3Australian Capital Territory


The ACT is a federal territory—not a state!—that often gets forgotten about. It is most well-known for being the home of Canberra, the capital of Australia and the location of Australia’s Parliament. For the capital city of such a large country, Canberra is surprisingly small and quiet.

Canberra is just over a three-hour drive from Sydney. Visiting the ACT is probably not on most people’s Australia bucket list, but I do recommend WHV-makers based in Sydney to head to Canberra for a pleasant weekend away.

Capital Hill

Top places to visit in Australia's states - Canberra ACT

My highlight of Canberra was Parliament House, also known as Capital Hill. You can take a range of guided tours to see the inside workings of the Australian government. Most importantly, they have on display a detailed Lego replica of Parliament House.

As an added bonus, you’ll have a good view of downtown Canberra from the top of Capital Hill. For better pictures of Parliament House, use the viewpoint at Mount Ainslie, on the other side of Lake Burley Griffin.

Balloon Spectacular

Top places to visit in Australia's states - Canberra ACT

Full disclosure: I went to Canberra twice during my WHV, but neither time was during the world-renowned Balloon Spectacular. However, I’m including it because if you can, you should time your trip to the ACT to coincide with this hot air balloon festival. The pictures always look amazing, and it’s free to spectate. If flying in a hot air balloon is on your bucket list, the Balloon Spectacular is the perfect place to tick this activity off.

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Aiyana

I'm originally from Buckinghamshire, UK and love to travel. I've previously completed WHVs in New Zealand and Australia. In 2024, I am embarking on a new adventure to start my Canadian WHV!

Je suis originaire de Buckinghamshire, Royaume-Uni, et j’adore voyager. J’ai déjà complété un PVT en Nouvelle-Zélande et en Australie. En 2024, je pars pour une nouvelle aventure au Canada en PVT!

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