For me this is one of the most architecturally interesting and satisfying buildings not only in Australia but in the world and is certainly a major contrast to the previous building – Old Parliament House – which was only ever intended to be a temporary home for the Australian Parliament, albeit a temporary home that lasted 61 years. It would be quite unfair to compare the two buildings. Continue reading “Parliament House – Canberra”
The National Archives is custodian of all significant government/public service documents in Australia. No documents are of more significance than those which created The Commonwealth of Australia (to give it its full name) – affectionately known as the country’s birth certificates. Continue reading “National Archives – Australia’s Birth Certificates”
The National Archives of Australia is responsible for keeping federal government records – the Government and Public (Civil) Service filing system if you like. My initial thoughts were what could possibly be of any interest to a visitor among the 40 million odd records created by bureaucrats/armed forces and politicians and held by the National Archives? Then I thought – in 40 million records there must be something of interest and indeed there is – this place holds records ranging from those covering dramatic events that shaped the nation to decisions that impacted the lives of individual Australians. Continue reading “National Archives – Certainly Surprised Me”
Unfortunately this magnificent attraction underwent something of an identity crisis and for whatever reason has re-badged itself as the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House with an emphasis on the museum part. This identity crisis, I believe, stems from the move of the National Portrait section to its new permanent home at the newly built National Portrait Gallery in 2008. Continue reading “Old Parliament House – Museum of Australian Democracy”
The National Gallery of Australia, completely revamped in 2016-17, contains a very varied collection of work ranging from art, as in pictures, to fabric, jewellery, sculpture, etc. Continue reading “National Gallery Of Australia”
The thing that most impressed me about the RAN (Royal Australian Navy) Heritage Centre is its focus on the leisure and off-duty activities of sailors at sea and in port (ok, maybe not all of them!). A significant part the Centre’s exhibits is focused on giving the visitor an understanding of what it was, and is, like to live on a warship and an understanding of the traditions and pastimes of the Navy and how these reinforce the spirit of a fighting service. Continue reading “The Esther Williams Trophy”
Not least due to its location, Australia’s first and only direct enemy attacks in its history (leaving aside recent terrorist activity) were in World War II – the Japanese bombing of Darwin in the Northern Territory and their attack on Sydney Harbour using midget submarines. Continue reading “M22 and the Japanese Attack on Sydney Harbour”
For two reasons, I suspect, not many people visit the RAN Heritage Centre.
Firstly, from the name they have no idea what it is – it is the flagship museum of a small number of Australian navy museums – and secondly, they hear reference to its location on Garden Island, an active naval base, and assume it is going to be difficult to visit for security reasons – it is not. Continue reading “RAN Heritage Centre (Naval Museum)”
Making your way from the Garden Island Wharf towards the RAN Heritage Centre you will encounter, by the shore on your left, memorials to HMA Submarine AE1 and HMA Submarine AE2 and the bow of HMAS Parramatta. Continue reading “Memorials to Australia’s First Submarines”
Garden Island’s European history goes right back to the arrival of the First Fleet (European settlement) into Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. The island was set aside as a vegetable garden (hence its name) to grow food, initially for the crew of ships anchored in the Harbour. Continue reading “Garden Island”
