A DAY AND NIGHT GUIDE

INNER SOUTH

Flip the switch below and discover Canberra by day or night

Concrete Playground
March 16, 2022

Inner South

Canberra's inner south is known for its prestige, and is teeming with young professionals and families. It's a hub of trendy restaurants and bars, lively cafes, lush gardens and prominent tourist sites.

If it’s your first time to the capital, you’re going to want to spend the majority of your day ticking off the big sites: Old Parliament House, the National Gallery of Australia and the National Library. Done all of those? Slow down the pace by grabbing a pastry from one of the area’s superb bakeries and enjoying Lake Burley Griffin’s recreational offerings.

Flick the switch above, and we’ll dim the lights to show you the best things to do once the sun goes down. You can also explore more Canberra suburbs and plan your trip here.

Canberra's inner south is known for its prestige, and is teeming with young professionals and families. It's a hub of trendy restaurants and bars, lively cafes, lush gardens and prominent tourist sites.

Little known fact: sunsets are pretty amazing in this part of town. Watching the colours change and shadows fall across the architecture and parks is a sight to behold. Once nature’s show is over, filling the evening is easy with sprawling restaurants and buzzing wine bars at every turn. In fact, your only trouble may be deciding where to check out first. Keep scrolling to see our suggestions for after-dark fun in this area.

Flick the switch above, and we’ll turn on the lights to show you the best things to do pre-6pm. You can also explore more Canberra suburbs and plan your trip here.

DID YOU KNOW

The city of Canberra is rumoured to contain a vast system of underground tunnels and trenches, including a hidden passageway that runs underneath the city’s expansive lake, Lake Burley Griffin. Old Parliament House has also been found to have access hatches that lead to secret tunnels under the building.

GETTING AROUND

E-scooters are all the rage in the country’s capital right now, with approximately 1500 Beam Mobility and Neuron Mobility devices in and around the city as part of the shared scheme. Prices start at just $0.45 per minute with a $1 unlock fee. Just remember that road rules apply.

DON’T MISS

Lake Burley Griffin runs as the backdrop to Canberra’s inner south and is an essential part of any trip to the city. You can cycle or run the tracks that border it, have a picnic beside it or even take a cruise on top of it. Whatever the case, just make sure you take the time to enjoy the vast and tranquil waters.

LOCALS LOVE

The National Gallery of Australia is an obvious drawcard to the area. The expansive exhibition spaces are constantly playing host to touring landmark exhibitions, film screenings, workshops and talks, so even if you’ve been before, there’ll be something for you to see.

DID YOU KNOW

A surefire way to get caught out as a tourist in these parts is to pronounce the suburb Manuka as you would the type of honey (Ma-NOO-ka). The correct pronunciation is hotly debated but most locals put emphasis on the first syllable — MA-noo-ka.

GETTING AROUND

If you’re relying on public transport to get you around this area, the Route 6 bus is your friend. It runs from the city through Barton, Kingston and Manuka to the Woden Interchange every 15 minutes until on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends.

DON’T MISS

The National Library of Australia is home to a range of exhibitions and works of art, and also has a huge database of books, maps and audio clips. The library often puts on nighttime events, so the What’s On page on the Library’s website is worth perusing before a visit.

LOCALS LOVE

The Kingston Foreshore sits on the edge of the Parliamentary Zone and transforms into a lively and bustling night scene as the sun sets. You’ll often find locals drinking cocktails, sipping wine and downing pints — all in their finest, of course.