Tips from a Tourist in Eastern Australia

Throughout my time living abroad in Canberra, Australia, I was able to fully immerse
myself in another culture and understand how Australia and Canada differ in a number of ways.
Some of these lessons I learned hard and fast, as they have to do with my safety while abroad.
While Canada and Australia are very similar in a lot of ways, there are some very clear
differences. Along with making you aware of the key differences of living in Australia, I’ll also
give some recommendations of my favorite places to visit in and around Canberra. Welcome to
Tips from a Tourist!

1. Pedestrians don’t really have the right of way

I learned very quickly that Australia is very different from Canada regarding pedestrians. There
are very few crosswalks in Canberra - jaywalking is something that happens on a daily basis,
and everyone does it, even in front of law enforcement. If you are wanting to cross the road and
are standing on the side, cars will not stop for you. Patience is key when playing the role of a
pedestrian in Australia. Another important tip is to get used to looking over BOTH shoulders
before crossing the street - it is a little bit of a culture shock to see traffic moving on the opposite
side of the road from what we have grown up with. For your safety, double check to make sure
that the coast is clear before you cross the road.

2. Driving while abroad? Be cautious

Driving while abroad is convenient of course, but can come with a whole new set of challenges -
you are driving on the ‘wrong side’ of the road on the opposite side of the vehicle. Talk about a
lot to take in while still focusing on traffic, pedestrians, and not knowing where you are going. My
tip to you is to take it slow, and to start on a backroad with very little traffic. Once you are used
to it, tackle the road, but be extremely cautious.
Not sure where to find a car? If you are looking to do some road tripping on weekends, or are
looking for an easier, faster way to commute (Canberra’s public transport is quite efficient
however), you can look into a car dealership in Canberra called Lennock Motors, and a program
they run called “Flex Wheels”. My partner and I were able to get a long term car rental (4
months) for $150 per month. While this is another expense to take into account, it made
traveling in and around Canberra much more accessible, especially for hiking trails and national
parks.

3. Foodie? Welcome Home

Canberra is home to some GREAT food of all different backgrounds. Not only is there great food
to buy, but more often than not there is also FREE food offered on campus! The following are
restaurants that I would absolutely recommend checking out while living in Canberra:
- Akiba (Asian Fusion)
- Must try: Pork Belly Bun, Japanese Fried Chicken, Peking Duck Dumplings
- Oliver Brown (Chocolate Cafe - Open Late!)
- Must try: Fondue for Two, Latte, Hot Chocolate
- Yarralumla Turkish Halal Pide House (Turkish Kebab)
- Must try: Lamb Kebab Wrap, Chicken and Lamb Snack Pack (Fries with kebab
and garlic sauce)
- Ramentic (Ramen)
- Must try: Spicy Ramentic, Bao Buns
- Via Dolce (Italian)
- Must try: Any Woodfired Pizza, Gelato

4. Sports Fan? Take Advantage

Sporting tickets in Australia are SO cheap compared to what we see here in Canada. You can
see an Australian Football League (AFL) game for around $25 a ticket. We even managed to
see a FIFA Women’s World Cup Game for only $50 a ticket! The best place to watch AFL is in
Melbourne, so if you get the chance to head south, make sure to stop for a game while you're
there. The atmosphere of the stadium is electric. I would compare AFL in Australia to Ice
Hockey in Canada.

5. Use the Miles, Spend the Money, Hit the Road

My final tip is to spend the money and travel the country while you are there. Your time abroad
goes by so quickly, and by the time you realize it half of your trip is already gone! Take the time
to travel in and around Canberra. Some of my favorites included Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (45
minutes outside of Canberra), Mount Kosciuszko National Park (3 hours outside Canberra),
Jervis Bay (2 hours outside Canberra), and Sydney (3 hours outside Canberra). Some of my
favorite places within Canberra included Civic (downtown), the Australian National Botanic
Gardens, Lake Burley Griffin, and Mulligans Flats.

If you get the chance to head to the coast, I highly recommend going to both the Gold Coast
and the Sunshine Coast. Both boast beautiful beaches, good food, nice people, and stunning
wildlife. And of course, head to New Zealand if you have the opportunity - the country is a
wonder of the world in and of itself.

Enjoy your time while abroad and soak all of the experience up while you are there. It will go by
quickly, so live everyday to its absolute fullest.