Suburb #95 Lawson

Last weekend I decided to take a sneaky look at Lawson in Belconnen, one of the Canberra suburbs currently being built...maybe a bit sneaky but as it already has a sign and quite a few signs of life, I decided it was ready to be photographed :)

Lawson is named after Henry Lawson, writer and poet. Despite his fame, he spent most of his life in poverty, suffered from alcoholism and depression, and died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Let our enemies go by their old dull tracks,
and theirs be the fault or shame
(The man is bitter against the world who has only himself to blame);
Let the darkest side of the past be dark, and only the good recall;
For I must believe that the world, my dear, is a kind world after all. 

The streets here are named after aspects of Australia appearing in Lawson's writing.

Up until recently, there were no houses in Lawson - there was just part of Lake Ginniderra, the Belconnen Naval Transmission Stores, a reservoir and an open area of grassland. I had wondered why this area was vacant for so long given its prime position right near Canberra university, but I understand that the site needed to be decontaminated due to toxic chemicals dumped there. The ground was also apparently highly toxic due to radio transmitters and old computer equipment that were used here by the navy.

My bus to work used to go past here and I loved listening to the cows discussing the meaning of life in the early morning. But even with lots of construction still to come, Lawson has already changed dramatically and the cows are gone :(

I think its going to be quite lovely once finished though. The views from the top of the hill are quite impressive...

And it appears that they are taking the design approach of the newer Gungahlin suburbs...making sure there are lots of open areas and parklands, alongside the very Gungahlinesque legoland houses.

Keeping the local kitties inside will also help protect the local wildlife :)

But there are still lots more houses and construction to come...

I am not sure I would want to live on Overflow street...

I am, however, perhaps destined to live here one day:p

Thanks Lawson - looking good so far - might make a return visit once you are fully up and running!