I don’t know about you, but it gets to this time of year and I start to get the travel itch.
Maybe it’s Melbourne’s grey skies. Maybe it’s the influx of Japanese flicks on my feed. Or maybe it’s… dry skin. Whatever it is, it’s time to shake up the scenery and see something more exciting than my local IGA. Like Canberra.
Ok, admittedly the Australian capital doesn’t scream “winter escape” quite like Queensland. But I recently discovered that despite its chillier temperatures, Canberra’s skies remain sunny and blue all winter long.
And if, like me, you’re a seasonal sadness girly, you know this gets a big tick of approval.
Plus, there are actually heaps of things to do in Canberra beyond just visiting Albo at Parliament House. And they’re largely centred around food and wine.
So, if you’re looking for a weekend away with country vibes (minus the long drives or self-catering), have I got some recommendations for you. ‘Cos who wants to be the deso or chef when wineries are involved, and drinks have been drunketh?
11 Things To Do In Canberra
1. Go on a truffle hunt
Puppies and truffles, what more could you want?? Credit: Simone Richardson.
Everyone, meet Vixen – one of 14 Labradors leading the hunt for culinary treasure at The Truffle Farm in Mount Majura. Trained by farm manager and former police dog trainer Jayson Mesman, Vixen can sniff out three to four kilograms of truffles in under an hour. That’s about $10,000 all up, making Jayson a very happy guy.
A ticket to the hunt and degustation experience gets you a front-row seat to Vixen’s search for black gold through a forest of 8,000 oak and hazelnut trees. Plus: a truffle-infused, six-course degustation lunch with paired pours, cooked by resident chef Kanharith Kim (of Quay in Sydney).
The menu changes monthly, but if you’re quick, you might get to try the best dish of all (IMO) – the truffle mushroom agnolotti in shiitake dashi broth, dressed in pepper oil and fresh truffle oil. Although, the “humble crumble” is a stand-out too.
2. Do a wine-tasting
No wine-ing here, get it? No? Okay, I’m gonna have some more wine. Credit: Simone Richardson.
I’m calling it the ultimate winter starter pack, which includes a cosy fire, 360-degree views of the country, and an endless supply of wine. And Nick O’Leary’s Heywood Restaurant has just that.
While it technically sits outside the ACT border, it’s only a 30-minute drive from Canberra’s CBD (country things), so it just made the list.
A tasting at Nick O’Leary’s gets you a sample of nine different wine varieties, including a mix of young and old grapes with high and low tannins, acidity and body.
To absolutely no one’s surprise, my favourite was a light red – the Pinot Meunier – which I was delighted to hear is best served chilled. But other crowd-pleasers include the Flying Fox Riesling and Bolaro Shiraz.
3. Visit an art gallery
If you’re looking for a place to feel cultured, this is it. Credit: Simone Richardson.
If French post-impressionist art is your thing, you have to check out the Gauguin’s World: Tōna Iho, Tōna Ao exhibition before it finishes on October 7. See how Gauguin’s many artistic influences have manifested in his work, as well as the controversial legacy he leaves behind — or just get the tea on his alleged part in Van Gogh’s ear-cutting incident.
But if Gauguin doesn’t float your boat, the National Gallery of Australia has over 155,000 works on display, so there’s something for everyone.
And don’t skip James Turrell’s “Within without” Skyspace in the sculpture garden. It’s one of two of his works based in Australia — the other at Tassie’s MONA — and plays with our perception of light in a truly trippy way.
4. Eat farm-to-table food
This is the epitome of cosy core. Credit: Simone Richardson
My favourite meal in Canberra was at Beltana Farm, which, by the way, is only open Thursday through to Sunday — and quickly gaining popularity since its opening in February — so definitely book ahead.
Some menu highlights include the truffle and cuttlefish salami with pickles, the potato and carrot galette with buttermilk and sage, and the Beltana truffle roasted chicken with cavolo nero and truffle onion jus. And you can’t miss the Anzac biscuit cheesecake, either.
But it isn’t just the food that stands out at Beltana. With timber-lined ceilings, a patchwork stone fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding oak and hazelnut forest, the farmhouse itself is beautiful, too.
And if you’re not truffled out from Vixen’s findings at The Truffle Farm, Beltana also hosts a treasure hunt throughout the winter months.
5. Visit (another) vineyard for good measure
It’s wine o’clock somewhere. Credit: Simone Richardson
Yes, this is the second winery featured in this weekend-long itinerary. But as a Melbourne gal whose closest vineyard is more than an hour away, it’d be rude not to go long on the wineries when the opportunity presents itself. And this one is just a 15-minute drive from Canberra’s CBD.
The Mount Majura Vineyard spans 9.3 hectares and, if you’re up for it, is open for self-guided gumboot tours to climb the hills and get amongst the grapes.
Or, if you prefer to sit and sip (like me), you can kick back at the cellar door and taste all they have to offer.
The scenery here is so stunning, and their flagship, Tempranillo, is pretty awesome, too. But if red’s not your thing, they also have some kickass whites (shout out to the Riesling).
6. Wander around the neighbourhood
Coined the ‘little sister’ of Melbourne’s Fitzroy and Sydney’s Surry Hills, Braddon is the perfect place to stay when you visit Canberra.
Formerly an industrial suburb, Braddon has been taken over by creatives and is now filled with overspilling coffee shops, great feeds, vintage and consignment stores (like Melbourne’s beloved Goodbyes or newcomer Blonde Concept), and so much more.
If you want good coffee, I recommend hitting Barrio, but B-Side slaps, too.
7. Visit a farmers, foodies and makers market
Don’t mind if I do… Credit: Simone Richardson
If you’re in Braddon on a Sunday, you must visit the Haig Park Village Market. Despite only being a stone’s throw away from the CBD, the lush parkland and sense of community make you feel right in the country.
It runs from 8am — 2pm each week, whatever the weather, and features everything from deli meats and artisan breads to locally-grown flowers and handmade jewellery.
The best part? There’s live music.
8. Eat at an award-winning restaurant
It’s the olive and caviar for me. Credit: Simone Richardson.
Onzieme is a local, buzzy bistrot in Kingston with plates to share and natties to relish. The menu is refreshed regularly, but whatever the spread, you’ll get beautifully sourced, seasonal ingredients touched by fire for heaps of flavour.
Alongside profiles from Korea, Japan and Argentina, French classics like the potato galette and onion consommé also make menu appearances — the mix we didn’t know we needed!
Some personal highlights include the galette with cream cheese and smoked roe, the savoy cabbage with yolk sauce and furikake, and the rainbow trout with tartare and horseradish.
And if, like me, you have a major sweet tooth, then don’t sleep on the yuzu posset with meringue and raspberry. It’s officially been two weeks, and I’m still thinking about her.
9. Drink natties in a cave
Now, this is the type of caving I’m meant for. Credit: Simone Richardson.
While 11e Cave is a part of Onzieme, its recent nomination for Gourmet Traveller’s ‘Wine Bar Of The Year’ Award has earned it a separate write-up in this list.
Find the red door at the Eyre Street side of Onzieme and head down some unassuming stairs to discover the underground bar à vin.
Once a bank vault, this cosy, ambient nook now hosts up to 30 people for minimal intervention wines, house-made cocktails, and a selection of solid snacks from the upstairs kitchen.
Why should you go? Its low ceilings and doodle-scribbled walls flicker only by candlelight, creating the perfect vibe for date night. Plus, the playlist rotation is fkn hot too.
10. See Canberra from above
Ah., Canberra, you’ve treated me so well. Credit: Simone Richardson.
While Parliament House wasn’t on my Canberra itinerary, it might be on yours. Or you could just look at it from a distance at the Mount Ainslie lookout.
It’s about an hour and a half round-trip on foot or a zippy 20 minutes by car.
The views from the top are pretty impressive, offering a clear sight of Walter Burley Griffin’s design work for the planned city.
You can spot key Canberra landmarks like the Australian War Memorial, Lake Burley Griffin, Anzac Parade, and both the Old and New Parliament Houses – are all surrounded by mountain scenery. Gawjuss.
11. Grab a pub meal
Now I’m getting food envy of my past self. Credit: Simone Richardson.
What’s a country trip without a good pub feed? Okay, I know it’s not technically the country, but when the CBD is the size of a bee’s dick, the regional really do be regional-ling.
And with delicious gastropub fare, The Inn at Edgar’s is the perfect spot for just that.
Don’t skip on the snapper with coconut, lemongrass and pickled radish, the vegetable dumpling with XO sauce, and the wood-fired prawn with goan curry. And, of course, the campfire s’more.
It’s safe to say I ate well in Canberra. And with places like Bar Rochford, Such and Such, and Paranormal Wines still on my hit list, I’ll be back for more.
Especially when the price of flights to Canberra can be as low as a few takeaways, that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
This writer travelled as a guest of Virgin Australia and Visit Canberra.
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