Free things to do in Canberra?

poetix said :

Sorry, OP, I see you mentioned the gardens yourself. I’m a klutz.

No problem. Now they are doubly endorsed!

Go for a ride on horse, bicycle, or motorbike.

the-riotact.com is free

Sorry, OP, I see you mentioned the gardens yourself. I’m a klutz.

Can definitely second Tidbinbilla, took the kids on a night tour years ago with our torches and the guide pointing out nocturnal creatures ,it was great.

Kim F said :

Bush walking. Canberra Nature Park or Namadgi or Tidbinbilla ($20 for annual pass)

Seconded, all free, all lovely to walk in.

http://www.tams.act.gov.au/parks-recreation/parks_and_reserves/canberra_nature_park

Play network games on Steam.

Screen Sound Australia free movies and tours/exhibits

A really quiet, peaceful thing to do on your own (or possibly with others) is to go to the Botanic Gardens, not when there is a music night and lots of people, but when you can just walk around and find a place to sit. There are always some plants worth looking at. You can take a picnic if you want.

There is a small charge for car-parking, I think, but the gardens are free.

Ex Warrior said :

MsCheeky said :

And another one is the local hash house harriers clubs. I’m with Canberra Hash, and we gather at 6.30pm on Monday in summer and 10.00am on Sunday in winter. People variously walk or run a trail for about an hour, then we stand around and shoot the breeze while consuming whatever drinks we brought along and eat whatever the host serves up – very often sausage sangers. We run from a different location each week, decided by the host, so you get to see some of the back end of places around the district that you otherwise wouldn’t. There are several hash groups in Canberra, and they’re all very friendly. The Canberra hash charges $2 a week and we funnel that back by the occasional subsidised restaurant or pub run and/or beer. Everyone is welcome – even well behaved kids and dogs.

Any chance of a link to some more info on this gig. Did a run in Bali with this group and really was an unforgetable experience.

Google search will bring them up. I believe all ACT kennels have links to the other ones.

MsCheeky said :

And another one is the local hash house harriers clubs. I’m with Canberra Hash, and we gather at 6.30pm on Monday in summer and 10.00am on Sunday in winter. People variously walk or run a trail for about an hour, then we stand around and shoot the breeze while consuming whatever drinks we brought along and eat whatever the host serves up – very often sausage sangers. We run from a different location each week, decided by the host, so you get to see some of the back end of places around the district that you otherwise wouldn’t. There are several hash groups in Canberra, and they’re all very friendly. The Canberra hash charges $2 a week and we funnel that back by the occasional subsidised restaurant or pub run and/or beer. Everyone is welcome – even well behaved kids and dogs.

Any chance of a link to some more info on this gig. Did a run in Bali with this group and really was an unforgetable experience.

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT!
NERD TRIVIA AT THE PHOENIX PUB!

Both free and awesome, if I do say so myself.

And another one is the local hash house harriers clubs. I’m with Canberra Hash, and we gather at 6.30pm on Monday in summer and 10.00am on Sunday in winter. People variously walk or run a trail for about an hour, then we stand around and shoot the breeze while consuming whatever drinks we brought along and eat whatever the host serves up – very often sausage sangers. We run from a different location each week, decided by the host, so you get to see some of the back end of places around the district that you otherwise wouldn’t. There are several hash groups in Canberra, and they’re all very friendly. The Canberra hash charges $2 a week and we funnel that back by the occasional subsidised restaurant or pub run and/or beer. Everyone is welcome – even well behaved kids and dogs.

Bush walking. Canberra Nature Park or Namadgi or Tidbinbilla ($20 for annual pass)

I’m a big fan of the film and sound archive. It has lots of interactive exhibits. It’s free.

have a look at the You Are Here lineup – everything is free.

Other free stuff – swimming at Kambah pool/point hut crossing/in the cotter, walking around the lakes, climbing mt ainslie (etc), jazz at botanic gardens (on sundays i think?)… take a look at ANU’s events pages – lots of free talks and things there…. join the ANU film group – i think its like $70 for a year’s worth of movies…

the dinorsaur museum is not free but it is very cheap – $11 for adults, i think?

Do yourself a favour and start connecting with all the institutions we have in Canberra. If you can’t think of at least five amazing things that are free or very cheap every week here in Canberra then you’re doing it wrong. It depends what part of town your in but I use social networks to connect to Belconnen Arts Centre, Little in Canberra, the Centenary team, the Libraries, the ANU etc etc etc.

It’s the Centenary Year. There is stuff on literally every day and most of it is free. There is a calendar on http://www.canberra100.com.au/

Enlighten was free, most of the stuff celebrating Canberra Day is free this coming weekend.

There are often free lectures at the ANU on a range of subjects.

Institutions that you haven’t mentioned that are free include the Portrait Gallery, the Arboretum, the War Memorial (incl a fantastic kids area). We have incredible parks in all parts of Canberra.

The ACT Library has book clubs, Giggle and Wiggle for littlies.

There is always the Birdman Rally or the Food and Wine Frolic……….oh yeah….the local Govt took those things away from us.

I would suggest that the upwardly mobile could be out doing outdoorsy type things like looking for any remains of the old Tuggeranong aerial bombing range or any of the old mines inside the Canberra region (Cotter, Weston Creek etc…), the tunnels under the Sydney and Melbourne buildings or the legendary tunnel under Belco mall.

Or on a long shot, try to find the entrance to the bunker under Mt Ainslie or maybe even try to find the secret tunnel that apparently goes from Club Mi Mi in Fyshwick to Parliament House.

If you are feeling daring, maybe take a geiger counter to the old RAAF Fairbairn and see what happens.

Use your time adventurously and constructively for the benefit of all and see if those things are real, because some of us have jobs and cannot do these things when we want to.

This painting (in case you don’t know which one I’m referring to):
http://www.portrait.gov.au/site/exhibition_subsite_glorious.php

johnboy said :

Space Museum?

Deep Space centre… Tomato Potato.

The diamond jubilee portrait of the queen in westminster abbey is still at the portrait gallery, it’s well worth seeing. It was painted by an aussie and he did a damn good job. I think it’s leaving for London in a couple of weeks (someone correct me if i’m wrong) and once it’s gone it’s gone for good as it’s now owned privately.

Old Parliament House costs $2 to get in.

But the guided tours are free.

Guessing Space Museum is the Deep Space Communication Complex. I didn’t think it was worth the time. Neither was CMAG, I thought (wince). With regards to museums, probably try to go when an interesting temporary exhibit is up.

Geocaching. Ride bicycles. Walk/ride through nature reserves and suburbs. National Library and ACT Library. Related to the “old standbys” above, look for the self-guided walking tour pamphlets, other guided tours at the national buildings (e.g. Parliament House), and the changing exhibitions at the National Archive and the National Library.

Get a job you bums.

There’s the war memorial. – Free
The Space Museum. – Free
Tidbinbilla costs about $10 to drive a car through to the BBQ/Walks/Play area. Would take a day easily.
CSIRO discovery centre (Not sure)
The Mint ( Free)
Walk in Parliament House (Free)
Old Parliament House (Free)
Telstra Tower (Costs)

Eat a Brodburger – free on the 9th if you like to queue (also free).