Mount Ainslie Lookout
The best viewpoint over the capital's central axis, where the War Memorial, Anzac Parade and Parliament House line up in one view.
Mount Ainslie rises to 843 metres. Its summit lookout faces the city's main axis laid out by Walter Burley Griffin: the War Memorial, Anzac Parade, the lake and Parliament House all sit along one straight line, making it the top choice for panoramic photos of Canberra. You can drive straight to the summit (free parking), or hike up from behind the War Memorial along the Kokoda Track, about 2.5 km and 40 minutes, where kangaroos are often seen along the way. The city lights are most beautiful from dusk into the night, and the summit is cold in winter.
Opening hours
Open all day
Nearby sights
- Australian War Memorial
- Anzac Parade
- Braddon (Lonsdale Street)
- Commonwealth Park & Floriade
- National Carillon
- Captain Cook Memorial Jet
- High Court of Australia
- National Gallery of Australia