Visitors Centre Entrance to Tidbinbilla, Tidbinbilla Reserve Rd

©George Francis Dunford/Lonely Planet

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

Australian Capital Territory


Less than an hour’s drive from Canberra, this nature park is a key habitat for some of Australia’s best-known animals: kangaroos, koalas and emus. A predator-protected sanctuary is your best chance to spot these critters in the wild. The breeding program at the park also includes the rare brush-tailed rock wallaby and the colourful corroboree tree frog. The visitor centre offers walks and self-guided exploration.

Walks range from the 20-minute Koala Path to the eight-hour hike to Camel’s Hump, which offers great views back to the city. Some trails are wheelchair accessible or can use the TrailRider, an all-terrain wheelchair that should be booked in advance via the visitor centre. For a closer look take a ranger-guided tour including the chance to pursue platypus, enjoy a billy tea or throw a boomerang. Namadgi National Park is adjacent to Tidbinbilla for more outdoor exploration.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Australian Capital Territory attractions

1. Lanyon Homestead

8.21 MILES

In 1834, when convicts were sent in to clear this land on the edge of Murrumbidgee River for grazing, this truly was a wild frontier. Now it's a pretty…

2. Namadgi National Park

9.33 MILES

Namadgi is the Ngunnawal word for the mountains southwest of Canberra, and this national park includes eight of those peaks higher than 1700m. It offers…

3. Royal Australian Mint

11.91 MILES

The Royal Australian Mint is Australia’s biggest money-making operation. Its gallery showcases the history of Australian coinage; learn about the 1813 …

4. National Zoo & Aquarium

12.1 MILES

It's certainly not the biggest in Australia, but Canberra's zoo is well laid out and animal friendly, with native fauna such as Tasmanian devils and…

6. Red Hill Lookout

12.54 MILES

The lookout at the top of Red Hill (720m) is a great spot to get a vantage north over Canberra's centre. There are plenty of walking trails winding…

7. National Arboretum

12.63 MILES

Canberra's National Arboretum is an ever-developing showcase of trees from around the world, with 94 forests of different species currently on-site. It is…

8. Embassy of Japan

13.13 MILES

The white walls and black beams of the elegant embassy building and adjacent Ambassador's Residence are reminiscent of traditional Japanese design. The…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "australia/australian-capital-territory/attractions/tidbinbilla-nature-reserve/a/poi-sig/1162100/362250",
      "destination": "Australian-Capital-Territory",
      "continent": "Australia-&-Pacific",
      "country": "Australia",
      "region": "Australian-Capital-Territory",
      "position": "superzone"
    }