Situated in the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra is not only the capital city of Australia, but is also known as the ‘bush capital’. This ever-growing town is home to important landmarks such as Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial and the High Court of Australia. It is also home to hundreds of award-winning restaurants, bars and cafes, with world class wineries nearby, as well as some stunning natural landscapes. Add to this an excellent range of hotel and accommodation options and you have yourself the ingredients for the perfect holiday destination. There are lots of reasons to make Canberra your next long-weekend destination!

TurnipseedTravel debuted nearly six years ago (and does anyone else remember our very first green and grey template?). Nearly 18 months later, that debut became a fully fledged launch when Ryan and I took our readers along for the journey of a lifetime.

We cashed in all our points for what was technically a trip to Australia but instead embarked on an amazing round-the-world trip fueled entirely by Aeroplan.  See, we had learned about all the reward flight loopholes needed to "hack" our travel plans and create a mini round the world trip with Star Alliance partners. With stops in Europe, Asia, North America (and, of course, Australia), we had 9 flight segments on Star Alliance flights (and visited about 15 different locations) and paid about $300 each for taxes and fees. As you can tell from our nostalgic photos, thanks to Aeroplan, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

​Or so we thought.... 

You don't have to be an outdoorsy person to fall in love with baby rescued animals! Even the most nature averse person can't help but melt when confronted with a small and cuddly critter! Our recent visit to Australia provided us with the chance to meet some of the most unusual animals we'd ever seen and we were grateful for the opportunity  to see a different side of the country after spending so much time in Sydney. 

If you're looking for an amazing day trip from Sydney, you couldn't ask for a more beautiful destination than Manly Beach. We're talking gorgeous blue waters, endless white beaches, and amazing views - plus a great food scene! But I must confess, my first glimpse of Manly Beach was not an encouraging sight.

On the day of my visit, the high winds and rough waters were pretty intimidating. I bet they were heaven for the crowd of seasoned surfers but as someone who was there for a snorkeling experience, I have to say I was feeling pretty nervous. I was concerned about getting in over my head (literally and otherwise) but I put on a brave face and continued on down the path. For I wasn't in the Manly area for an ordinary visit. I was scheduled to meet up with Damien from EcoTreasures for a guided nature walk and snorkel session at nearby Shelly Beach.

Australian cuisine is varied, with influence taken from the immigrants who settled in Australia and introduced their produce to the country.  The city has a plentiful supply of restaurants for food lovers and you can eat for a reasonable price. Here are a few:

The Nook Caffe Restaurant

This restaurant comes highly recommended, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. Choices for breakfast include gingerbread pancakes, Bircher muesli and bacon benedict. For lunch, the menu includes pan-fried fillet of Queensland Barramundi, smoked chicken salad and caramelized pork belly. If you’re visiting the restaurant in the evening, you’ll find a variety of cuisines available, including Spanish, Lebanese and Italian. The restaurant is located in the Jindalee suburb of Queensland.