You don’t have to be a green thumb to visit this sprawling 250-hectare tree museum in Canberra. Set on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, the National Arboretum is home to more than 44,000 rare and endangered trees that were planted after the Christmas 2001 and 2003 Canberra bushfires. Many of the trees are still young, but two of the forests are nearly 100 years old.
Your arrival point is the Village Centre, an architect-designed building with views over Canberra featuring a restaurant, café, gift shop, information hub, and the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection. From there, kids can head to the nature-themed Pod Playground featuring giant acorn cubbies, nest swings and banksia pods. Meanwhile, adults can head straight to the Canberra Discovery Garden, showing visitors how to grow a beautiful, sustainable and water-efficient garden in any season. After, wander through 20 kilometres of multi-purpose tracks that wind through the mosaic of greenery or head to the top of Dairy Farmers Hill for ripper sunset views.