Canberra, as Australia's capital, is the nation's political hub with all the excitement that can entail. The city has some fabulous public buildings and spaces ( think of the Parliament buildings themselves,  old and new, the High Court, the National Gallery, the National Library, the War Museum) and is surrounded by the most remarkable natural environment. Planned and quite stunning, Canberra is definitely worth reconsidering.

If you’re a skier or snowboarder mark Queanbeyan on your map. 12km SE of Canberra, Queanbeyan is ideally situated for visitors to this area as it is close to the snowfields giving you the option to pick the best area or to stay at home on a cold winter's morning.

Even for surfers, although you can't see the ocean from here, it’s only a medium drive to the empty waves of the scenic South Coast.

If you’re not off-and-about seeking the adrenaline rush, Queanbeyan is still an ideal base to explore the historic towns of Capital Country and close to the entertainment of the capital.

So what happened in this sleepy area I hear you ask?  Well 150 years ago strolling into the nearby Braidwood was very different than today.  During this time there was the dramatic events of the gold fields rush, outrageous bushrangers and the far-from-home Chinese settlers.

This melting pot of activity helped Braidwood became the commercial centre for the area's goldfields in the 1850s. In fact the entire township of Braidwood has been classified by the National Trust.  To really experience the past pop into the Braidwood Museum.

Claimed as Australia's first inland city, Goulburn is the major centre on the Southern Tablelands. Goulburn has 5 big wool stores and one of the largest livestock markets in New South Wales.

Like with many Australian locations there is something BIG here too, you can visit the infamous Big Merino which informs you of the wool industry here over 3 floors inside this much-loved structure.  Pose for a photo with the sheep nicknamed ‘Rambo’ by the locals.

To see a real life Merino, visit Yass. Close to where the Barton Hwy to Canberra meets the Hume Hwy, Yass is the service centre for the surrounding country famous for its Merino sheep. 

For a change of scenery head to Young, the 'Cherry Capital of Australia', Young is the centre of a district that primarily produces cherries for the table, but also grows and processes plums and has a small number of wineries.

For more financially rewarding fruits of labour, Young is also one of the richest and most populated goldfields in New South Wales. So if you're feeling lucky pan for gold at Blackguard Gully, a dedicated fossicking area.

This is only a snippet of things to do and see in Capital Country. If you have something you want to share why not write and article or visit the forum to start a discussion.

Happy Travels!