Canberrans visit museums, art galleries, and now national parks more than any other Australians.
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New statistics show residents of the bush capital are more likely than many Australians to get up close with nature, whether it be bird watching, bushwalking or planting a tree.
On Tuesday the Australian Bureau of Statistics released the results of its community engagement with nature conservation survey, conducted between July 2011 and June 2012, which revealed almost 60 per cent of adult Canberrans had visited a national park or botanic garden in the past 12 months, a higher rate of visiting than any other state.
The ABS also revealed more Canberrans went to cinemas, art galleries and museums during 2010 than people from any other state or territory.
Canberrans were also most likely to have gone on a nature walk or bushwalk, visited a wildlife park or zoo, and perhaps unexpectedly, given the city's lack of a coastline, been to an aquarium, marine park or reef.
Of all Australians, Canberrans were the least likely to have done farming, but proved among the most keen to care for nature at home.
Proportionally, they were second most likely to have planted or cared for Australian native trees, plants or wildlife at their homes or farms.
Tasmanians were most likely to have cared for native trees or plants, while Queenslanders were most likely to have taken in a native animal. Tasmanians were most likely to have participated in nature conservation activities at home or on the farm.
Australian National Botanic Gardens general manager Peter Byron said of the 450,000 people who visited the gardens annually, about half were from the ACT , and many were keen to learn about plants to improve their own gardens.
Mr Byron said other key reasons locals visited the gardens were for family outings and celebrations, including weddings and reunions.
''I think Canberrans appreciate the open space, it's a bush capital that we live in, and they do relate to plants, particularly native plants with all the different reserves we have,'' he said.
Australians said enjoyment, social reasons and exercise were their prime reasons for getting involved in activities in the natural environment, with support for the local environment the fourth most cited reason.
Canberrans planted or cared for native fauna and flora because they enjoyed it, with making their gardens look attractive the second most common reason given, and nature conservation the third.