Suburb number 8 of the reboot was Franklin. I had been procrastinating about doing this one...but I finally made it out one cold Canberra winter afternoon recently and it was certainly worth it.
Franklin was established in 2007 and more than 7,000 people now live there. It still has colourful buildings, crazy curbs and unfortunate housing designs, but it has certainly changed a lot in 10 years and is now quite beautiful in parts. Fortunately, it definitely wasn't 36 degrees this time around either!
I started my wanderings behind the local shops around the many ponds...and caught the last of some local autumn beauty,
Then it was off towards the top of the suburb....
Past the buildings with colourful legoland panels that I remembered...
Past a sad-eyed friend :(
Through little parks that are now leafy and green...
With mossy rocks...
And houses that I felt were not impressed by my views of Franklin housing design...
Reaching the top of the hill, I had a wander around the Gubur Dhaura Heritage Site, which provides amazing 360 degrees views of the suburb, as well as many markers of the history that was.
As the sun sank low in the sky, it was time to head back down to the Franklin plains...but at this hour they were just as stunning...
Unexpectedly I found some hidden moments of peace in Franklin...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdF2v9Uu84EgDhdxfxuiQGXxU8eHAB5mi-8Gy5OprT7Pu6tPblx_I6dkyNW-At4s7VBSQxC7ASye926ciSO0dMVepQnPm-U6ytL3pUi0UbcOYhYS67DoB2yqmafL0Rw0ewQoUa3I87yFlP81j4j-6bIa195eyKMiBmioPayWA3AnMTVbpy1ajeaHt1m4/w640-h426/IMG_5525.jpg)
And enjoyed watching the locals at play...
And watching this lovely poser....
While experiencing this amazing sunset....
Yeah perhaps...
But there is still lots of beauty in the world - even where you least expect it :)