Information for visitors

Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is a city of about 300,000 inhabitants, set on a river plain nestled between hills rising about 300m above the valley floor. It is a planned city, based on a plan by Walter Burley Griffin who won an international competition to design Australia's capital. The centrepiece is Lake Burley Griffin, about which national institutions such as Parliament House, the National Gallery, the High Court and the Australian National University are placed, as well as `Civic', the commercial and civic centre of Canberra. The higher elevations are kept as substantial nature reserves, and there are additionally numerous landscaped parks and gardens, giving Canberra an unusually large proportion of green open space throughout the city.

ANU is located on the north side of the Lake, between Civic and Black Mountain reserve. From the Mathematical Sciences Institute it is a short walk to the central shopping areas, the main bus interchange, numerous restaurants, and Canberra's major theatres and concert hall. It is also walking distance to the National Botanic Gardens and the National Museum, which opened in March 2001.

The Mathematical Sciences Institute at ANU comprises the Department of Mathematics and the Centre for Mathematics and its Applications. Both sections are actively involved in research and graduate supervision, while the Department is primarily responsible for undergraduate teaching.

Here are some links for further information about the Australian National University including a map, and the Mathematical Sciences Institute at ANU.

The weather in Canberra is generally sunny and pleasant. The average daily temperature range is 0-11 degrees (centigrade) in July and 12-26 degrees in December. The current forecast for Canberra can be found here, and climate statistics for Canberra can be found here. Visitors to Canberra during July and August from abroad should remember to bring warm clothes, since it is winter in Canberra during this time, and temperatures can fall below zero Celcius during the night.

The following pages may be of some use to you during your stay in Canberra:

• Places to go in and around Canberra itself
• Attractions near Canberra and further afield
• Entertainment in Canberra
• Getting about when you arrive and in Canberra
• Links to more sites with information

We hope you enjoy your stay.

(Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Andrew Hassell, Amnon Neeman, Chris Wetherell and David Young for the information on these pages.)