AUSTRALIA – CAPITAL TERRITORY (Canberra)
Day 54 Fri Nov 17
CANBERRA (pop 456,692) is the capital city of Australia, Australia’s largest inland city, and the eighth-largest Australian city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Alps, the country’s highest mountain range.
The area had been inhabited by Indigenous Australians for up to 21,000 years. European settlement commenced in the first half of the 19th century. On 1 January 1901, a federation of the colonies of Australia was achieved and after a long dispute over whether Sydney or Melbourne should be the national capital, a compromise was Canberra in 1913.
Compared to the national averages, the unemployment rate is lower and the average income higher; tertiary education levels are higher, while the population is younger. 32% are born overseas.
Approximately 150 km (93 mi) inland from Australia’s east coast, it has an elevation of 580 m with the five surrounding mountains 812 to 855 m high. The native forest in the Canberra region was almost wholly eucalypt.
Climate is oceanic: January’s average high is 29 °C; in July, 12 °C. Frost is common in the winter and snow is rare. It sits in a strong rain shadow and gets 100.4 clear days annually. Rainfall is spread evenly over the seasons and is generally sheltered from a westerly wind,
Geography. It is an entirely planned city centred on axes aligned with Black Mountain, Mount Ainslie, Capital Hill, and City Hill. Snow-capped mountains can be seen in winter. Within the central area of the city near Lake Burley Griffin, major roads follow a wheel-and-spoke pattern rather than a grid but the outer areas are not laid out geometrically. The Molonglo River has been dammed to form the national capital’s iconic feature Lake Burley Griffin. The Parliamentary Triangle is the centrepiece of Griffin’s work.
There are seven residential districts, most with a town centre. Its design can be viewed from its highest point at the Telstra Tower and the summit of Mount Ainslie.
Education. The two main tertiary institutions are the Australian National University (ANU) in Acton and the University of Canberra (UC) in Bruce.
Transport. ACTION, the government-operated bus service, provides public transport throughout the city. Airports: Canberra (CBR), Canberra Light Rail
Canberra Reptile Zoo. I didn’t go here because one reveiw was so bad – crowded, animals mixed with wrong species, a dead one, inadequate climate control. Plus I’ve seen more than enough Australian reptile zoos. $20
Cockington Green Gardens, Nicholls. Theme park. Bizzarium. A combination ornamental garden and miniatures, this is exceptionally well done. All the trees are miniature species (only one is a bonzai), hedges, flowers and the grass is cut super short and there are great ponds (lakes), waterfalls, streams, canal with locks, a golf course, cricket pitch, tennis court, two miniature trains, and a complicated maze (5 km of grass to cut). A few are Australian but the majority are English (1/12th scale) – villages, farms, all sorts of houses, castles, Stonehenge. Then there is the international section – many of which I have been to (1/18 to 1/43 scale. Many things move – the trains, windmills. Inside is a huge porcelain china display. This was well worth the admission. $25, reduced $18.50
National Dinosaur Museum. Many plastic models outside and only one real skeleton inside, this is more for kids and not worth the price. There were 25 species of dinosaur in Australia. The best thing was the huge amethyst geode in the front. $20, reduced $15
Churchill House. Architectural Delights. 3-story off office building with dark mirror glass windows running the entire length of each floor. A reinforced concrete building with a wood-grain pattern on the concrete.
Australian War Memorial. The Dark Side. In a mammoth stone building, one could spend more than one day here. Galleries cover each war especially WWI and WWII but also Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. There are hundreds of vignettes of decorated Australians. Each gallery has large dioramas very artfully done, often with each battle detailed. Free
ACT Memorial. Erected as a tribute to the service done by people in the ACT, this is a granite ball with COURAGE, MATESHIP and LOYALTY inscribed and in glass blocks on the ground surrounding the ball – sacrifice, honour, identity, courage, peace, respect, protect, unity, valour, compassion, understand, integrity, remember, resolve, dedication and service. Two wings of stainless steel tubes spiral up around the globe.
Canberra Museum and Gallery. History of Canberry, photography (many cameras, dark room) of Canberra’s development, art exhibit the Nolan Collection (all bad), art by Ex de Medici (lovely watercolour detailed guns) and a spectacular Madonna collection. Free
Captain James Cook Memorial and Jet (not operating). In Commonwealth Park on the water, this is a metal “grid” globe with all the continents and his three voyages outlined 1768-71, 1772-75 and 1776-79, all leaving from Plymouth. He visited South Africa, New Zealand and Tahiti on all three. He couldn’t navigate the NW passage but went through Bering Strait twice. I have been to where he was killed in Hawaii.
The next four sites are on the ANU (Australian National University) campus.
Australian Academy of Science. Architectural Delights.A white, two-story mansion (the Ian Potter House), that serves as the office of the Academy.
The Shine Dome. Architectural Delights. Next to the Academy of Science building,, this is a half dome with 18 arched legs ending in a pool that encircles the dome (three paths cross the pool). Has a round central conference room. Built in 1954.
Hedley Bull Centre. Architectural Delights. A four-story pentagonal building with trapezoidal windows. The ground floor has an open courtyard. Houses the Carol Bell School of Asian Pacific Affairs.
Biosciences Research Building (Linnaeus Building). Architectural Delights. Three stories with great design – geometric inserts and a plank grid that goes across the floors on the west side. The north and south is white with two sets of trapezoidal windows on each floor. It holds four departments. (You have to see this – it is hard to explain)
National Museum of Australia. On a peninsula jutting into the lake, this is a huge round building with the exhibits encircling a large open lobby. There is little bit of everything (and I have seen almost all of it before) but with a special majority of Aboriginal information. Free
ON In a park next to he National Museum (on the lake). Very quiet. Talked to Anna.
Mileage: 9017
Day 55 Fri Nov 17.
I continued my drive about to see the rest of Canbera.
Mount Stromlo Observatory, Stromlo. Australia’s first observatory was built in 1911-28. Several buildings and telescopes were added over the years with the largest a 74″. It was discovered here in 1998 that the universe’s expansion was accelerating and the 2011 Nobel Prize was awarded for that. Destroyed in bushfires in 2003, and now has only visitor’s telescopes but has a visitor’s centre with info boards. 20 km drive from the centre of Canberra.
I woke up early and drove here at 05:30, the gate was closed (until 7) and I watched the sunrise from the side of the road.
Australian National Botanical Gardens. Underwhelming with a rainforest gully and rock garden. Not so many very large trees. Note hours 9-5. Free
National Arboretum Canberra. Underwhelming with hills covered with yellow grass and immature plantation trees. Larger Himalayan cedar and cork trees. Note hours 9-5. Free
National Arboretum Pavilion. Architectural Delights. A large half dome with open ends, skylights and a huge glassing viewing wall. A small bonsai collection. Free
National Zoo & Aquarium, Yarralumla.
Butters Bridge. Easily the most difficult pedestrian bridge I have ever seen as all the roads are blocked. Crosses the Molongo River in the Molongo River Reserve. “The bridge to nowhere” I walked over 1 km on a dirt road to see it through a horde of black flies. Very long, concrete box girders on 4 rusted metal piers.
Royal Australian Mint, Deakin. Architectural Delights. I’m unsure why this is in the AD series, as it is a large 2-story square with cream/black vertical smooth stone and windows on the second floor. I went in and saw the factory floor. Free
Calthorpes’ House. House and Biographical Museums. Built by and lived in by the Calthorpe family from 1927-79, it is a one-story house with arched verandas, a rough-cast exterior and a tiled roof. It was purchased by the government in 1984. Inside the furniture is original period. Seen by tour Saturdays and Sundays at 1, 1:45, 2:30 and 3:15. $12, reduced 10. This is in a very posh neighborhood of big lots, big homes and high hedges.
Hotel Canberra. A Hyatt Hotel, the lovely lobby has coffered ceilings and a large tea room. Rooms are in several one-story pavilions and a three-story section at the back.
Questacon. Science museum and like them all, very orientated to kids. The only thing I enjoyed was the different story boards lining the spiral stairway – moons, bathymetry and satellite images of earth using different types of cameras. $23, no reduction
National Gallery of Australia. A little disorganized and not much of interest. French fashion, 4 statues from Africa, fake Aboriginal totems, bad photography by Nan Golden, a few nice portraits, 2 Jackson Pollacks. Free
National Portrait Gallery. An excellent museum with photos and some great art. The Hugh Jackman is incredible. Free
High Court of Australia. Architectural Delights. Opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1980, lots of glass, all open in the inside with ramps as stairways.
Canberra Glassworks. Watch classes and some artists blow glass. A great gift shop with lots of nice things in a huge variety. Donation.
Canberra Railway Museum. Closed on Saturday and Sunday.
I then started my drive to NSW.
GO TO NEW SOUTH WALES – COASTAL
Australia – Capital Territory (Canberra)
These should be in New South Wales Coastal (almost 150 km east of Canberra)
Wonders of Nature
Booderee NP (Jervis Bay). Coastal park with beaches, botanic gardens, campsites & trails, plus BBQ areas & a visitor centre.
Jervis Bay NP
DARE. Jervis Bay Territory.
