can you tour parliament house canberra

Australian Parliament House

Children looking in the pond

See democracy in action at Australia’s iconic Parliament House high on Capital Hill. Book your tour for Question Time to see the country’s elected politicians making decisions on behalf of the nation.

Take a guided tour, visit the popular Queen's Terrace Cafe, and see an impressive collection of Australian art including one of the world’s largest tapestries.

Map of the venue location

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

“worth visiting”.

Our visit here followed on from attending the Museum of Australian Democracy. The arrangements were a little strange. On entry a guide spoke to us for two or three minutes and then told us to look...

“Australian politics at work”

I did the Yeribee tour which I had pre-booked for free online. It was really interesting if you enjoy First Nations experiences. I also looked around the two houses and it is great you can just...

“Superb tour with excellent guides”

Did a behind the scenes tour of Parliament and it was superb. Access most areas and superb tour guides. Absolutely one of the highlights of Canberra.

  • Coach Parking
  • Conference/Function Facilities
  • Non Smoking
  • Parents Room
  • Public Toilet
  • Shop / Gift Shop

Accessibility

  • Welcomes and assists people who have challenges with learning, communication, understanding and behaviour. (includes people with autism, intellectual disability, Down syndrome, acquired brain injury (ABI), dyslexia and dementia)

Parliament House

can you tour parliament house canberra

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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can you tour parliament house canberra

Parliament House, Canberra

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Old Parliament House Gardens Self-Guided Walking Tour

Wisteria in bloom in the Old Parliament House Rose Gardens.

Enjoy a self-guided walking tour exploring the Old Parliament House Gardens, Canberra’s most significant public garden.

The Australian Parliament first met in the provisional Parliament House on 9 May 1927, in a landscape very different to what they were accustomed to in Melbourne, where parliament had met since 1901. The Treasury Gardens had provided the parliamentarians with delightful surroundings in which to stroll and escape from the business of the House.

Members and Senators were greeted with bare ground and a hedge, just half a metre high, planted by the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens, Charles Weston. There were no lawns, gardens or roses. A bowling green, tennis courts and a cricket pitch were quickly established in the parliamentary gardens for the exclusive use of parliamentarians. However, work on the gardens themselves did not commence for several years. It took the perseverance of Robert Broinowski, Secretary of the Joint House Department, with the support of Sir Walter Kingsmill, President of the Senate, to get the project underway. With the assistance of the National Rose Society of New South Wales, Broinowski initiated the design and planting of an open garden based on patterned rose and annuals display beds, set in lawns and with a minimum of trees. Many of the roses were donated by rose societies, companies and individuals, including Parliament House staff. Despite the difficulties of the Depression era, Broinowski managed to complete the planting of the parliamentary gardens between 1932 and 1938.

Until 1989, the parliamentary gardens were not open to the public. They were used by Members, Senators and their staff as a place for relaxation and retreat. After their reconstruction and reopening in 2004, the Old Parliament House Gardens are now open for all Australians to enjoy their beautiful surrounds and unique history.

1. PROVISIONAL (OLD) 6 PARLIAMENT HOUSE

The architect of Old Parliament House, John Smith Murdoch, envisaged the adjacent gardens as a continuation of the House’s courtyards. The Senate and House of Representative Gardens were once accessible through the (then) colonnaded east and west sides of the House. Murdoch’s vision was to echo, in the gardens, the architectural simplicity and formality of the building.

2. BROINOWSKI ROSE GARDEN

As Secretary of the Joint House Department, Broinowski was instrumental in developing the parliamentary gardens. One of the first public servants to be transferred to Canberra, he was committed to the development of a great Australian federal Capital. There is an interpretive panel on Broinowski in this garden. The roses planted in the Broinowski Rose Garden are shrub roses, including those developed by English rose breeder David Austin. Austin’s roses, also referred to as English Roses, are hybrids of old roses (Gallica, Damask, Portland or Bourbon roses) with either modern Hybrid Teas or Floribundas. Companion plantings, including English Lavender, and mixed Delphinium, Digitalis (Fox Glove) and Pentstemon, evoke a strong sense of an English garden.

3. THE GARDENS LAYOUT

Both the Senate and House of Representatives Gardens are based on a simple quadrant design. The main path of the gardens aligns with the east/west axis of the House, and is emphasised by timber pergola structures, planted with wisteria. These main paths once led to the courtyards within the House. The large grassed area in the Senate Garden were once a well used cricket pitch. This pitch was used for social games and net practice. Prime Ministers Robert Menzies and Bob Hawke were keen recreational players.

4. REX HAZLEWOOD ROSE GARDEN

In 1931, Broinowski met with members of the National Rose Society. Through the Society he was introduced to Rex Hazlewood who worked with him on designing the original gardens. A professional photographer and First World War veteran, Hazlewood worked at his brothers’ nursery in Sydney. The present plantings in this garden portray the international history of rose cultivation. Asiatic roses are planted in the eastern half of the garden. The earliest roses are located at the open ends of each U-shaped bed and their hybrids, including Tea, Noisette, Bourbon and Rugosa roses, are located on the sides. The western half of the garden is planted with European roses, moving from the ancient Gallica, Damask and Alba roses to the later Moss and Portland roses. Towards the centre, east meets west with the culmination of cross-breeding resulting in Hybrid Tea and Floribunda roses. The mixed companion plantings including Dianthus, Violets, Iris, Peonies and Geraniums, reflect the mixed Asian and European heritage of the rose.

5. ALISTER CLARK ROSE GARDEN

This central bed, with its four semi-circular beds, is planted with roses developed by Alister Clark, Australia’s first internationally renowned rose breeder. The roses surrounding the tennis courts in both the Senate and House of Representatives Gardens are also all varieties of Alister Clark roses. As there are no roses native to the southern hemisphere, Clark set out to breed roses particularly suited to Australian conditions which would bloom most of the year – for example his Lorraine Lee, Squatter’s Dream and Nancy Haywood. Apart from rose breeding, Clark was involved with the Victorian horse racing industry. He was founding president of the Moonee Valley Racing Club and in March each year the Alister Clark Stakes is still run. 

6. SENATE TENNIS COURTS

An original feature of the Old Parliament House Gardens, the Senate tennis courts previously had a clay surface – the red colour reflecting the colour of the Senate Chamber. The same is true of the green surface, formerly grass, of the House of Representatives courts. The first roses planted in the gardens (in April 1931) were climbers on the tennis court fences, including Black Boy and Countess Stradbroke. Although popular with Senators and Members, access to the tennis courts on Sundays was denied until 1938 for fear of alienating the God-fearing residents of Canberra. Wives and families of parliamentarians had to wait until 1976 to use the courts and then only when Parliament was not sitting. The timber for the pergolas and arbours in both this and the House of Representatives Gardens was salvaged from the demolition of the Woolloongabba Pub, formerly across the road from the ‘Gabba Cricket Ground in Brisbane.

7. THE BOWLING GREEN CLUBHOUSE AND ROSE BED

The clubhouse was erected in 1937 and was the only structure in the gardens for many years. Until 1985, the clubhouse stood the other side of the green but was moved to its current location when a two-storey annexe to the House was built. The annexe was removed in 1999. The garden bed behind the clubhouse is planted with roses retained after the reconstruction of the gardens in 2004. These roses are a reflection of those previously grown in the gardens.

8. MACARTHUR ROSE GARDEN

Named in honour of John and Elizabeth Macarthur, founders of the Australian merino wool industry, this garden was the last to be constructed under the direction of Robert Broinowski. The central planting of red Étoile de Hollande roses has been reinstated inthe reconstruction, reflecting the original gift in 1937 of 100 roses by Miss Rosa Sibella Macarthur-Onslow, great-granddaughter of John and Elizabeth. The original roses came from the Macarthurs’ Camden property. In 1938, Miss Macarthur-Onslow donated a further 50 Shot Silk roses in recognition of Elizabeth Macarthur’s role in developing the Australian wool industry. The roses planted in the Macarthur garden reflect the European passion for anything ‘Oriental’ during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Tea roses, hybrids of the Chinese rose species R.gigantea and R.chinensis, are so named because their fragrance is similar to that of green tea. Noisette roses, the third type of rose in this garden, resulted from a chance hybrid of a China and Moss rose.

The Old Parliament House Gardens are formal gardens in an open design, set in lawns with a minimum of trees. The original trees were pairs of Silver Maples (Acer saccharinum), Honey Locusts (Gleditsia triacanthos), Southern Nettles (Celtis australis) and Desert Ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa). The Silver Maples were a gift from the Canadian Government to the people of Australia; one of several Canadian gifts in the National Capital. These plantings are repeated in the Senate Gardens.

10. LADIES ROSE GARDEN

This garden was named in honour of the women who donated roses to create the original garden. In 1933, Broinowski approached Dame Mary Hughes, wife of the former Prime Minister, William (Billy) Hughes, to be the project patron. She in turn approached other parliamentary wives to support the project. At that time, roses cost one shilling and four pence per bush. The Ladies Garden has had a chequered history. Soon after it was planted, a quarter of the rose bushes were removed and the area converted into a rubbish tip. In 1965, squash courts were constructed in the south-west corner. Fortunately, these courts were removed during the reconstruction and the beds planted according to their original layout. Many of the original roses planted in the Ladies Rose Garden were Hybrid Teas and their smaller cousins, the Floribundas. This combination has been maintained in the current planting in quadrants of colour — red, pink, yellow and white. 

11. BOWLING GREEN

One of the original facilities of the gardens, the bowling green was popular with parliamentarians. The kiosks and tennis pavilions in both the House of Representatives and Senate Gardens are new inclusions. They are based on original designs for shelter pavilions and the architectural detailing of both reflects that of Old Parliament House.

12. CENTENARY OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE COMMEMORATIVE ARTWORK AND FOUNTAIN

Located on the parliamentary axis (Constitution Place through Old Parliament House to Magna Carta Place), this artwork celebrates the centenary of Australian women’s suffrage. With the passage of the Commonwealth Franchise Act in 1902, women were able to vote and, a world first, to stand for parliament, which they did in the election of 1903. The artwork comprises a fountain and timeline, both of which feature a glass mosaic inspired by wisteria in flower, in the women’s movement colours of green, purple and white. The timeline records the milestones and significant achievements of Australian women in Federal Parliament.

Guided Walking Tours

Enjoy the history, significance and stunning beauty of the Old Parliament House Gardens on a guided walking tour. Bookings are essential.

For more information or bookings:

Phone: (02) 6272 2902 E-mail: [email protected]

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region.

We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.

CulturalAttractionsOfAustralia

  • Australian Parliament House

Behind the scenes access that takes you beyond politics

  • Attractions

The heart of Australian parliamentary democracy and the meeting place of a nation, Australian Parliament House offers visitors to Canberra a unique experience during its Signature Tour

Architecturally impressive, the building design was chosen from more than 320 entries to an international competition.  Australian Parliament House in Canberra was designed to encourage public access and involvement, while responding to the Australian climate, landscape, vegetation, and even the quality of the light.

The forecourt reflects Australia’s ancient beginnings, with a 196-square-metre mosaic, designed by Aboriginal artist Michael Nelson Jagamara. Inside, there is a stunning art collection to be explored and the extraordinary Great Hall Tapestry, designed by renowned Australian artist Arthur Boyd, it took fourteen full-time weavers more than two years to complete.

Visitors to Canberra can also be part of democracy in action as they watch Question Time on their visit to Australian Parliament House.

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Parliament Drive, Canberra

Open every day except Christmas Day. Non-sitting days 9am-5pm. Sitting days Mon-Tue 9am-6pm, Wed-Thu 8.30am-6pm. Queen's Terrace Café 9am-4.30pm.

  • www.aph.gov.au/Visit_Parliament
  • +61 2 6277 7111

This is a premium experience developed with Cultural Attractions of Australia in mind.

A rare behind-the-scenes look at Australian Parliament’s design, art and architecture.

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Parliament House

Join in the fun – and the learning – when you visit iconic Australian Parliament House.

Parliament’s School Visit Program engages and inspires primary and secondary students to learn how the Australian system of government works and examine the important role Parliament plays in the lives of all Australians.

Students can experience a comprehensive guided tour of the building, take part in an immersive education program and, when possible, meet senators and members.

On their tour, students learn about different elements of Parliament House – including the Senate and House of Representatives, the Marble Foyer, the Great Hall and the Members’ Hall. During sitting weeks, students may have the opportunity to attend Question Time or watch a parliamentary debate.

Students can also take part in a program with the Parliamentary Education Office (PEO). This interactive and immersive experience explores the function, purpose, and value of Australia’s democratic system of government. Expert parliamentary educators bring the work of the Parliament to life, making it interesting and relevant to learners of all ages. Students will investigate:

• how laws are made through Parliament

• the responsibilities of their representatives

• the formation of government

• how government is kept accountable

• how students can be active citizens.

A visit to Parliament House contributes towards a school’s eligibility for the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER).

To ensure Parliament House education programs are delivered in a COVIDsafe manner, some small adjustments may be made to programs.

Parliamentary Education Office (PEO) 

Check Sitting Dates here

Connect with parliamentary experts with a free video conferencing program, take a virtual tour of Parliament House and explore classroom resources, interactives and more from the Parliamentary Education Office.            

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Banner image for Tour: Courtyards of Parliament House

Tour: Courtyards of Parliament House

Event description.

Visit the Parliament House courtyard gardens in their most spectacular season of colour and bloom.

Discover the unique approach to landscaping and explore how the gardens help communicate the architect’s vision.

For a limited time, enjoy a guided tour to the beautiful Parliament House courtyards led by one of our visitor guides.

This tour is part of our seasonal tour program, running for a limited time only, book early to avoid disappointment. 

On 14 October only, make the 10 am tour a true celebration of Spring by adding on a sparkling high tea in Mural Hall overlooking the courtyards from this exclusive private area of the building.

Bookings are essential 

Plan your visit

For security purposes, it is a requirement that all Courtyard tour participants must present photo identification on arrival to join this tour.

Our tours depart on time so please arrive 10 minutes before the tour starts. This tour is a walking tour, participants make their way through internal areas and courtyards of the building and may encounter uneven surfaces and weather conditions. We recommend comfortable shoes and dressing to the conditions.

We look forward to welcoming you to Parliament House. Plan your visit today.

Image: Courtyard at Parliament House. Photo: Pew Pew Studio

Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix donates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity

Refund policy

Refunds are available up to 7 days prior to the event

Western Australia's $150,000 Canberra Hub is open for business. It's not an embassy — but what is it?

A sign affixed to a ceiling with the WA crest and the words "WA Canberra Hub"

The WA government has opened an office in Canberra designed to promote the state's interests — which Premier Roger Cook says are "unique" to the rest of the country.

Just don't call it an embassy.

In Canberra to officially open what is called the "WA Hub", Mr Cook said it would "provide more support for Western Australian advocacy organisations".

“It's not an embassy, it's a hub," he said.

What's a hub?

The hub itself is essentially an office that can be used as a meeting space or to "print documents".

The government envisages it being used by groups including the WA Local Government Association, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME)  and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), although it is open to all WA government representatives, advocacy and non-profit organisations.

People stadning around an office chatting in groups, some with wine glasses in hand.

It will support "a new way of working", the government says, designed to "reinvigorate how the WA Government engages with Commonwealth agencies".

Hang on, what it's for?

Exactly what it will be used for and how often remains unclear.

It's not about the GST, since "Western Australia is at last getting its fair share", the Premier said.

He did jokingly allude to it being a useful spot to store luggage though.

A beaming WA Premier Roger Cook next to a wall logo reading "WA Canberaa Hub".

"Just today I've been walking around the halls of parliament, dragging my suitcase behind me, so this is a place where people can come and base themselves," Mr Cook said.

"We want to make sure that we take every opportunity to promote the state and its unique perspective here in Canberra.

"I think Western Australia's got a unique perspective in terms of all aspects of Australian society, whether it's the distances you have to travel, whether it's the role that the resources industry plays, whether it's simply the energy transition."

What's the cost to WA taxpayers?

The WA government's stumping up the funds for what Mr Cook calls a "modest facility" —  $150,000 to set it up, $100,000 in rent annually, and the salary of a full-time receptionist to staff it.

Those who may get to use the new office are singing its praises.

A meeting room with large table, chairs and a large wall mounted screen.

“It is important for WA’s voice to be heard loud and clear and for our interests to be further represented at a national level, and establishing a hub in the heart of our nation’s capital is a step in the right direction," CME chief executive Rebecca Tompkinson said.

She said she thought the hub was important to give WA "greater visibility in Canberra to influence the public policy and funding decisions being made that significantly impact the state".

What does Canberra think?

The federal government seems a bit lukewarm on the whole hub idea.

“We would always welcome a WA embassy in Canberra but I think, if, when you recognise that Prime Minister Albanese has treated Perth like almost a second home in the last 15 months or so, that embassy would probably not be necessary,” Treasurer Jim Chalmers told a CCI function in Perth last year when the idea was first floated.

Labor WA MP Patrick Gorman was slightly more enthusiastic about it at the opening, calling it "exciting for West Australians like myself".

And the Liberals?

The WA Liberals think it's a joke.

Leader Libby Mettam said on X, formerly Twitter, that it "raised serious red flags" about the premier's ability to do his job, given that there are 14 WA Labor MPs in Canberra already representing the state.

Libby Mettam with a serious expression as she discusses her party's front bench reshuffle.

"WA taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the bill for a 'bat cave' in Canberra," she posted.

Has this been tried before?

Soon after taking office in 2006, then-premier Alan Carpenter pledged to open an office in Canberra "so that issues of importance to Western Australia and to the national agenda are pursued here on a daily basis."

"It's very difficult from more than 3,000 kilometres away to keep the profile of WA issues on the national agenda," he said at the time.

The Labor government at the time had no issues with calling it an embassy, with MP Kim Chance referring in state parliament to "the Canberra office — the Western Australian embassy, if one likes".

WA Premier Alan Carpenter talks at press conference

The embassy aimed to provide "an office base for ministers and officials visiting Canberra, and, where appropriate, offering advice and assistance to Western Australian businesses and industry organisations that are visiting Canberra," Mr Chance told parliament.

Sound familiar?

The cost, however, was considerably more, estimated at $500,000 a year and including two full-time staffers.

However, it's not clear what happened to that apparently short-lived iteration of the WA embassy, ahem — hub.

  • X (formerly Twitter)

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    Overview. Discover the must-see highlights within Parliament House from the towering flagpole to the Great Hall Tapestry, the architecture, the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives, art and craft, history and events, and some hidden surprises. These are the highlights and experiences our visitors say should not be missed on a ...

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    Overview. See democracy in action at Australia's iconic Parliament House high on Capital Hill. Book your tour for Question Time to see the country's elected politicians making decisions on behalf of the nation. Take a guided tour, visit the popular Queen's Terrace Cafe, and see an impressive collection of Australian art including one of the ...

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  7. Old Parliament House Gardens Self-Guided Walking Tour

    Walking Tour. Enjoy a self-guided walking tour exploring the Old Parliament House Gardens, Canberra's most significant public garden. The Australian Parliament first met in the provisional Parliament House on 9 May 1927, in a landscape very different to what they were accustomed to in Melbourne, where parliament had met since 1901.

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  9. Visit Australian Parliament House

    Visitors to Canberra can also be part of democracy in action as they watch Question Time on their visit to Australian Parliament House. Experiences Signature Tour. Open every day except Christmas Day. Non-sitting days 9am-5pm. Sitting days Mon-Tue 9am-6pm, Wed-Thu 8.30am-6pm. Queen's Terrace Café 9am-4.30pm.

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  14. Parliament House

    Students can experience a comprehensive guided tour of the building, take part in an immersive education program and, when possible, meet senators and members. On their tour, students learn about different elements of Parliament House - including the Senate and House of Representatives, the Marble Foyer, the Great Hall and the Members' Hall.

  15. Tour: Courtyards of Parliament House

    Tour: Architecture Tour of Parliament House 2023-24. Parliament House Parliament Dr, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia. $14 - $84 AUD. Sat 16th Mar 2024, 9:30 am - 1:30 pm AEDT + 31 dates. Tour: Signature Foundation Experience (weekend) Parliament House, Marble Foyer Parliament Dr, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia.

  16. Parliament House, Canberra, Canberra

    Parliament House, Canberra: Our most recommended tours and activities. 1. From Sydney: Canberra Day Tour. Explore Australia's capital city from Sydney as you enter a new state, leaving New South Wales for the day. A morning tea stop (not included) en route will allow you to stretch your legs and visit a country town before arriving at the ultra ...

  17. PDF Welcome to Australian Parliament House Australian Parliament

    This free tour is a great introduction to Parliament House. You will visit the chambers and see some of the other features of this iconic building with one of our friendly guides. Daily from 9.30am, 11.00am, 1.00pm, 2.00pm and 3.30pm ... The rooftop of Parliament House offers the best views of Canberra and the chance to get up close to the 101 ...

  18. There's no better way to explore Parliament House than ...

    42 likes, 0 comments - parliamenthousecanberra on March 25, 2024: "There's no better way to explore Parliament House than with a guided tour! Discover the iconic ...

  19. Western Australia's $150,000 Canberra Hub is open for business. It's

    For more local stories and videos visit ABC Perth on Instagram. ... with MP Kim Chance referring in state parliament to "the Canberra office — the Western Australian embassy, if one likes". ...