Located 15 kilometres south of Canberra, Queanbeyan is a delightful mix of heritage architecture and captivating natural attractions. Explore caves, river valleys and vast forests of eucalyptus, taste delicious local wines and shop for regional delicacies in its bustling markets.

Things to do

Get an overview of the city and surrounding area on a self-guided heritage and nature walk. The City Heritage Walk takes you around an assortment of attractive 19th and early-20th-century buildings and memorials. Stop at the Historical Museum and see a reconstructed blacksmith’s shop as it was in the early 1900s or visit the Printing Museum and see the restored machines that first printed Queanbeyan’s local newspaper in 1860.

The Molonglo Gorge Walk offers remarkable scenery through river valleys and woods of eucalyptus and acacia, while the Big Hole Walk takes you past 400 million-year-old cave systems and gorgeous limestone canyons. Don’t miss the London Bridge Arch, a stunning natural bridge formed by the flow of water through the limestone.

Queanbeyan is wine-growing country, and a drive around the countryside is richly rewarded with vineyard tours, samples of local reds and whites and stunning views over Lake George. Love to shop? Head to the Queanbeyan Market for fresh produce from regional farms and handmade crafts from local artisans. For a serious dose of retail therapy, visit the 50 stores at Riverside Plaza.

Getting around

Queanbeyan is only 10 kilometres from Canberra Domestic Airport and there’s an extensive bus service that covers Queanbeyan and the surrounding area. Several bicycle hire services and abundant cycle paths through the national parks make getting around on two wheels easy.