Canberra's carefully planned streets are dotted with parks, civic buildings, museums, and galleries. At the top of the list is Parliament House; a walk around Lake Burley Griffin (named for the city's planner) is pleasant; the National War Memorial worth a visit just for the honor roll, although the museum attached is a strange mix of war glorification and condemnation, but still very interesting. The National Museum, National Gallery, the Australian Institute of Sport, and the Australian National University are all worth a look, but give the National Archives a miss - it’s boring and out of the way.
Quick Tips:
Visit the Houses of Parliament while one of the houses is sitting and see Australia's mis-government in action. Best Way To Get Around:
Canberra is too spread out to see even most things by walking unless you're a bit of a trekker; the public buses are adequete and pretty cheap.