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The City
Getting Here/Getting Out of Here
Located on the ancient lands of the Indigenous Ngunnawal people, Canberra’s name is thought to mean ‘meeting place’, derived from the Aboriginal word Kamberra. European settlers first came in the 1830s, and the area was chosen for the federal capital in 1908. Canberra’s special contrast of nature and urban living was planned in 1912 by master designer, Walter Burley Griffin, a Chicago architect who won an international design competition. The provisional Parliament House was opened in 1927 in what was then a treeless paddock.
Canberra today is a city of over 300,000 people, with all of the services one would expect to find in a large regional city, along with a range of institutions unique to the national capital.
Canberra is unique in it's governance arrangements, originally entirely controlled by the Federal Government, Canberra is now governed by an elected Legislative Assembly, which has control of what (in other parts of Australia) would be considered both State and Local Government responsibilities.
The design of Canberra is based around Town Centers which serve as central shopping and employment hubs around which suburbs are built.
You can find out more about the attractions of Canberra at www.visitcanberra.com.au
By Car
Sydney is about 3 hours away by car, and a little longer by bus. Almost the entire trip from Canberra to the centre of the Sydney CBD is on highway and toll road. If you are planning on doing this trip regularly it is worth considering getting an e-tag device for your car.
By Bus
Murrays and Greyhound both offer multiple services each day from the Jolimont Centre. Both also offer discounts for students. Murrays offers regular service from Canberra to Sydeny, the Coast, and the Snow, while Greyhounds network is more substantial and will connect you with almost anywhere in Australia.
By Train
While it might initially seem that the train trip to Sydney would be quicker than the bus, you would be wrong. The Canberra train station is located in Kingston, and while there are some that argue the trip is more pleasant and comfortable - the bus beets the train on both speed and price. Train tickets can be purchased from Countrylink
By Air
Canberra International Airport (disregard the name, only domestic flight use it - if you are needing to fly overseas you will need to connect to international flights in Sydney or Melbourne) is located in the Majura valley, and is served by Qantas, Virgin Blue and Tiger Airways (as well as some smaller regional services). At the present time Jetstar does not fly to Canberra, so you need to connect in Sydney to Jetstar flights.
