And we've managed to track down not one but two passionate Canberrans who've sat in the chair and had the iconic landmark inked on their skin.

For Grant Heino, federal public servant and style blogger, his two-week old tattoo stamps a long love affair with Telstra Tower.

"I've always loved Telstra Tower - ever since I was a kid - it's been part of my life," Grant said.

"I always just thought it was such a cool piece of architecture. It's a symbol of Canberra but also a bit of a sad symbol of Canberra these days - it's so underutilised and when the revolving restaurant left it was a real shame."

Grant's long thin tattoo ("it covers a section of my forearm that was an awkward space to fill") is the creation of Melbourne tattooist Clint Baxter of Dragon City Tattoo.

Grant designed the tattoo himself from a piece of clip art he found featuring the outline of the 195m structure.

"I designed it to be in a snow globe originally but ended up flattening it out so it would fit the space better," he said.

And while he normally uploads new tattoo ideas to his iPhone as a screensaver for a month before committing ("I figure if you check your phone 150 times a day and can still stand it after a month, then it's okay to go on your skin"), he broke the rule with this one.

"I was in Melbourne and running out of time so I just had to get it done," he said.

"But I do really love it."

When Melbourne-based IT professional Mark Jamieson shows off his Telstra Tower tattoo to Victorian mates, they don't get it.

"I'll ask people if they can guess and no-one in Melbourne ever guesses it - if I just show them the tattoo they're like 'I dunno'," he laughed.

He said the permanent reminder of Canberra on his right calf was a tribute the role the ACT had played in making him the man he is today.

His Telstra Tower tattoo is the creation of another Canberran - Nicholas Koster from Lygon Street Tattoo Company.

"The caption 'Welcome to Paradise' is a reference to a Green Day song of the same title. I used to listen to that song when my family and I would be driving home from the coast or the country seeing family - so I always associated the song with Canberra," he said.

"I grew up in Evatt and then Nicholls and I wanted to get a Canberra tattoo because I was born there and spent the majority of my teen years growing up into the person that I am."

There are more people with locally-inspired ink too.

The ultimate tribute to the south side, this tattoo belongs to Luke Stevenson, whose tattoo artist friend did the work for him a couple of years ago. Why did he get Tuggeranong tattooed on his belly? "Because I wanted to," he laughed.

Canberra photographer Lee Grant took this stunning photo for a Canberra-inspired photo exhibition held in New York in 2013. Entitled 'Belco Pride - Dan', the subject has gone with the nickname for the region over the traditional postcode tattoo.

There are a few of these beauties going around Queanbeyan. This tribute to the Queanbeyan Blues rugby league team belongs to Phillip Stonham, who can't stay off the field. "I got this tattoo after I first 'retired' in 2010," he laughed. "So it's missing three more years - 2012, 2014 and 2016 - as I can't seem to stay away. Just going to wait until I retire for good before I get the other years added."

Visions of 2017? Victor the Viking looks like he's on a mission in this tattoo belonging to Canberra man Michael Kendall. "As my first large tattoo I wanted to get something that represented my love for the Raiders and Viking culture, so it seemed like the natural progression to have a Viking soldier's face with the Raiders green," Michael said. "It took around four hours and was done by Bones from Tatts On Tatts Off in Gungahlin. Most of my family and friends really liked the tattoo but I did get a few unimpressed looks from my Doggies [Canterbury Bulldogs] supporter mates!"

Got a Canberra-inspired tattoo you'd love to share with us? Or know someone who does? Send pics and contact details to bree.winchester@fairfaxmedia.com.au