Canberra things to do: nine top highlights – MASHAHER

Floriade, NightFest

Now in its 37th year, Canberra’s annual celebration of spring – distilled into a multi-coloured wonderland of a million perky blooms – is well known to both locals and visitors. Lesser know is the festival’s after-dark program, NightFest, featuring four nights of the usual horticultural displays bolstered by dazzling Vivid-style illuminations, as part of Floriade’s Dark Side. Adding to the visual theatrics is a program of adults-only cabaret performances. Following the sellout success of last year’s NightFest Spiegeltent, the ticketed Kiss Bang Cabaret promises to “delight and ignite your senses”. See floriadeaustralia.com

The wildest overnight experience

Are we in the Australian capital or some far-flung safari lodge? There are few places beyond the Mother Continent that combine this level of luxury with the chance to spend a night with lions, tigers or bears – all of which surely makes Jamala Wildlife Lodge one of the country’s most unusual and iconic stays. Once a wildlife sanctuary and aquarium, since adding ‘luxury retreat’ to its list of titles in 2014, Jamala’s owners, the Tindale family, have been channelling funds raised by the lodge into its breeding programs and conservational endeavours. Stays are all-inclusive and accommodations, which are adjoined to actual animal enclosures, offer an extraordinary front-row seat to everything from big cats to giraffes. See jamalawildlifelodge.com.au

The most scenic market

Join the streams of young families, couples and pooches promenading along this beautiful lakeside stretch each Saturday. The Little Burley Market was relaunched last spring with more than 50 stallholders, old and new, alongside a live entertainment line-up. Browse upcycled homewares, artisan ceramics and jewellery, surrender to gorgeous smells wafting from food vendors or simply soak up the positive weekend vibes as you stroll the serene five-kilometre bridge loop, stopping for coffee at one of a handful of stalls or gallery cafes along the way. Open 9am-2pm. See thelittleburleymarket.com.au

The star restaurant

Tucked opposite Legislative Plaza, a generic-looking corporate park in the middle of the city, lies a bright and cheery dining establishment that happens to be one of the most exciting restaurants in Australia, according to The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide. We’re talking about Such and Such. Helmed by the team behind two-hatted Pilot, it has shaggy cushions, terrazzo floors, retro-style artworks and seriously inventive dishes. You’re onto a winner with the centrepiece roasted duck, served on the crown with slivers of slow-cooked rhubarb and a deeply flavoured fish-sauce caramel, or the moreish gnudi, a decadent ricotta and cauliflower dumpling showered in currants, walnut and parmesan. See andsuchandsuch.com

The bakery to beat

Arrive early. This is crucial. Mawson’s Under bakery, the petite counter operation of brothers Lachlan and Matt Cutter, has a fiercely loyal following, and queues for their signature bullar (soft, doughy Swedish-style cinnamon and cardamom buns), can blow out on weekends – even before the first customer places an order. Pro tip: avoid missing out on those glorious buns by pre-ordering online on the Monday prior. See under-bakery.com

The speakeasy

Tucked down a passageway in Braddon’s Yamaroshi Building, Volstead Repeal has a back bar of more than 400 whiskies and some serious cocktail talent among its ranks. In short, the moodily lit drinking den is a prime spot for delicious drinks and cosy good times. Not a whisky buff? There’s something to tempt all drinkers.

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Try the Gunpowder Gimlet, a blend of Navy-strength gin, spent lime shell cordial and fresh lime, or their take on the Paloma featuring mezcal, house-made grapefruit cordial, soda and lime. See volstead.com.au

One more thing

The award for zippiest wind-in-your-hair transport goes to Canberra’s e-scooters. The city’s shared e-scooter scheme has been operating since 2020 to great success. Visitors can download an app to unlock one of the bright red Neuron or purple Beam e-scooters and explore at their own pace. See rideneuron.com/australia; ridebeam.com/au

The writer travelled with accommodation support by Visit Canberra and as a guest of Mount Majura Vineyard.