Canberra has no shortage of hidden gems for kids to uncover (and examine). Photo: Geoscience Australia.
If you’re the parent of a curious kid, you’ve probably fallen unwittingly into the role of chronically overworked research assistant. Fending off 1000 questions per minute and constantly Googling things you haven’t thought about since primary school isn’t an easy gig. Fortunately, Canberra is the place to be for STEM kids.
For example, did you know that we have a CSIRO entomologist to thank for the invention of Aerogard? Yep, the iconic Aussie bug spray was developed here in our nation’s capital to protect soldiers overseas from mosquito-borne diseases.
If your kid found that fact interesting, here are a few top-tier science destinations on our doorstep to help satiate their thirst for knowledge.
1. Questacon
Questacon is all about getting hands-on with science. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
An obvious place to start – and with good reason.
Packed with sensory delights, engaging experiments and hands-on experiences, it’s no surprise schools travel from all over to visit our national science centre.
The circular room-by-room layout means you can experience Questacon in bite-sized pieces, or stay the day and consume it all. And when overstimulation hits (“when”, not “if”), head down the ramp to find quiet space under the gently glowing moon.
Make sure to catch a live show in the downstairs Japan Theatre, where the Excited Particles theatre troupe bring science to life – often with a bang!
Family passes start at $70 so – unless you’re the Von Trapps – it’s a well-priced day of epic edu-tainment.
2. Geoscience Australia
Our national public sector geoscience organisation has a remit as vast as its rock collection. Photo: Supplied.
Create an earthquake, touch moon rock or take a walk through geological time – this place is a hidden gem and a treasure trove.
From tsunamis to bushfires, uranium to renewables, marine research to space observations, Geoscience Australia provides data to fuel decisions for a sustainable environment and economy.
Pint-sized prospectors will love the National Mineral and Fossil Collection of about 700 specimens which can be explored via a treasure hunt activity.
Also home to the National Earthquake Alerts Centre, kids can watch real-life scientists monitor and record environmental hazards.
And Canberra kids don’t need to travel light years to reach the moon. Here on loan from NASA, we have the only piece of moon rock in the Southern Hemisphere that you can actually touch!
Entry is everyone’s favourite price (aka free), and the Blackstone Cafe onsite means you can refuel between scientific topics.
3. Cotter Dam
One of few major dams worldwide which has been successfully enlarged, rather than demolished and rebuilt. Photo: Vince Russell, Unsplash.
One for tiny tinkerers and analytical minds, Cotter Dam offers a concrete example of engineering and systems thinking – quite literally.
Australia’s tallest roller-compacted concrete dam – 83 m high and 76,200 million litres in capacity – it’s uniquely designed to withstand extreme climate events and is one of few major dams worldwide which has been dramatically enlarged.
The dam viewing area is accessible via the Cotter Dam Discovery Trail, a 1.4 km loop along the river lined with information on Canberra’s water supply, the dam enlargement project, environmental considerations and construction challenges.
Make a day of it and picnic at nearby Cotter Reserve and playground, but leave the dogs at home and don’t forget your rubbish – remember, that’s our drinking water you’re looking at.
4. Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC)
The trip to Tidbinbilla tracking station (now known as CDSCC) is a Canberran rite-of-passage. Photo: CSIRO.
Journey just 40 minutes out of Canberra into grassy bushlands and – bizarrely – you’ll find the deepest reaches of outer space.
Part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, our local space station is one of only three such facilities around the world. With its sister stations in the US and Spain, CDSCC is responsible for continuous communication with more than 40 spacecraft exploring our solar system and beyond.
Kids are immediately humbled by the sheer size of its satellites and, once inside the Visitor’s Centre, they can see the latest images from across the solar system, explore models and hardware and discover how astronauts live.
Hot tip: The cafe is currently closed, so BYO to avoid getting lost in space with hangry kids.
5. Mount Stromlo Observatory
Public astronomy nights invite wanna-be space cadets to explore the universe under the guidance of astronomers and astrophysicists. Photo: Supplied.
You can’t beat Mount Stromlo for nature, heritage and scientific significance.
Home of the Australian National University’s Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the 2003 bushfires inflicted major damage on the site and destroyed the larger research telescopes.
However, you can still get a glimpse through smaller telescopes with guided star-gazing at its public astronomy nights, or dive into the dizzying depths of galactic archaeology and black hole phenomena with a seminar – just check their calendar of events.
While the visitors centre remains under construction, the Heritage Trail is a self-guided tour through the site’s history and the impacts of the fires, including a look inside the restored Director’s Residence.
There’s no cafe onsite, but plenty of space and sweeping views, so pack a picnic to enjoy under the high-precision laser technology.
6. National Botanic Gardens
Budding Botanists grow here – at their own pace, or via a wide variety of tours. Photo: Supplied.
An expedition through the gardens is a highly-accessible and easy family adventure.
From the peaceful Rainforest Gully boardwalk through to the dramatic Red Centre Garden, a stroll through the gardens will take you across Australia. In fact, it’s the world’s most diverse collection of Australian plants. That’s over 4300 species – all minutes from the CBD.
Guided walks take place twice daily, or – to save little legs – you can book a tour via the “Flora Explorer” electric bus.
Picnic in the sprawling shade of the Eucalypt Lawn, or visit the award-winning Pollen Cafe for a range spanning from “dippy eggs” and avo toast through to nasi goreng. It’s also licensed, just quietly.
7. National Dinosaur Museum
Keep your wits about you as you adventure through this surprising museum experience. Photo: James Coleman.
Visitors to this privately-owned museum are welcomed (or scared off!) by Canberra’s very own T-Rex, Stan. At 20 m long and six metres tall, he still has a habit of catching visitors by surprise with a twitch of his tail – because this place is not all bones and fossils (though there are plenty of those too).
Here, the exhibitions are alive and interactive, with animatronic models bringing ancient history to life, from a subtle blink to an impressive roar.
Outside is a prehistoric garden party, packed with larger-than-life fibreglass creatures the kids can get up close and personal with – if they dare.
Between jump scares, young palaeontologists will uncover endless dino-facts and fossils, as well as the broader history of life on Earth.
The museum houses over 150 dinosaur models, 23 complete skeletons and more than 300 fossils, making it Australia’s largest permanent display of prehistoric specimens.
Overall, a thrilling family outing – especially if your kids enjoyed A Night at the Museum.
