31 Top Things To Do In Canberra - Australian Traveller

Our nation’s capital may be best known for its increasingly popular dining scene, but there are plenty of other things to do in Canberra to help you fall in love with the city, whether it’s for the first time or the fifth.

Looking for the best things to do in Canberra? Well, a weekend here is now, more than ever before, an extremely exciting proposition. If you want to stay indoors, then its bars, breweries, restaurants, galleries, museums and boutiques will keep you happy.

But this eminently liveable city is also known for its great outdoors. Whether you’re tackling one of Canberra’s stunning walks, stopping to smell the flowers during Floriade, hiring an e-bike to zip around the lake, or enjoying brunch al fresco.

We’ve rounded up just some of the best things to do in Canberra for your next visit, giving you 31 reasons to extend your stay and really give yourself over to the capital’s many charms.

Lesser known Canberra attractions

1. Cycle or scoot around Canberra

One of the best things to do in Canberra is loop around the lake on two wheels. Places such as NewActon Bike Hire and Cycle Canberra have options to suit a range of riders. Adrenaline junkies can head out of town with experienced guides from Mulga Bicycle Tours , while families can look into Share A Bike , which has child bikes and bike trailers. Cycle City Hire will take keen cyclists via shuttle bus to tackle Stromlo Forest Park. You can also hire a scooter from Beam or Neuron to whiz around the water.

biking at Stromlo Forest Park, Canberra — Wind your way along Stromlo Forest Park on two wheels. (Image: VisitCanberra)

2. Take a dip in one of Canberra’s pools

Canberra can cook over the summer. So there’s something to be said about its swimming pools. Manuka Pool was the first public swimming pool in Canberra and this Art Deco beauty is a great place to go in the height of the heat. In addition to providing puddles of shade for a picnic, the recently refurbished pool (which opened in 1931) has a toddler pool for tiny tots. Canberra Olympic Pool will appeal to teenagers as it has the city’s only diving board. The Australian Institute of Sport is a world-class facility on the fringes of Canberra, and you can swim in the 50-metre and 25-metre pools.

3. Visit the Pod Playground at the National Arboretum

There are many places to take children when visiting Canberra. The Pod Playground and Forest Sculpture Gallery are great to explore. These popular Canberra attractions are adjacent to the National Arboretum , a living mosaic of forests and gardens with more than 44,000 rare and endangered trees across a 250-hectare site. There are also several places to picnic such as the Bonsai Garden and designated barbecue areas that offer views over Canberra’s cinematic landscapes.

the expansive landscape at National Arboretum, Canberra — There are more than 44,000 rare and endangered trees at the National Arboretum. (Image: VisitCanberra)

4. Admire the city’s iconic architecture

Several notable mid-century modern buildings in Canberra are worthy of a visit. If the style of the buildings looks cohesive, it’s because they were mostly designed by architects from the Federal Capital Commission. Time your visit to coincide with the Design Canberra Festival, in September, which runs small-group architecture tours of iconic Canberra buildings. Use Parliament House as your starting point, then loop to the War Memorial and National Gallery.

the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra — A visit to the National Gallery of Australia immerses you in the region’s rich history. (Image: VisitCanberra)

Canberra’s museums and art galleries

You will find a lot to inspire in Canberra, a city that centres around music, dance, museums and theatre. Culture vultures converge on the nation’s capital whenever there’s a show or exhibition they want to see. There are more than 30 galleries and museums in Canberra to find inspiration, including kid-friendly spaces such as Questacon and the iconic Australian War Memorial.

5. Discover our story at The National Museum of Australia

The National Museum of Australia is located on Acton Peninsula, a finger of land that juts out into Lake Burley Griffin. With free entry, you can take a guided tour or wander solo through the many exhibitions that showcase rich and diverse Australian stories.

the exterior view of National Museum of Australia, Canberra — The museum is a nod to Australia’s heritage. (Image: Richard Poulton)

The Great Southern Land gallery tells a uniquely Australian story, you’ll want to take a stroll through the cutting-edge Garden of Australian Dreams and don’t miss the First Australians gallery with a significant collection of First Nations art. Take a tour to get an introduction to the museum highlights.

an aerial view of National Museum of Australia on Acton peninsula — The National Museum of Australia sits on a finger of land that juts out into Lake Burley Griffin.

6. Visit the sculpture garden at the National Gallery of Australia

The National Gallery of Australia has more than 166,000 words in its permanent collection, striking the perfect balance between old, new, modern and masterpiece. Some of the world’s most acclaimed exhibitions run through here each year, so check the website to see what’s on. But whatever you do, don’t miss the Sculpture Garden with notable works by Henry Moore and a monumental piece by James Turrell.

the sculpture garden at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra — See the sculpture garden at the National Gallery of Australia. (Image: VisitCanberra)

7. Pay your respects at the Australian War Memorial

Beautiful, moving and profound. The Australian War Memorial is one of Canberra’s most iconic landmarks serving as a symbol of peace by commemorating those who gave their life for this country as part of the Australian Defence Force. Many Australians have a deep connection to this architecturally beautiful structure, enhanced by galleries and exhibitions showcasing various aspects of war and its devastating human cost. It’s a symbolic way to remind yourself of the utmost importance of peace and respect.

the Australian War Memorial in Canberra — The Australian War Memorial stands as a powerful symbol of peace and remembrance. (Image: VisitCanberra)

8. Step back in time at the Old Parliament House

The Old Parliament House is an important relic of Australian history, serving as the site for many pivotal decisions from 1927 until 1988. Now, it is home to the Museum of Australian Democracy, lovingly preserving all corners of the building that, for six decades, steadily built modern Australia. Take a free 45-minute walking tour and absorb the distinct 1980s setting, which is not only great for photos but serves as a time capsule to help you better understand Australia’s complicated past.

the Old Parliament House in Canberra — The Old Parliament House was pivotal in Australian democracy from 1927 to 1988. (Image: VisitCanberra)

9. Relive your childhood at Questacon

Australia’s biggest science and technology museum, Questacon, played a major part in just about every Aussie’s school life. You’ll want to avoid this institution during the school holidays, but it’s always worth heading along to play around with all the interactive features and take a deep dive into many aspects of the scientific world.

Canberra’s best food

While Melbourne and Sydney may have the grand dining rooms and impressively expensive set menus, Canberra plays it cool with simplicity and restraint. With access to the best of NSW and Victorian produce, Canberra’s dining scene punches hard above its weight.

10. Dine at all of Canberra’s hatted restaurants

In a state of only 390,000 people, the fact that the ACT has 10 chef’s-hatted restaurants is very impressive. The great news is you can dine out every night of the week and still have reasons to return.

fine dining in Italian and Sons, Canberra — Italian and Sons has redefined the fine dining scene in Canberra.

From family-friendly restaurants to restaurants designed for romance, here are the hatted restaurants that should be on your hit list Pilot , Onzieme , Mu Omakase , Italian and Sons , Terra , RAKU , Bar Rochford , XO and Pavilion Dining at Pialligo Estate .

an array of drinks at Bar Rochford, Canberra — Step into Bar Rochford for a tipple or two. (Image: Pew Pew Studio)

11. Eat your way through Braddon

The inner-city suburb of Braddon slots in as Canberra’s trendiest neighbourhood and a big reason why the city’s dining scene attracts so much acclaim.

the restaurant exterior of Rizla, Canberra — Rizla is renowned as Braddon’s best wine bar. (Image: VisitCanberra)

The long, straight-shot strip of Lonsdale Street hosts some of the best restaurants in Canberra from neighbourhood wine bars like Rizla and the Euro-styled WineRoom to innovative fusion restaurants like Lazy Su and Zaab Street Food.

Don’t miss the affordable Braddon Merchant if you’re dining on a budget, with produce-forward dishes for excellent prices.

a produce-forward dish at Braddon Merchant, Canberra — Braddon Merchant is a modern deli-style eatery. (Image: Iconic Hotels by Geocon)

12. Stuff yourself silly at Patissez

Food trend forecasters would never have predicted that an over-the-top milkshake would make Canberra a must-visit for Instagrammers. While some fads fade away, the freak shake remains. It’s that remarkable. But there’s a lot more on the menu at Patissez in Manuka. For instance, the crispy corn and zucchini fritters and Tijuana tacos have been trying to elbow the freak shake out of the way since 2016 (when the craze took off).

a selection of desserts at Patissez, Canberra — Patissez offers a diverse selection of desserts. (Image: VisitCanberra)

13. Have a fancy degustation at The Truffle Farm

Follow a hard-working truffle dog through a maze of oak trees to find fresh truffles before sitting down a Michelin-worthy meal showcasing the light, delicate and earthy flavours of these edible treasures. The Truffle Farm is one of Canberra’s most unique dining experiences, based in the picture-perfect Majura Valley with very productive soil. You’ll hear about the farm’s incredible history while enjoying food cooked by some of Sydney’s best chefs.

truffle hunting with a dog at The Truffle Farm, Canberra — Go on a truffle hunt with truffle dogs.

14. Have a farm fresh meal at Beltana Farm

The beautiful Betlana Farm is one of the newest dining experiences in Canberra with beautiful design and a serene atmosphere that makes it feel like you’re dining in the English countryside. Pair some of the region’s best wines with an innovative, paddock-to-plate feast that could include everything from truffle and cuttlefish salami to bay smoked lamb rump with burnt pear, mustard seed and shishito pepper.

a spread of food at Beltana Farm, Canberra — Beltana Farm takes on a paddock-to-plate dining philosophy.

Iconic Canberra Experiences

There are several experiences in Canberra that perfectly symbolise the city and offer visitors an essential way of understanding the capital and its many charms. The Canberra Glassworks, for example, is a world-renowned institution that fuels the city’s creative scene, plus you’ve got the massive Lake Burley Griffin to play around with and our nation’s political engine: Parliament House.

15. Take a glass blowing class at Canberra Glassworks

Watch the artists perform their magic forming everything from one-off figurines to vases and glasses in the working studio dubbed the Engine Room at Canberra Glassworks . You can take a free heritage tour of the Kingston Powerhouse, which celebrated its centenary in 2015 or sign up for a class designed to fire up your imagination.

the glass-making facility at Canberra Glassworks — Canberra Glassworks is the largest glass-making facility in the Southern Hemisphere. (Image: VisitCanberra)

Experts in the field conduct state-of-the-art workshops that demonstrate how to mould glowing glass into amazing shapes and colours. Sign up for a sample session on weekends where you can learn to blow, fuse and sculpt your own paperweight (in 20 minutes) or a tumbler (40 minutes).

colourful glassware at Canberra Glassworks — Learn how to mould glowing glass into amazing shapes and colours. (Image: VisitCanberra)

16. Play around on Lake Burley Griffin

Lake Burley Griffin is not just for gazing at over a cocktail from one of the city’s busy bars. Although we thoroughly endorse a bar crawl around the nation’s capital as a fun option. But you should also consider earning those pina colada calories by hiring a canoe, kayak, row boat or paddle board from providers such as GoBoat Canberra and Capital Paddle .

Lake Burley Griffin at sunset — Walk along Lake Burley Griffin for epic sunset views. (Image: VisitCanberra)

17. Take a tour of Parliament House

Aussies were basically forced to take a tour of Parliament House at an age where nothing could be more boring than politics. Many people come back as adults and are fascinated by our nation’s seat of power, which holds many interesting details including a few playful ones like a 152,690-piece lego model of the building. The best way to see it all is on a free walking tour , which begins at 1:30pm every Friday and Monday.

guests touring the Old Parliament House, Canberra — Join an interactive tour at the Old Parliament House. (Image: VisitCanberra)

18. Climb to the Mount Ainslie lookout

There is no better panorama than Canberra than the view from Mount Ainslie. The popular lookout spot offers a straight, stunning view of the city that’s almost directly aligned with Parliament House. The symmetry, coupled with the majestic Brindabella mountains in the background, makes this one of the most breathtaking views on the East Coast and a foremost symbol of Canberra’s natural beauty.

the Australian War Memorial view from Mount Ainslie lookout — Mount Ainslie looks out over the parliamentary triangle. (Image: VisitCanberra)

Canberra wineries, breweries and distilleries

You can whet your whistle on an elegant wine, bold brew or hand-crafted spirits thanks to the next-gen winemakers, brewers and distillers who take advantage of the city’s cool climate and pristine water supply.

19. Knock the top off a cold one at BentSpoke

BentSpoke is one of the best brewpubs in Canberra for a tipple or two. The brainchild of Champion Australian brewers Richard Watkins and Tracy Margrain, this brewery has opened up a production-scale facility to cater to demand. Crack open a Cranking IPA or Barley Griffin to get into gear. You can also include Brew Nation and Capital Brewing Co in your pub crawl.

a waiter filling the glass with tap beer at BentSpoke Brewing Co — Sample beers on tap at BentSpoke Brewing Co. (Image: VisitCanberra)

20. Taste the terroir over a top Canberra District drop

Winemakers in the Canberra District use the crisp, cool climate and regional terroir to their advantage to craft complex and elegant wines. The first vines were planted in the region in the 1840s and re-emerged in the 70s thanks to some fine work by scientists at the CSIRO.

a vast vineyard landscape in Helm Wines — Canberra is renowned for its cool-climate wines, particularly shiraz and riesling. (Image: Helm Wines)

Start at Helm Wines , where you may be lucky enough to meet Ken Helm, one of the region’s pioneering winemakers. There are now three distinct wine regions in the area, news that will certainly please serious oenophiles who can drop a few pins in the map app to meet the makers at their cellar doors.

We’ve collated a curated list of the top wineries in Canberra to make it easy to plan ahead.

21. Sip spirits at Canberra’s best craft distilleries

Blood Orange Gin, French Earl Grey Gin, and Old George Reserve Whisky are just some of the drinks that will attract spirit geeks to The Canberra Distillery , just 10 minutes out of the city centre.

an array of spirits and liquors at The Canberra Distillery — The Canberra Distillery crafts a diverse range of spirits, including gin, vodka, and whisky. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Lean into the experience of visiting Big River Distilling Co. with a tour and tutored tasting with founder and distiller Clyde Morton. Australia’s first certified organic spirits company is also in Canberra and it’s where you will find The Antipodes Gin.

two glasses of cocktail at Big River Distilling Co — Big River Distilling Co. whips up crowd-pleasing cocktails. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Canberra markets and shopping

The food markets in Canberra are so good that it’s worth travelling with an esky to stock up on artisan goods and fresh produce. Then you’ve got some great local labels and boutiques selling unique gifts to take home with you.

22. Try artisan baked goods at the farmers’ markets

The iconic Old Bus Depot Markets is one of the best farmers’ markets in all the land. There’s also the relaxed Haig Park Village Markets in Braddon and The Little Burly Market on the lake.

freshly baked bread displayed at Old Bus Depot Markets — Baked goods are on display at the Old Bus Depot Markets. (Image: VisitCanberra)

Grab breakfast or brunch before heading to the Hartley Hall Markets on the first Sunday of the month. The Handmade Market is another hip, happening hub for lovers of food and design markets. The Pialligo Market Grocer, Poachers Pantry and Urban Providore Food Boutique are also top spots to pick up gourmet foods.

23. Hit up the shops at the Canberra Centre

Shopping in Canberra is a cinch. The city is brimming with boutique stores, local homeware shops, major department stores and fashion brands. The Canberra Centre is the largest shopping centre in the city, and you can browse happily here without the crowds. In addition to Zara, H&M, Muji and Myer, the Canberra Centre has also opened a new dining precinct dubbed Tiger Lane. You will also find malls all over Canberra, from Westfield Woden to Westfield Belconnen and Southpoint in Tuggeranong.

24. Find a unique gift at POP Canberra

If you didn’t find what you were looking for at one of Canberra’s best arts and crafts markets, head on over to the quirky POP Canberra . Around 300 of the city’s best makers and designers are showcased in this permanent shopfront, which exclusively stocks things you can only find in the capital. You’ll find plenty to love at this shop, from craft spirits and coffee table books to postcards and an obvious obsession with Trevor Dickson’s irreverent Canberra Bus Stops series.

25. Find vintage vibes in Canberra’s thrift shops

If your main objective is to go thrift shopping, then best don your crocheted beanie and join Canberra’s cool crowds for a fossick.

vintage items on display at Designer Op Shop Emporium, Canberra — DOSE is famous for all things vintage. (Image: VisitCanberra)

Whether you’re wandering a weekend market or hitting up some of the op shops that specialise in second-hand clothing, you will surely find something to suit. Bounce between Dirty Janes Canberra , the Designer Op Shop Emporium (DOSE as it’s known in Canberra) and Material Pleasures , which specialises in upcycled clothing.

the Designer Op Shop Emporium in Canberra — Go thrift shopping at DOSE. (Image: VisitCanberra)

Canberra events and festivals

From flower festivals to get-togethers with boujee vibes, and performances in the great outdoors, here are a few key events and festivals in Canberra.

26. Take to the skies for Canberra Balloon Spectacular

One of the best times to visit Canberra is during the Canberra Balloon Spectacular held in March. Book a hot air balloon ride during the nine-day festival to revel in 360-degree views over the city and beyond to the Brindabellas. If you’d prefer to stay grounded, you can still enjoy the spectacle of seeing the colourful balloons drift across the skies.

That said, you can also catch an air balloon over Canberra at other times of the year. The activity is very weather dependent so make sure the conditions have been clear before you book a ride with Balloon Aloft .

colourful hot air balloons at sunset in Canberra — Soak in the region’s most spectacular vistas on a hot air balloon. (Image: 5 Foot Photography, Davey Barber for VisitCanberra)

27. Bring your camera to Floriade

You know spring has sprung in Canberra when the annual Floriade rolls around. The iconic festival runs from mid-September to mid-October with some of Australia’s most incredible floral displays running alongside horticultural workshops, live music and popular seasonal markets. Plus, you’ve got Canberra’s best food and wine getting involved, turning this into one of the most picture-perfect lifestyle festivals in the country.

people wandering around the tulip gardens at the annual Floriade in Canberra — Every year the spring flower festival bursts into a vibrant display of colour.

28. Find inspiration at Canberra Writers Festival

Running for a week in late October, the Canberra Writers Festival pulls together some of the most poetic and insightful minds in the region with guests from all over Australia. Book signings, talks, panel discussions and more are on full display as events celebrate storytelling in all its many forms.

29. Fly through the air at Canberra Times Maraton Festival

Canberra is a great place if you’re looking to eat healthy, given how creative the chefs are getting with plant-based dining and vegetarian meals. And a lot of that lean towards clean eating stems from the fact that just about everyone likes to keep fit in this city. It’s the perfect climate for a morning jog or an afternoon hike, which is why people from across the country come on down for the Canberra Times Marathon Festival . The three-day festival lands in April with five different distances on offer from a half marathon to a 2-kilometre kids run.

Canberra walks and hikes

The choice for keen walkers and hikers is off the charts. Here are some of the best hikes and walks in Canberra.

30. Climb Canberra’s mountain hiking trails

Pack your boots. There are more than enough mountains to climb in Canberra. You can take a self-guided hike up Black Mountain and Mt Ainslie, or return to conquer the southerly Red Hill in autumn when leaf peeping is at its best.

a woman on a walking tour at Namadgi National Park, Canberra — You’ll pass through a range of landscapes. (Image: We Are Explorers / VisitCanberra)

Tackle the easy Dairy Farmers Hills Circuit in the National Arboretum for 360-degree city views. Mt Taylor Zig Zag is another easy trail. Or you might prefer the abundance of wildlife encounters you’ll find on the diverse Mount Tennet Trail in Namadgi National Park.

a woman walking in the woods at Namadgi National Park, Canberra — Mount Tennent Trail winds through Namadgi National Park. (Image: We Are Explorers / VisitCanberra)

31. Tackle some of the best walking trails in Canberra

Got something to prove? Tackle the Centenary Trail, which is a whopping 145 kilometres long. One Tree Hill is a manageable 90-minute return walk with views over the Brindabella Mountains. One of the ultimate ways to show respect to the Ngunnawal people of Canberra is to join Dhawura Tours for a walk on Country in Mt Majura or Namadgi National Park.

cyclists biking along the Centenary Trail, Canberra — The Centenary Trail is accessible to both cyclists and walkers. (Image: Damian Breach / VisitCanberra)

This article is originally written by Carla Grossetti with updates by Chris Singh.

Video credit: Visit Victoria/Tourism Australia

The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

There are no kangaroos back in Chicago: they’re all here in the Grampians/Gariwerd . In the heart of the Grampians National Park’s main gateway town, Halls Gap, pods of eastern greys are eating grass beside my parked rental car beneath the stars. Next morning, when I see the backyard of my rented villa on the edge of town for the first time, there are kangaroos feeding beside a slow-moving creek, lined with river red gums.

Five hundred metres up the road, 50 or so of them are eating by the side of the road in a paddock. I pull over to watch and spot three emus. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos fly overhead towards the tall green mountains just beyond town.

‘Kee-ow, keee-oww’… their calls fuse with the maniacal cackle of a kookaburra (or 10). Gawd, how I’ve missed the sound of them. Far above, a wedge-tailed eagle watches, and there you go: the ‘great birds of Australia’ trifecta, all half a kay from the town limits.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

kangaroos near Halls Gap, Grampians National Park — The park is renowned for its significant diversity of native fauna species. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

I’ve come to the Grampians to disconnect, but the bush offers a connection of its own. This isn’t just any bush, mind you. The Grampians National Park is iconic for many reasons, mostly for its striking sandstone mountains – five ridges run north to south, with abrupt, orange slopes which tumble right into Halls Gap – and for the fact there’s 20,000 years of traditional rock art. Across these mountains there are more than 200 recorded sites to see, created by the Djab Wurrung, Jardwadjali and Gunditjmara peoples. It’s just like our outback… but three hours from Melbourne.

I’ve come here for a chance at renewal after the chaos of my life in America’s third-largest city, Chicago, where I live for now, at the whim of a relative’s cancer journey. Flying into Melbourne’s airport, it only takes an hour’s drive to feel far away from any concept of suburbia. When I arrive in Halls Gap two hours later, the restaurant I’m eating at clears out entirely by 7:45pm; Chicago already feels a lifetime ago.

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

sunrise at Grampians National Park /Gariwerd — Grampians National Park /Gariwerd covers almost 2000 square kilometres. (Image: Ben Savage)

Though the national park covers almost 2000 square kilometres, its best-known landmarks are remarkably easy to access. From my carpark here, among the cockatoos and kangaroos on the fringe of Halls Gap, it only takes 60 seconds’ driving time before I’m winding my way up a steep road through rainforest, deep into the mountains.

Then it’s five minutes more to a carpark that serves as a trailhead for a hike to one of the park’s best vantage points, The Pinnacles . I walk for an hour or so, reacquainting myself with the smells and the sounds of the Aussie bush, before I reach it: a sheer cliff’s edge lookout 500 metres up above Halls Gap.

walking through a cave, Hollow Mountain — Overlooking the vast Grampians landscape from Hollow Mountain. (Image: Robert Blackburn)

There are hikes and there are lookouts and waterfalls all across this part of the park near town. Some are a short stroll from a carpark; others involve long, arduous hikes through forest. The longest is the Grampians Peaks Trail , Victoria’s newest and longest iconic walk, which runs 160 kilometres – the entire length of Grampians National Park.

Local activities operator Absolute Outdoors shows me glimpses of the trail. The company’s owner, Adrian Manikas, says it’s the best walk he’s done in Australia. He says he’s worked in national parks across the world, but this was the one he wanted to bring his children up in.

“There’s something about the Grampians,” he says, as he leads me up a path to where there’s wooden platforms for tents, beside a hut looking straight out across western Victoria from a kilometre up in the sky (these are part of the guided hiking options for the trail). “There are things out here that you won’t see anywhere else in Australia.” Last summer, 80 per cent of the park was damaged by bushfire, but Manikas shows me its regrowth, and tells me of the manic effort put in by volunteers from town – with firefighters from all over Australia – to help save Halls Gap.

wildflowers in Grampians National Park — Spot wildflowers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

We drive back down to Halls Gap at dusk to abseil down a mountain under the stars, a few minutes’ walk off the main road into town. We have headlamps, but a full moon is enough to light my way down. It takes blind faith to walk backwards down a mountain into a black void, though the upside is I can’t see the extent of my descent.

Grampians National Park at sunset. (Image: Wine Australian)

The stargazing is ruined by the moon, of course, but you should see how its glow lights up the orange of the sandstone, like in a theme park. When I’m done, I stand on a rocky plateau drinking hot chocolate and listening to the Aussie animals who prefer nighttime. I can see the streets of Halls Gap off in the distance on this Friday night. The restaurants may stay open until 8pm tonight.

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

a boat travelling along the Wimmera River inDimboola — Travelling along the Wimmera River in Dimboola. (Image: Chris McConville)

You’ll find all sorts of adventures out here – from rock climbing to canoeing to hiking – but there’s more to the Grampians than a couple of thousand square kilometres of trees and mountains. Halls Gap may be known to most people, but what of Pomonal, and Dimboola, and Horsham? Here in the shadow of those big sandstone mountains there are towns and communities most of us don’t know to visit.

And who knew that the Grampians is home to Victoria’s most underrated wine region ? My disconnection this morning comes not in a forest, but in the tasting rooms and winery restaurants of the district. Like Pomonal Estate, barely 10 minutes’ drive east of Halls Gap, where UK-born chef Dean Sibthorp prepares a locally caught barramundi with lentil, pumpkin and finger lime in a restaurant beside the vines at the base of the Grampians. Husband-and-wife team Pep and Adam Atchison tell me stories as they pour their prize wines (shiraz is the hero in these parts).

dining at Pomonal Estate — Dine in a restaurant beside vines at Pomonal Estate. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Three minutes’ drive back down the road, long-time mates Hadyn Black and Darcy Naunton run an eclectic cellar door out of a corrugated iron shed, near downtown Pomonal. The Christmas before last, half the houses in Pomonal burnt down in a bushfire, but these locals are a resilient lot.

The fires also didn’t stop the construction of the first art centre in Australia dedicated to environmental art in a nature-based precinct a little further down the road (that’s Wama – the National Centre for Environmental Arts), which opened in July. And some of the world’s oldest and rarest grape vines have survived 160 years at Best’s Wines, outside the heritage town of Great Western. There’s plantings here from the year 1868, and there’s wines stored in century-old barrels within 150-year-old tunnels beneath the tasting room. On the other side of town, Seppelt Wines’ roots go back to 1865. They’re both only a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap.

Salingers of Great Western — Great Western is a charming heritage town. (Image: Griffin Simm)

There’s more to explore yet; I drive through tiny historic towns that barely make the map. Still part of the Grampians, they’re as pretty as the mountains behind them: full of late 19th-century/early 20th-century post offices, government offices and bank buildings, converted now to all manner of bric-a-brac stores and cafes.

The Imaginarium is one, in quirky Dimboola, where I sleep in the manager’s residence of an old National Australia Bank after a gourmet dinner at the local golf club, run by noted chef and teacher, Cat Clarke – a pioneer of modern Indigenous Australian cooking. Just south, I spend an entire afternoon at a winery, Norton Estate Wines, set on rolling calico-coloured hills that make me think of Tuscany, chit-chatting with owners Chris and Sam Spence.

Being here takes me back two decades, when I lived here for a time. It had all seemed as foreign as if I’d driven to another planet back then (from Sydney/Warrane), but there seemed something inherently and immediately good about this place, like I’d lived here before.

And it’s the Australian small-town familiarity of the Grampians that offers me connection back to my own country. Even in the better-known Halls Gap, Liz from Kerrie’s Creations knows I like my lattes with soy milk and one sugar. And while I never do get the name of the lady at the local Ampol station, I sure know a lot about her life.

Kookaburras on a tree — Kookaburras are one of some 230 bird species. (Image: Darren Donlen)

You can be a local here in a day; how good is that? In Chicago, I don’t even know who my neighbour is. Though each day at dusk – when the kangaroos gather outside my villa, and the kookaburras and the black cockatoos shout out loud before settling in to sleep – I prefer the quieter connection I get out there in the bush, beneath these orange mountains.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Sleep beside the wildlife on the edge of Halls Gap at Serenity .

Playing there

abseiling down Hollow Mountain — Hollow Mountain is a popular abseiling site.

Go abseiling under the stars or join a guided hike with Absolute Outdoors . Visit Wama , Australia’s first environmental art centre. Check out Dimboola’s eccentric Imaginarium .

Eating there

steak, naan bread and beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap serves a great steak on naan bread.

Eat world-class cuisine at Pomonal Estate . Dine and stay at much-revered icon Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld. The ‘steak on naan’ at Halls Gap brewhouse Paper Scissors Rock , can’t be beat.

Dunkeld Arboretum in Grampians National Park — The serene Dunkeld Arboretum.

For Halls Gap’s best breakfasts head to Livefast Cafe . Sip local wines at Great Western’s historic wineries, Best’s Wines , Seppelt Wines and Norton Estate Wines .

two glasses of beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Sink a cold one at Paper Scissors Rock.