Where is Canberra, Australia?

Written and Fact-checked by | Last Updated On: June 15, 2026

Where is Canberra Located on the Australia Map? Find Canberra’s location map, coordinates, population, nearby cities, attractions, roads and highways, climate, transportation, and important city facts.

Location Map of Canberra, Australia

Where is Canberra, Australia

About Map: The map shows the location of Canberra in the Australia.

Where is Melbourne Located?


Canberra is located in the south-east part of Australia. This is the capital city of Australia and the largest in-land city otherwise eight largest city of Australia. The country's capital status it got in the year 1908 because it is entirely planned city of Australia designed by the Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin.

While designing the city some of the points have been taken care very seriously including the presence of garden and the natural vegetation; this is the region that it is also known as bush capital.

Moreover, the Australian capital city Canberra is self-governing and it has the status of National Capital Territory. Hence, it homes Parliament House, High Court, and various departments of the government along with the various educational, social and cultural institutions such as Australian National University, Australian Institute of Sport, Australian War Memorial, National Gallery, National Library, and National Museum.

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Quick Facts

FactDetails
CityCanberra
TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory (ACT)
CountryAustralia
National CapitalCanberra
RegionSoutheastern Australia
Latitude35.2809° S
Longitude149.1300° E
Elevation1,886 ft (575 m)
Land Area314.0 sq mi
Water Area2.3 sq mi
Total Area316.3 sq mi
Population (2021 Census)Approximately 454,000
Population DensityApproximately 1,445 per sq mi
Postcodes2600, 2601, 2602, 2603 and surrounding ACT postcodes
Area Code02
Time Zone StandardAustralian Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10)
Time Zone DaylightAustralian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC+11)
CurrencyAustralian Dollar (AUD)
Australian Statistical Area CodeGreater Canberra GCCSA
Federal RepresentationDivision of Canberra and Division of Fenner

Nearby Cities to Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

  • Queanbeyan, New South Wales - 9 mi East
  • Yass, New South Wales - 37 mi North
  • Goulburn, New South Wales - 56 mi Northeast
  • Bungendore, New South Wales - 22 mi East
  • Murrumbateman, New South Wales - 24 mi North
  • Cooma, New South Wales - 71 mi South
  • Batemans Bay, New South Wales - 93 mi East
  • Tumut, New South Wales - 112 mi West
  • Young, New South Wales - 95 mi Northwest
  • Sydney, New South Wales - 177 mi Northeast

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Climate and Weather Overview

MonthAvg High (°F)Avg Low (°F)Avg Rainfall (in)
January82562.2
April69441.8
July54331.7
October68422.4
Annual684424.5
Climate AttributeDetails
Climate Classification (Köppen)Cfb - Oceanic
Annual RainfallApproximately 24.5 inches
Annual Sunshine DaysAbout 108 clear days annually
Hurricane/Tornado RiskVery Low
SnowfallLight snowfall occasionally occurs during winter

Driving Distances from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

CityState/TerritoryDistance (mi)Approx. Drive Time
QueanbeyanNSW915 min
YassNSW3740 min
BungendoreNSW2225 min
GoulburnNSW561 hr
CoomaNSW711 hr 15 min
Batemans BayNSW932 hr
TumutNSW1122 hr
YoungNSW951 hr 50 min
SydneyNSW1773 hr
WollongongNSW1552 hr 45 min

Transportation and Connectivity in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Airport NameCanberra Airport
IATA CodeCBR
PortNo Seaport
Major HighwaysM23, A23, A25, Monaro Highway
Train ServiceNSW TrainLink Regional Rail Service
Local Transit ServiceTransport Canberra Bus and Light Rail
  • M23 Federal Highway - Connects Canberra with Sydney via the Hume Highway.
  • A23 Barton Highway - Links Canberra with Yass and northern New South Wales.
  • A25 Kings Highway - Connects Canberra to the South Coast and Batemans Bay.
  • Monaro Highway - Provides access to Cooma and the Snowy Mountains region.
  • Tuggeranong Parkway - Major north-south urban transport corridor.

Key Landmarks and Places to Visit in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Landmark NameType
Parliament HouseGovernment Building
Australian War MemorialMuseum
National Museum of AustraliaMuseum
National Gallery of AustraliaArt Gallery
Lake Burley GriffinRecreation Area
QuestaconScience Museum
National Arboretum CanberraPark
Mount Ainslie LookoutScenic Viewpoint
Australian National Botanic GardensBotanical Garden
Old Parliament HouseHistoric Site

Places to Visit in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Landmark NameType
Parliament HouseGovernment Building
Australian War MemorialMuseum
National Museum of AustraliaMuseum
National Gallery of AustraliaArt Gallery
QuestaconScience Museum
Lake Burley GriffinLake
Mount Ainslie LookoutScenic Viewpoint
National Arboretum CanberraPark
Australian National Botanic GardensBotanical Garden
Old Parliament HouseHistoric Site

Colleges and Universities in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Institution NameTypeLevelNotable For
Australian National UniversityPublicUniversityWorld-class research
University of CanberraPublicUniversityProfessional education
Australian Catholic UniversityPublicUniversityHealth and education
UNSW CanberraPublicUniversityDefence studies
Canberra Institute of TechnologyPublicVocational EducationTechnical training

Waterbodies in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Lake Burley Griffin, Molonglo River, Murrumbidgee River, Ginninderra Creek, Lake Ginninderra, Jerrabomberra Creek, Tuggeranong Lake, Cotter River, Corin Reservoir, Bendora Reservoir

Golf Courses in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Royal Canberra Golf Club, Federal Golf Club, Canberra Golf Club, Gold Creek Country Club, Gungahlin Lakes Golf Club, Yowani Country Club, Murrumbidgee Country Club, Fairbairn Golf Club, Capital Public Golf Course, Queanbeyan Golf Club

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory - Key Historical Facts

  • Canberra was selected as Australia's capital in 1908 as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne.
  • The city was officially named Canberra in 1913 during a ceremony attended by Lady Denman.
  • American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin designed Canberra's original city plan.
  • Parliament moved from Melbourne to Canberra in 1927, establishing the city as Australia's political center.
  • Lake Burley Griffin was created in 1963 and became a defining feature of the city's landscape.
  • Today, Canberra is home to Australia's national institutions, embassies, and leading research universities.

References

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