Eight Reasons to Visit Telstra Tower

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Rising almost 200 metres above the summit of Black Mountain, the white tower looms over the city, its long thin needle-like antennae piercing the sky.

Telstra Tower is Canberra's most iconic landmark. The Tower provides essential telecommunications facilities for the national capital, but since it opened in 1980, it has been one of Canberra's most popular tourist and local attractions.

If you've never visited Telstra Tower before or if you haven't visited in a long while, here are eight reasons why you should!

1. Enjoy the best views in Canberra.
The Tower's indoor observation deck and two outdoor viewing platforms will offer you breathtaking 360 degree panoramic views of the Bush Capital and its surrounding mountain ranges. See if you can spot some of Canberra's other iconic buildings such as Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, and the National Museum of Australia. Come in the evening (the Tower closes at 10pm) and see Canberra's magnificent city lights.




2. Model of Telstra Tower.
As you enter the public entrance lobby, you will see a scale model of Telstra Tower, providing visitors with an overview and general idea of the design and features of this amazing telecommunications structure.


3. Check out Australia's highest operating postbox.
Located in the café/gift shop area, this 1912-13 vintage postbox is one of the earliest styles found in Australia, and it's still in operation! The postbox is emptied daily Monday to Friday.


4. The Telstra Heritage Exhibition.
Located below the Tower's entrance foyer is the Telstra Heritage Exhibition. The exhibition provides a fascinating display of Australia's telecommunications past. You'll see telephones from the not so distant past, telegrams, some of the earliest chunkiest mobile phones, and a special telephone used by the Prime Minister used during the Menzies post-war era.





5. The Theatrette.
The theatre showcases a continuously running video that was produced shortly after the Tower opened in 1980 on the tower's design and construction. It's a very outdated video, you'll probably have a bit of a giggle at the fashions and hairstyles and very short shorts of the builders, but hey, that was 1980! This video is a classic.


6. The café and gift shop.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the views at the Tower's coffee shop. The café serves coffee, light refreshments, cakes, sandwiches, meat pies, hot dogs, popcorn and the like. Next door to the café is a gift shop where you can buy all of your Telstra Tower memorabilia.

7. Tower lights
Telstra Tower is lit up on special occasions to commemorate significant days and events, to support local groups and charities, and even when Canberra's sports teams the Brumbies and Raiders play.

And finally,

8. Black Mountain Nature Reserve.
Telstra Tower stands on Black Mountain which is the most diverse of Canberra's nature parks. It houses 100 species of birds, 500 species of plants and 5000 species of insects. Enjoy a picnic, go for a walk or a bike ride. For more information on Black Mountain, please go here.

There's so much to see and do at Telstra Tower!

Telstra Tower is located on Black Mountain, Acton.

Open every day of the year from 9.00am-10.00pm (the café is open from 9am-9pm), including Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Admission charges apply: adults $7.50, aged pensioners $3.00, children 4-16 years $3.00 and children under 4 years free.

For more information on Telstra Tower, go here.

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