Canberra Women's History Walking Tour: Hidden Stories

The statues of women in Canberra's center are outnumbered by the men, and this tour explains why.

This two-hour walking tour of Canberra traces the hidden women's history behind Australia's capital, moving between Old Parliament House, the High Court, National Portrait Gallery and National Library with a local guide who shares the stories of the first female justice, the first woman to win the Archibald Prize, and significant First Nations women. The tour includes a hand-drawn souvenir postcard by a local artist, a follow-up resource list, and a group photo. It's wheelchair accessible and runs with a live English-speaking guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Canberra's women's history

• Start near Museum of Australian Democracy
• Pass by Aboriginal Tent Embassy
• Visit statue by artist Lis Johnson
• Learn history at National Portrait Gallery
• Sit outside High Court of Australia
• Discover stories of First Nations women
• View National Library of Australia
• Stop by Susan Ryan statue

The experience

The tour starts near the Museum of Australian Democracy inside Old Parliament House and moves through Canberra's most recognizable cultural institutions. You'll stand outside the High Court of Australia to learn about the first woman to serve as a justice, then walk to the National Portrait Gallery to hear the story behind the first woman to win the Archibald Prize. The guide explains how these spaces shaped women's lives and what their architecture and collections reveal about who was, and wasn't, considered important enough to document.

Three stops on the route are statues of women, each with a story the guide unpacks: one by artist Lis Johnson of Susan Ryan, another marking a moment in Australia's protest history. You'll also stop at a site dedicated to Truth Telling and First Nations history, where the guide shares stories of significant Indigenous women often left out of the official record. The National Library, with its view across the capital, closes the walk. An institution that has shaped many women's lives and holds the archives of the people you've learned about.

Your guide is a local with a genuine passion for Canberra and women's history, equipped with a headset so everyone in the group can hear clearly. You leave with a hand-drawn postcard by a local artist, a list of resources and further reading on the stories shared, and a group photo. The walk is wheelchair accessible, suitable for all fitness levels, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller.

What’s included

• Hand-drawn souvenir postcard by a local artist.
• follow-up list of resources and further reading on the stories shared.
• group photo with your guide.
• passionate and professional local guide leading the walk in English.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturday and SundayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Child (5 to 17 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by She Shapes History

Is this one for you?Two hours is short enough to fit into a morning or afternoon without blocking the rest of your day, but long enough to move through five major sites and hear the full story behind each one. If you're visiting Canberra's cultural precinct anyway, this tour is what makes the connections between the buildings, and the women who shaped them, visible.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 17 years); Infant (under 5).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the Aboriginal Tent Embassy and why does it matter to this tour?

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy, established in 1972, is the longest-running protest for Indigenous land rights, sovereignty and self-determination in the world. The tour stops here to connect the women's history of Canberra to First Nations activism and the stories of significant Indigenous women whose contributions are often overlooked.

How long is the walking tour and can I fit other things into my day?

The tour runs for two hours, which leaves room to visit the Museum of Australian Democracy inside Old Parliament House before or after, or to explore the National Library and National Portrait Gallery more deeply on your own time.

Who leads the tour and what language is it in?

A passionate local guide leads the tour in English, using a headset so the whole group can hear the stories clearly, even in outdoor spaces like the High Court plaza.

Is the tour accessible for people using wheelchairs or pushing a pram?

Yes, the tour is fully wheelchair accessible and all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed.

What do I take home from this tour?

You receive a hand-drawn souvenir postcard by a local artist, a follow-up list of resources and further reading on the stories shared during the walk, and a group photo with your guide.

Is this tour good for first-time visitors to Canberra?

Yes, it's designed for both first-time and regular visitors to Canberra. The tour reveals the hidden history behind the city's most iconic cultural institutions, so even people who've been to these places before will learn something new.