St John the Baptist Church

St John the Baptist Church in Reid is Canberra's oldest surviving public building and Anglican parish church, located near Lake Burley Griffin and Anzac Parade. Consecrated in 1845, the stone church predates the capital city itself and served the early pastoral community of the Limestone Plains. It is notable for its Victorian Gothic architecture, historic graveyard, stained-glass windows, and small museum documenting Canberra's early settlement history.

Visitors can expect a historic stone church set in landscaped grounds with a graveyard, lychgate, and rectory. Inside, the church features timber pews, stained-glass windows, memorial plaques, and an organ. The adjacent St John's Schoolhouse Museum displays early settlement artefacts and photographs. The site is an active Anglican parish with regular services, and visitors can explore the church interior, churchyard, and museum at a quiet, park-like setting close to central Canberra.