Great fun mountain biking ‍ park near Canberra with a wide range of beginner to double Diamond…read moretechnical trails. Lots of flow trails, easy trails, and technical features like jumps, log rolls, drops, and rock gardens. They have a pump track next to the picnic area. The Handlebar cafe is a good place to get lunch or a snack.

They call pool, but it is a river! If you like peace and quiet and nature you will love it. Nice…read moreplace to relax, refresh, swim and enjoy the hot days! Only 20 minutes driving from Civic. Keep yourself where everyone is swimming and hanging out. Do not go to explore the quietly area around, by yourself, or you can have a pleasant surprise and meet a brown snake (like the one in the pic) on the way!

Great places to bring the kids! Super fun playground and nice big area to fly kites. Big indoor…read moreeating area with cafe. Nice bonsai display. Great value for a free park!! (just small paid parking) We will definitely visit whenever we are in Canberra!

This review isn't for the Arboretum entirely, I enjoy every visit here and the grounds are…read morebeautiful with stunning views from any angle and the bonsai collection is simply wonderful. My gripe is with the cafe inside, the food has always been average, however on my last visit, I had a coffee there and by midnight I developed symptoms of food poisoning. This followed with the worst stomach pains I'd ever had in my life, 5 counts of vomiting, headaches, and chills. My sickness lasted nearly 12 hours and I was lucky that it wasn't worse. But I deduced it was food poisoning from this place because it was the one drink my partner didn't have that day and we ate everything else together. As I look back on the day I was there last, I remember the floors were filthy with crumbs and trash. The tables looked like they'd never been wiped (or cleared of their dishes for hours) and the flies were horrendous, constantly swatting them away, buzzing in my ear, landing on my hand while I was drinking my coffee. This level of unsanitary will always reflect the kitchen of an establishment. Enjoy the grounds but don't eat here.

Fantastic mountain biking ‍ park near Canberra with easy to double Diamond trails. Trails are…read morepacked into a small area but due to thick forest and vegetation it doesn't seem that way. Lots of wildlife including the variety of local parrots and I had to dodge a few kangaroos . There are a few fun features like skinny bridges, rock drops, and a few small drops.

Gibraltar Falls is a hike with low effort and high payoff, almost too little effort, really…read more We came here on a summer morning with our four year old, after hearing good things about the falls from friends. The falls did not disappoint! The falls is within Namadgi National Park, and is said to be one of the tallest waterfalls in Australia, with a drop of over 50 meters. The car park has space for probably 10 or so cars, and the trailhead has bathrooms and a few picnic tables as well. The hike, though you can't really call it that, takes about 5 minutes from the parking area and comprises stone and metal-grate stairs down to an overlook midway down the falls. The observation area is fantastically close to the falls, close enough to get a light misting of water and the very loud sound of powerfully rushing water. There's not really an easier hike in the world, as long as you can handle a few flights of stairs. I wished there was a bit more effort required, frankly. Well worth it for the pretty views, both on the walk and on the drive, and worth a return journey or two.

This place is just lovely. The gardens as spacious, calm and shady with plenty to interest plant…read moreand animal lovers as well as those just looking for an oasis. Bird life is abundant including rosellas, magpies and their families, fairy wren and the raucous cockatoo. Water dragons (lizards) dart around, sunning themselves on rocks and walking right up to take a look at you. They aren't dangerous and really bring the bush to you. There are tables and chairs throughout the gardens, you are welcome to bring a picnic and there's also a cafe. The Gardens run free tours twice a day and there are a range of free and paid activities all year around, during the week and on weekends. I commend it to you!

If you're visiting Canberra for a few days or a new resident, Tidbinbilla is a must see for the…read morewhole family. The reserve is affordable and well designed. You can grab some snakes and keepsakes at the visitor centre or bring your own picnic. Koalas are always on display in one enclosure and Potoroos will hop right up to you to investigate. Feeding time makes wallaby and pelican sightings easy. Facilities (i.e. restrooms) could be better, but in no way unpleasant.

A must if you are in the area. The Koala Trail is fantastic and make sure and take the offshoot…read morePeppermint Trail. There are feeding areas for wallabies and podaroos and they are many to see. You can see the koalas at the start of the Trail as well as in the trees in the beautiful natural setting. Kids also enjoyed play ground and the gift shop had real Aussie and Aboriginal art for sale.

I went here for a friends party and I was blown away. First of all, this rock climbing place is…read morevery fun and at a unique location. Second of all, (as you can see in the picture) there is many rock wall "stations" that you can choose from. It's very easy to climb yourself, although you do need a Ballay person to guide you down once finished with that specific wall. There is both Boulder climbing (without harness) and regular climbing (with harness). I recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a fun time.

This is one of two rock climbing gyms in the Canberra area that I know of. I last came here about a…read moredecade ago (not a big Canberra climber) and it's fairly small compared to my normal gym in Sydney. Walls range from 6-8m and they claim to change routes periodically, which is a change from the last time I was here. I found most routes on the bouldering walls were excessively chalky, like they haven't been changed for some time. That being said, its a hard bouldering system, with limited easy routes, so you are best to figure out your own unless you want to take on some tricky moves. Staff are friendly and chatty which is good. Climbing walls are limited, but there are two bouldering sections, one upstairs and one downstairs. The one upstairs I wouldn't have noticed without someone telling me it was there. Entry prices are about $16.50 for adults, $11 for bouldering only - which is nice. Not sure it's worth the $16.50 for climbing, but I've not tried their climbing routes for a long time so can't be sure.