Police were alerted to the incident around 11.35am and cordoned off a large exclusion zone around City Walk and Garema Place in Civic on Saturday as they investigate a suspicious package.

Seven police vehicles and the bomb response team were on the scene determining whether a brown and red cardboard box placed next to bins opposite King O'Malley's was a cause of concern.

Officers ushered shoppers away and evacuated staff from nearby shops and patrons from restaurants.

Elaine Stanford, co-owner of The Green Shed in the City, said "it's not unnerving, I just don't know what's going on" and said she would be happy to see the package taken away.

"We've been asked to evacuate," she said.

"It's hard because we've had to close our shop."

The bomb response team readied a robot operated tool to get a closer look at the box.

Police continued to expand the exclusion zone surrounding the box until its limits reached Petrie Plaza on one side and abutted the Sydney Building to the west.

People in areas outside the taped-off zones waited in the sun and appealed to police personnel for information to no avail.
Action transport office Colin Cooper said emergency procedures were in place and buses were being redirected to Northbourne Avenue.

"That's the emergency procedure," he said

"Busses won't be coming into Mort Street or Alinga Street in the city, they will all be heading to Northbourne Avenue north and south.

Announcements made over the public announcement system were directing concerned Canberrans where to go.

ACT Policing thanked the Canberra community for their patience during the incident.