Suburb #43 Kenny

Did you know Canberra had a suburb called Kenny. Well yes it does and it was suburb #43.

Kenny is rather oddly named after Elizabeth Kenny who pioneered practices which apparently served as the foundations of physiotherapy and was used to treat polio patients. For the streets to have a theme here, there would have to be some - well more that two anyway...

Alas Kenny is also another suburb without a sign....and an identity complex with most things in Kenny claiming to be in other suburbs.

Kenny is basically two rural properties which I believe are called Bendoura and Canberra Park...

Plus the Farmers markets....how ashamed I am as a supposed fake foodie for not having been here before! I blame the early morning opening hours... But wow. So coming back here to shop for my next dinner party.

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My hoard of goodies...

In Kenny, there is also the Mitchell, but not in Mitchell, 'resource management centre' - how cool is that euphemism. I wonder if they dispose of bodies here too...certainly this is where mattresses go when they have passed beyond our world :p Managed to pick up a gorgeous umbrella and some black and red satin pillows here. Alas I couldn't carry home one of the pianos...

I am wondering if I have a secret admirer. I keep finding them in the suburbs I visit. I choose to believe someone is leaving them there for me to find :) OK unlikely but a a girl has to dream right?

Oh and I forgot the shipping containers...less romantic but impressive nevertheless.

Suburb #42 Downer

Next stop was Downer in the inner north.

This suburb is named after Sir John Downer, former Premier of South Australia. He gets kudos for overseeing the first train line from Adelaide to Melbourne and advocating women's suffrage. Apparently he was 'bull headed and rather thick-necked...with the dogged set of the mouth of a prize fighter', and a draft of the Constitution was prepared in his ballroom.

The streets apparently have no specific theme. How wrong is that!

Downer made me a little sad and not just because of the street sign - with the shops sadly no longer in operation. These shops were built for the CSIRO in the 1930s - with the area actually used as a plantation for opium poppies between 1939-45!

But there is some amazing street art around the old shops...

A number of large pine trees also surround the block - they were planted as a wind break in the 1950s, and are now on the ACT heritage register.

But I love the old world charm of Downer...

And it is beautiful in the Spring...

Suburb #41 Dunlop

Suburb #41 was Dunlop all the way at the very end of Ginninderra drive....and I mean all the way. Right across the border from NSW.

Dunlop is named after Lieutenant Colonel Sir Ernest Edward 'Weary' Dunlop. Ernest was an Australian surgeon famous for his leadership while being held as a prisoner of war by the Japanese during WWII, when he was forced to work on the construction of the Thai-Burma railway.

The streets here are named after inventors, inventions and artists.

Dunlop - literally at the 'end' of Canberra - is an unusual mix of suburbia and open meadows, ponds, .....and lots more ponds. There are some gorgeous views - particularly out near the old Fassifern homestead property, which I believe was a functioning homestead until it was converted into an equestrian riding school/park in the 1920s.

 

The birds certainly love all the ponds :)

Dunlop was also the suburb where I have seen the most Australian flags so far, which if I am honest I must admit always makes me feel uncomfortable - but the nationalistic effort of this particular household can not go unmentioned.

Unfortunately there are the most ridiculous numbers of these massive telegraph poles everywhere as well which rather ruin the landscape.

But the flowers help make up for this :)

And the local goth house (surely? anyone? anyone? :p) doesn't seem bothered by all this....

I also discovered that apparently have relatives that live on this street...must go and visit properly one day!

Suburb #40 Hume

Suburb number 40 was the rather unusual industrial suburb of Hume - where less than 10 people lived until the ACT opened its first prison here in 2008.

Hume is named after explorer Hamilton Hume who is famous for finding/exploring Lake Bathurst, Jervis Bay, Yass plains, Berry, Braidwood, Port Phillip, Spencer Gulf, Blue Mountains and the Darling River. The streets here are named after Australian industrialists and businessmen.

OK so I have to admit that I was really quite worried about what the hell it would be worth photographing in Hume - but as usual Canberra surprised me.

I was especially amazed to find that there is actually an older heritage house in Hume called Hill Station. The homestead here dates back to 1909 and the property to the 1830s. Once upon a time this homestead entertained diplomats and foreign dignitaries, but unfortunately, it has been left to quite literally deteriorate which made me really sad - though apparently there are now plans to restore it. Despite the state of the property, it was, nevertheless, lovely to wander around and observe a group of artists at least using the property as their subject for the day :)

There also seems to be another former heritage property nearby - but I couldn't find out what it was as its all blocked off. Any ideas? let me know.

But one of the reasons that I wanted to go to Hume as from here you can follow the clues...

Go across (or rather under) the border of this suburb...

And into New South Wales...and you will find yourself in Environa!

This is a failed real estate development dating back to the 1920s that was intended to sit next to the ACT and mirror the ACT's Burley Griffin design...The land, which was originally part of the Hill Station property, was bought by a Henry Ferdinand Halloran - but the development never went ahead due to the Great Depression, with no blocks ever sold :(

Its now private property - still owned by Henry's family I believe. But from a distance you can still see the arch and and some of the stone pillars that were built. I found this fascinating - but then again I am a bit weird....I love this old photo of this arch as well.