Mount Ainslie Lookout, Canberra (must see)

The Mount Ainslie tourist lookout, one of Canberra's premier destinations, offers breathtaking vistas of central Canberra, with sweeping views of Red Hill to the south and Black Mountain to the west, particularly captivating during sunset.

Mount Ainslie features informative signage that enriches visitors' understanding of Australia’s capital city. From this vantage point, visitors can appreciate Canberra's landscape and urban design. Renowned architect Walter Burley Griffin, the visionary behind Canberra's layout chosen in the 1912 international design competition, likened the area to "an irregular amphitheater" with Mount Ainslie, Black Mountain, and Mount Pleasant as its top tiers, and the surrounding slopes and waterways forming the stage and arena. Griffin's design, along with subsequent modifications, can be observed from this viewpoint, with Lake Burley Griffin serving as a central element that unifies the cityscape.

The view across the lake towards Parliament House aligns with Griffin's original land axis, stretching from Mount Ainslie through Camp Hill and Capital Hill to distant Mount Bimberi. Although less prominent than envisioned by Griffin, this axis intersects with the water axis along Lake Burley Griffin, named after the architect himself.