Snowy Mountains NSW - Sydney's official guide to events ...

Canberra and surrounds
No tour of the Snowy Mountains NSW would be complete without a visit to Canberra,
where the nation’s major cultural attractions are enhanced by the city’s natural setting.
Must see and do
Book a seat in the visitors’ gallery in
Parliament House for question time.
Take in the view from the National
Capital Exhibition at Regatta Point.
Stroll through the Australian National
Botanic Gardens.
Hire a bike and cycle around Lake
Burley Griffin.
Enjoy café society at Garema Place
in the heart of the city.
Spot the wildlife on the bushwalking
trails at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
Stroll around the embassies and high
commissions, many of which reflect
traditional national architecture.
Photographs
above left to right: Parliament House;
National Museum of Australia; Australian
War Memorial; Lake Burley Griffin
far right: National Gallery of Australia
National treasures
Australia’s capital is packed with museums,
galleries and attractions that mirror the
country’s achievement.
The Australian War Memorial is both a
fascinating museum and the country’s most
visited memorial, a moving tribute to those
who have served the nation in war. With
displays of tanks, guns, aircraft and artillery
pieces, each of the museum’s 20 galleries
are dedicated to a separate conflict.
The entire east wing is devoted to World
War I, with a major exhibition focused on
the Gallipoli Campaign, while the west wing
is dedicated to World War II, with armaments
and uniforms as well as memorabilia from
Australians who were incarcerated in
Japanese prisoner-of-war camps.
With its striking architecture, the National
Museum of Australia freely admits that it
doesn’t look like a museum – but its appeal
is beyond doubt. As well as chronicling some
of the grand moments of Australia’s history,
the museum celebrates everyday life with a
nostalgic look at the way things used to be.
The museum includes the only known
surviving prototype of the Holden, the heart
of Phar Lap, an intact Tasmanian tiger, which
became extinct in the 1930s, and humble
household staples, such as a can of golden
syrup. The museum also has a significant
collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islands art.
Questacon, the National Science and
Technology Centre, is an engaging and
informative excursion into the world of
science. This exciting museum uses earthquake
and zero-gravity simulators and
computers as well as devices as simple as
pendulums to stimulate and challenge young
minds. Earth sciences, meteorology, human
perception and physics are all examined in a
series of interactive exhibits that transform
science into a hands-on experience.
Established to enhance the performances of
our elite athletes, the Australian Institute
of Sport and its impressive array of training
facilities – swimming pools, gymnasiums
and workout tracks – are open for tours. The
90-minute tours are guided by athletes who
are in training at the institute, and who can
give you the inside story on what it means
to perform as this level.
See how you measure up against Australia’s
finest with Sportex, an interactive facility that
assesses your performance as a soccer player,
rower, wheelchair basketball player or skier, or
hop on the Olympic dais and see what it feels
like to be a gold medallist.
In the arts
The National Gallery of Australia is the
country’s leading showcase for Australian and
international art. Many of the megastars of the
art world are represented in the collection, from
Rodin and Rubens to Jackson Pollock, Picasso,
Matisse, Monet and Andy Warhol. The gallery
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Snowy Mountains NSW