Canberra ACT, 21st May, 2023

Woke to 7 deg this morning  felt a little warmer until the sun went and a big black cloud sat over us just as we were visiting the miniature village and gardens. Small buildings and miniature trees. We were so cold there rushed through it and on our way. Then went to see the Canberra Raiders football stadium. Next drove into the city to have a walk around downtown Canberra. Then back to camp about 2.00pm.

Walking around the Miniature buildings and gardens. One of us stood in the photo to show the size of the buildings. This is about a seven story castle. But smaller than PT.

This is the full size house, at the back, that we walked through to get to the mini village. House in the foreground is a miniature.

PT at the train station. He looks so cold. He had 4 layers on too. No sun and cold wind blowing through.

Admiring this grand house.

Looking down a street of houses.

Pretty setting

Boats going through the locks.

Quaint 

 

More about the beautiful planting.

And look what I found a Mini to add to my collection of photos.

Didn’t go inside but took a couple of shots outside the Dinosaur  Park.

We made it to the Canberra Raiders stadium but unfortunately we couldn’t get any further in as there was a game on this afternoon and all security was in place preparing for the game. Haven’t heard how they got on.

A map of Canberra. Blue circle was up Capital Hill area where the Old and New Parliament buildings are where we went yesterday plus the trip round the Lake. And the red circles is where we went today. Walk around town and up City Hill. You note the the main road goes straight through the city around City Hill then across the lake right up to Capital Hill.

Now for a walk around the inner City. 

Lucky the sun came back out but it was still very cold with the wind rushing between the high buildings. A lot of eating places open and busy on a Sunday. 

A city park surrounded by high office blocks and probably apartments.

We are standing on City Hill looking up the long straight road  to Capital Hill where the Old and New parliament buildings are. You can see the white front of New parliament right at the top and Old which you can’t see is nestled in the hill below it.

We walked over this small hill called City Hill where you drive around it before you drive over the lake and continued up to Capital Hill. City Hill is used as a big - round - about between the two lanes either side of the straight road that enters and runs down through the city up to Capital Hill.

Not sure who this guy is but he looks harmless.

Looks like these could be apartments,

Now to try and explain the trams that run up and down of the long straight road into the city. The four lane road is divided with tram lines going each way. Good quick system to get into the city. We didn’t use it. Some of the residential areas are so close to the city we just parked the van in one of those streets and just walked a short distance to the centre of the city. Easy,

This shows the roads clearer two lanes on each side with the tram lines running down the centre.

Well my thoughts re Canberra. I suppose it’s just another City. We don’t usually like going into Cities but felt after what we read about its modern architecture and unusual layout design we should go and have a look. Around the touristy areas are all pretty and well kept but as soon as you leave the inner city the parks around the lake are very untidy and not planted well with gardens trees etc. you just drive in on uncurbed seal. No well manicured cut grass. Just the natural growth of gum trees. The lake was designed to have little bays and a few peninsulas  going out into the lake that could make such great recreational area if their designs continued out to these areas. It’s almost like as soon as you get one or two kms from the city it all changes. It’s disappointing after so much went into this so called great man  made Lake with its great design. But don’t get me wrong it’s still a city to see for yourself just for its layout mainly that works really well. The inner city doesn’t seem that big.

Tomorrow we drive up to Shell Harbour for three nights. A place on the seafront just over 100kms south from Sydney. We hear from others it is a nice area, can walk everywhere. We are not interested in going into Sydney,  just want to relax and pack up the camper to return on the 25th May. Then having the last night in a hotel at the airport. I probably won’t write a blog every night now as we won’t be doing much. Might have a break tomorrow night as we will just be driving.

Canberra ACT, 20th May,2023

 Woke to minus 2.6 deg with a frost. Got the washing out then headed into the city, firstly to Capital Hill to see the old Parliament and the spectacular NewParliament. We then drove round the big man made lake called Lake Burley Griffin which the city is built around. Walter Burley Griffin was the landscape architect for designing Canberra. The weather wasn’t the best today with the cold start, the sun did come up which soon warmed us. But unfortunately it clouded over then the wind got up which was sweeping a cold wind across the lake. But we kept going to see the things we wanted to see today.

First stop was Old Parliament House.

This one showing the full length. A superb building with lots of old character.

Now walking up Capital Hill behind the Old Parliament building to the very modern New Parliament Building. What a contrast.

Marble pillars out front looking very shiny like new.

This is to show how it is built in the shape of a boomerang. The building slips down to fine points either side.

 Close up of the main entrance to the building. PTs in there somewhere amongst all this flash architecture.

Through the main doors and WOW what a entrance all

made of shiny marble.

Through to the first room the Grand Hall. Beautiful.

 

Now going up the marble steps to see the Debating Chamber. Just amazing  architecture.

Looking down over the Debating Chamber WOW again.

Now on our way up to the roof top. Looking out through the windows into the courtyard.

We are here on the roof of the New Parliament Building. Just blown away by it all. They even have a lawn up there,

From the lawn on the roof looking down to the Old Parliament Buildings.

Looking down one of the many streets that branch off from Capital Hill.

Leaving the building coming out of the main entrance looking down onto the Old Parliament Building.

Walking back down towards Old Parliament Building.

The entrance to The Old Parliament House Gardens. They were originally  designed and built in the early 1930’s, providing a place for both leisure and recreational, for the members and Sentors of the Parliament. Also at the back there is a tennis court.

National Carillon, Aspen Island

The Anchor is commemorating H.M.A.S Canberra. And those who sailed in her. She was sunk by the Japanese at the Battle of Savo Island in the Pacific Ocean on 9th August 1942 with the loss of 84 lives.

Driving around the area of the National Museum of Australia. A beautiful reserve surrounds the building. 

Coming through one of the entrances leading to the main entrance of  the Museum.

Main entrance. We didn’t go through.

Some of the gardens around the building leading up to the main entrance.

Continuing our drive around the lake we are looking over the lake to Yarralumla Bay from Black  Mountain Peninsular where we made up some hot soup for lunch,

 

Driving down to another off shoot to the lake edge.

Continuing our drive around the Lake passing another Bay.

Above and below passing through the reserve where the Peace Bell is. Didn’t see it as where we stopped I had to walk back too far and at this stage the wind had got up and it was roaring across the lake right at us. It was freezing so just hopped back into the van and continued on our way. It’s extremely hard to find parking areas to accommodate our sized van so miss out on things sometimes.

Now going into the Australian War Memorial. The Army Dog’s human comrades are know as Military Dog Handlers Explosive Detection Dogs (EDDs). The dogs were used to delivering messages from the frontlines to the administration areas in the First World War. 

A few shots inside the War Museum, above showing the battle on the ground and how they have dug out underground.

Above and below just to finish off  before we left,

Another day in Canberra tomorrow to finish off what we want to see so I will continue tomorrow and give you our opinion of Canberra when we have finished. Weather could be overcast again making it cold but the forecast is for an overnight temperature of plus two degrees.