Suburb #97 Chisholm

Suburb no. 97 was Chisholm, one of only three suburbs in Tuggeranong that I have not yet visited on this project.

Chisholm is named after Caroline Chisholm. Caroline arrived in Australia in 1838, setting up an immigrant home that helped more than 40,000 people over a 38 year period - with Caroline famous for her humanitarian work, particularly with migrants, throughout her life.

The streets in Chisholm are named after other notable women (and the street sign is on stilts for some reason).

I started my adventures at the local shops...again a place of great history :p but also one full of life, new cafes and colour.

As I had some special guests on this adventure....

next on the agenda was a wander around the park and cricket ground...

 

It was thirsty work given the recent weather in Canberra....

After recovering in the shade for a bit, it was onwards towards the local high school which won an architectural prize. I am not surprised as I think its quite impressive - particularly with the mountain views in the background....

They even have their own mini Greek amphitheatre...

And buildings that look like a weird mix between a temple and a gas chamber...

It was a long hot walk back up to the shops and Chisholm's version of the golden gate bridge...

Before it was time to drive around and experience the refreshingly non identical housing of Chisholm...albeit not all too my taste...

But certainly the most impressive views in the suburb were from up on Chisholm hill...

All in all a great place to wander around, particularly with some four legged friends and an off duty superhero :)

Suburb #96 Ngunnawal

So I decided it was time to challenge my prejudice against light coloured bricks in honour of suburb no. 96 and visit one of the major remaining suburbs in Gungahlin....Ngunna, Ngunna, Ngunna, Ngunna, Ngunnawal!!!!

Ngunnawal, 13km from the centre of Canberra, is named after the Ngunnawal people, the original indigenous inhabitants of the area. The street names here also reflect the Ngunnawal language and celebrate Australia's indigenous heritage.

Alas Ngunnawal currently has no suburb signs due to the building of the light rail :(

It does, however, have lots of light coloured bricks :p It also has two sets of local shops. A larger set of shops...established in that distant historical period of 1996 :)

And the smaller Platypus shops....

I didn't get to meet a platypus....but not far away some some other 'friends' did surprise me though...

As expected, Ngunnawal also had a significant number of large houses with this suburb certainly no stranger to the new Australian mega-mansion...

But it also had some beautiful old gum trees and there are some quite lovely views from some of the hilltop reserves...

Gungahlinesque architecture is more obvious in the newer parts of the suburb, which I must admit I didn't even know were there until I drove into them. They didn't even appear on my map!

Before my adventures ended, I was,however, keen to visit the Gold Creek Homestead, a 140 year old building that was once the centre of the 3,940 Gold Creek estate.....but alas I couldn't get close enough to see the building.

So what did I miss proud Gungahlinites?