Canberra - The Sporting Planet Travel Guide to sports teams, stadiums, events and facilities around the world

CANBERRA
CITY OVERVIEW Stay in Canberra Save Up To 70% On Your Hotel Stay with Travelocity	Many Australians that have visited the capital of Australia have diverse opinions on it as a place to visit. Canberra is small, green and very quiet and for those that dislike the hustle and bustle of big cities Canberra is a great alternative. Put simply, those that like big bustliing cities do not usually like Canberra. Like other capital cities around the world, Canberra contains some of the best galleries and exhibits in the country. The National Library Of Australia; the Australian War Memorial; the National Art Gallery Of Australia; the Australian National Botanic Gardens; the National Archives Of Australia; and Questacon are some of the most popular. The Parliament Houses (old and new) are great places to visit if you are interested in things political but even if you are not they contain some interesting artefacts and exhibitions. Being a planned place, Canberra is renowned for its plentiful open space, its many bikeways and its quaint residential villages. The pick of the suburbs is Manuka - its mix of restaurants, bars and hotels that make it a the place to be in the evening. A great view of Canberra can be gained from the Telstra Tower Lookout on top of Black Mountain some 6km north-west of the City Centre. Canberra is also the main gateway to the Snowy Mountain ski resorts to its south.
GETTING THERE Fly to Canberra From USA Within Australia and NZ From UK and Europe	Canberra International Airport is located only 5km east of the City Centre and is accessible to the Centre by the Airliner Shuttle Bus service to and from the City (weekdays). A taxi might be the best bet on the weekends. Canberra's public transport system is bus-based, with services provided by ACTION.
NRL CANBERRA RAIDERS CANBERRA STADIUM Ticket information through Canberra Raiders	The Canberra Raiders began life in 1982 and were the first team in the competition (with Illawarra) to be located well away from the influence of Sydney. Its success was important to the eventual expansion of the competition nationally. Although it took a few hard years to find its feet in the competition, 1987 was the year that Canberra reached its first semi final series, where it went on to also reach its first Grand Final. Since then, Canberra have reached the Grand Final four times since (1989, 1990, 1991 and 1994) winning the premiership in 1989, 1990 and 1994. They have also reached the semi finals in 7 times since their inception.
SUPER 12 RUGBY ACT BRUMBIES CANBERRA STADIUM Ticket information through ACT Brumbies	The ACT Brumbies have been Australia’s most successful Super 12 team. They made the semi-finals in 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2002 – winning the title in 2000 and 2001 and making the final in the other two years. Interestingly, the ACT Brumbies have achieved this status by importing most of their players from the NSW and Queensland local competitions.
WNBL CANBERRA CAPITALS SOUTHERN CROSS STADIUM Ticket information through Canberra Capitals	The Canberra Capitals entered the WNBA in 1986 and it took them some time to reach their first playoff series in 1992. The Capital’s first success came in the 1999/2000 season when Australian WNBA superstar Lauren Jackson joined the team from the AIS and took them to Grand Final glory. They have reached the grand final in the two following seasons, again winning in the 2001/2002 season.
WNBL AIS AIS ARENA Ticket information through AIS Basketball	The AIS WNBL team have been a standard bearer in the WNBA but, as the team mainly contains young basketballers on scholarship, have always struggled to match it with their more experience and better payed opponents. They made the playoffs in 1983 and 1986 but didn’t achieve a title until Lauren Jackson enrolled in the Institute in the late 1990’s. Remarkably, the AIS won the title in 1998/99 with Lauren and came last in 1999/2000 when Lauren left to play with the Capitals (who won that year).
ANL AIS Canberra Darters AIS ARENA Ticket information through Canberra Darters	A new AIS ANL team - called the AIS Canberra Darters - entered for the first time in the 2003 season (replacing the Adelaide Ravens). It was not a bad first year either, winning five matches and finishing a respectable sixth.
CANBERRA STADIUM	Canberra Stadium (formerly Bruce Stadium) hosts the NRL Raiders and the ACT Brumbies and is located off Leverrier Crescent in the grounds of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) at Bruce, which is some 6km north-west of the Canberra City Centre. It was also the host of the now defunct Canberra Cosmos NSL team. Originally opened in 1977, it has been gradually upgraded to make it an all-seated stadium with a capacity of 27,000. From the City Centre Transport Interchange at the corner of Alinga Street and Mort Street (behind the Sydney Building), catch ACTION Bus Route 80 that goes to Belconnen via the AIS. Get off at Stop C at Leveerrier Crescent and Battye Street.
AIS ARENA	The AIS Arena hosts the NBA Cannons, the WNBA’s Capitals and the AIS Canberra Darters. It is located on Leverrier Crescent in Bruce, ACT. Use the same directions as above for Canberra Stadium.
SOUTHERN CROSS STADIUM	The Southern Cross Stadium also hosts the WNBA Capitals and is located within the Tuggeranong Sporting complex at the corner of Athlon and Cowlishaw Streets, Tuggeranong, which is some 12km south-west of the Canberra City Centre. From the City Centre Transport Interchange, catch any one of the Intertown Bus Routes that connect the City Centre with the Tuggeranong Bus Interchange. From the Tuggeranong Bus Interchange walk 600m north along Athlon Street to the Centre at Cowlishaw Street.
MANUKA OVAL	Manuka Oval is the sometime host of the AFL Kangaroos but is mainly known as a cricket ground which has a capacity of 15,000 and is located off Manuka Circuit, Barton – some 4km south of the City Centre. It hosts the yearly Prime Minister’s Cup one-day cricket game between a Prime Minister’s selection and the overseas touring team at the time. It also hosted the ACT team in the domestic one-day competition up until 1999/2000. From the City Centre Transport Interchange, catch ACTION Bus Routes 35, 36 or 39 to the Manuka shops, which are at the southern end of the Manuka Crescent and therefore just to the south of the Oval.
TENNIS CANBERRA WOMENS CLASSIC, NATIONAL SPORTS CLUB Ticket information to come	The Canberra Womens Classic is held at National Sports Club in early January at the corner of Ginninderra Drive and Ellenborough Street, Lyneham, ACT. The National Sports Club is located some 4km north of Canberra City Centre. From the City Centre Transport Interchange, take ACTION Bus Routes 32, 33, 35 or 38 to Brigalow and Mouat Streets and walk north along Moaut until you reach the Sports Club.
HORSE RACING CANBERRA RACE COURSE Tickets available at Course	Canberra Racecourse is located between Randwick Road and the Federal Highway, Lyneham, some 7km north of the City Centre. From the City Centre Transportation Centre, catch ACTION Bus Routes 56, 126 or 156 that go along Flemington Road and get off at the Exhibition Park (EPIC) stop. From here walk north along Flemington Road and then west along Randwick Road to the Racecourse entrance.
ATHLETICS TELSTRA A-SERIES, AIS ATHLETIC TRACK Ticket information to come	The Telstra A Series is held in late February at the AIS Athletic Track, Bruce. Follow the same directions as above for Canberra Stadium.

The AIS Arena hosts the NBA Cannons, the WNBA’s Capitals and the AIS Canberra Darters. It is located on Leverrier Crescent in Bruce, ACT. Use the same directions as above for Canberra Stadium.