecture

Kingston

The buildings of this foreshore, once a Canberra industrial hub, have been transformed into a welcoming urban lakeside community.

Kingston
Manuka Shopping Centre showing autumn colours

Manuka

If you're spending some time in Manuka, Manuka Shopping Centre and Manuka Oval are top sights worth seeing.

Manuka
Parliament House which includes an administrative building

Capital Hill

4/5(7 area reviews)

The abundant dining options and interesting museums are top of the list for many visitors to Capital Hill. A stop by Parliament House or National Archives of Australia might round out your trip.

Capital Hill
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Narrabundah

You'll appreciate the restaurants during your time in Narrabundah and you might want to plan a stop by Capital Public Golf Course and The Cusack Centre while you're in the area.

Narrabundah
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Forrest

Check out the restaurants, shopping, and forests while spending some time in Forrest. Though there might not be many attractions in the neighborhood, you won't need to go far to find top spots like Manuka Shopping Centre or Manuka Oval.

Forrest
Manuka Shopping Centre showing autumn colours

Griffith

Griffith is known for its ample dining options, and you can make a stop by Manuka Shopping Centre and Manuka Oval while in the area.

Griffith

 

Looking for fun things to do nearby? Check things to do near me to find and book the best things to do, fun activities, and top attractions wherever you happen to be.

 

 

Day trip destinations from South Canberra

Parliament House showing landscape views and an administrative building

Canberra