Nicknamed “the Bush Capital”, Canberra is the political and administrative centre of Australia.  Unique among world capitals, Canberra is a small, vibrant city nestled amongst some of the country’s most beautiful natural environments. 

Located approximately 280km southwest of Sydney, with a population of around 340,000, Canberra offers its residents the best of both worlds.  No pollution, a low crime rate and no traffic problems mean that our students can breathe easy and focus on their studies. At the same time, however, Canberra boasts all the facilities and infrastructure that one would expect of a national capital. 

Home to important national institutions like the National Library, National Gallery, National Museum and National Archives, Canberra never ceases to delight and entertain its visitors. For more day-to-day facilities and services, the city boasts excellent shopping malls, cinemas, restaurants, bars and cafes, many of which are a short walk from ANU’s inner-city parkland campus.

A 'green' campus, ANU has more than 10,000 trees within its grounds. With over 200 buildings, the University campus occupies 145 hectares adjacent to the city centre of Canberra.

The University also has smaller campuses:

• Mt Stromlo Observatory (west of Canberra)
• Siding Spring Observatory (near Coonabarabran, western NSW)
• North Australia Research Unit (Darwin, Northern Territory)
• Kioloa (coastal campus near Bawley Point, on the NSW South Coast).