There are some great things about Canberra… Firstly, you’d never guess that there are almost 400,000 people living there if you were just walking around many of its vast acres of parks and green areas… Unlike any other Aussie city, Canberra is full of open space and people use it a lot. Everywhere you go you’ll see bike paths, tree lined streets, ample parking, and recreational public amenities galore. There are some great museums (check out the war memorial), some great hiking, and there are some fun sites to visit (parliment, the mint).

The worst thing about Canberra is its imposing sterility… I can’t really put this feeling into words… there’s just something about driving in endless circles under those orange gas-filled street lamps around man-made lakes, purpose built structures and sapling trees with the stakes still in the ground… Just rubs me the wrong way a little… Don’t think there isn’t a reason why Canberra has the highest rate of heroin use in Australia.

Another dissatisfying aspect of our nations capital is the fact that it has about as much culture as a doorknob… You’ll be hard pressed to find anything to eat that a) isn’t in a shopping mall, or b) isn’t from an establishment that sells fries, pizza or both. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a city that’s so confused about its identity, especially the capital of a nation like Australia. It almost resembles a giant outdoor IKEA store speckled at random intervals with pornography stores, racing circuits and grotty pubs. Kind of embarrassing :/

Canberra is worth a look if you’re driving from Sydney to Melbourne or something, don’t go too much out of your way to see it… and don’t go with high expectations.