The Anglican Church of St John the Baptist in the inner suburb of Reid is Canberra’s first church and actually pre-dates Canberra by around 70 years. The Church (with adjacent graveyard and school) are built on land donated by the Robert Campbell of Duntroon (one of the first European settlers on the Limestone Plains) to serve the spiritual, education and social needs of the pioneering farming community. A cradle to grave support. Continue reading “Church of St John the Baptist”
Canberra’s multicultural festival started out on a very small scale in 1980 and is now a major annual event with hundreds of stalls (420 for 2013), half a dozen or more performance stages, buskers and side events all over the city centre. The festival incorporate Chinese New Year festivities, the Greek Glendi, a Turkish Bazaar, India in the City and so many other elements which could easily stand as separate events on their own. Continue reading “Multicultural Festival – Showcase On The World”
I have dined at Sage Dining Rooms a number of times over the past 10 years or so (around every 18ths). At around A$300 for dinner and drinks for two (2015 prices) it is very much a special occasion location for me, as it is for most people. Continue reading “Sage Dining Rooms (Restaurant): What Has Happened Here?”
Gorman House was constructed in 1925. At that time only it and the Sydney and Melbourne Buildings ( both still on Northbourne Avenue) existed in Civic – the embryonic commercial part of Canberra. The building was designed by John Smith Murdoch who also designed Old Parliament House and the Hotel Canberra (now the Hyatt). You can certainly see the similarities in design. Continue reading “Gorman House Art Centre, Markets and Canberra Contemporary Art Space”
You won’t find this in the guide books. While thousands of Canberrans drive past them daily I doubt if many people would even remember seeing them. I have never seen any one use them. Continue reading “Limestone Avenue – Have A Seat”
Leaving aside a stroll around Lake Burley Griffin, the Mt Ainslie Summit walk (sometimes referred to as the Kokoda Track after the famous WWII Kokoda Trail in neighbouring Papua New Guinea) is the most popular short walk in Canberra. You will find people along this track from pre-dawn till late evening. If you are up to it this is a must do walk. Continue reading “Walk Up Mt Ainslie”
This lookout on the top (approximately 840m above sea level) of Mount Ainslie is the best place for a stunning view of Canberra. Great at dawn or dusk but good any time of the day. It affords an excellent view from the Australian War Memorial, across Lake Burley Griffin and on to the Brindabella mountain ranges in the background. Continue reading “Mt Ainslie Lookout – Best View Of Canberra”
Given that this is Canberra’s oldest building you would have thought it might be of significant importance and a major tourist draw-card. This is not so as: Continue reading “Duntroon Dairy – Canberra’s Oldest Building”
While visiting Changi Chapel – Prisoner of War National Memorial, within the Royal Military College at Duntroon, I decided to wander into the adjacent ANZAC Memorial Chapel of St Paul. I am glad I did.
This chapel is unique in two ways (at least I have seen neither before). Continue reading “ANZAC Memorial Chapel of St Paul – Two for One”
Also referred to as the Prisoner of War National Memorial
Changi Chapel, one of thirteen built by Prisoners of War (POWs) in the Changi Prison Camp, Singapore, was built, with the permission of Japanese officers, as ‘Our Lady of Christians Roman Catholic Chapel’ . It was built from waste and scavenged materials smuggled into the camp in 1944. Continue reading “Changi Chapel – The Original!”
The Rambling Wombat 