Canberra is the capital of Australia (not Sydney!) and has many award winning national places to visit (Art Galleys, museums, (kids love Questacon, the local science museum)) plus national parks (visit Tidbinbilla and see Koalas and duck-billed platypus')). Our house is walking distance from local shops and also backs onto a bush reserve where you can see national wildlife such as kangaroos. In 2018 Lonely Planet voted Canberra one of the top 10 cities to visit in the world.
Canberra is also a great place to base yourself to see some more of Australia:
Three hours drive to Sydney (or a train/coach ride or 45min flight)
Two hours drive to Thredbo (climb Australian's highest mountain or ski in winter!).
Two hours drive to the South Coast which in our view has some of the best beaches in the world (e.g. Hyams beach - voted the whitest sand in the world)