This suburb is named after Robert Campbell - a Scotsman and merchant, who first arrived in Australia in 1798, building Australia's first shipyards in Kirribilli in 1807. In the 1820s, a sheep station was established for him in Pialligo in Canberra as compensation for the loss of one of his ships on a government charter. In 1846, he renamed this property Duntroon - after Duntrune Castle in Scotland, which as an aside is apparently haunted by a handless piper - and built a homestead here which remains part of the Royal Military College. Campbell was a member of the first NSW legislative council.
The streets here are named after defence personnel....apparently the suburb name is also spelt wrong???
So our Campbell adventures began outside my own little part of Australian architectural history - Campbell Group Housing, designed in 1964 for ANU by the remarkable Harry Seidler. Completely impractical to live in but very good for the soul - the sense of space and calm is just remarkable.
Living in one of the cheapest places in a very expensive suburb, I don't have to walk far to start day-dreaming about winning the lottery and living in one of these little shacks...with some bits of Campbell like a beautiful English village...
Then it was up to top of the suburb - which most people probably don't even known is there - under Fairbairn Avenue....
But it really is quite beautiful...
Then it was back down to the center of the suburb with its multiple parks, schools and a remarkable number of playgrounds....
I wish I had a buddy bench at my school :)
Next up were the local Campbell shops...which appeared to be having a Jeffrey Smart moment :p
Then it was time to head down towards Constitution Avenue, past many of the lovely less showy old houses full of character that too many people are knocking down to build their mega mansions :(
It makes me sad - the trees around here clearly need to be comforted as well :(
Does anyone know what this memorial was for? The plaque has been removed...
Away, while pondering the possibilities....we decided that it was time for a break with a glass of wine at the new wonderful wine bar in Campbell.. the perfect place to decompress in the sun after a horrid week. They sell amazing wines by the glass and the grilled haloumi is pretty damn good too :)
Our adventure also then continued to get slightly waylaid at the Pedlar next door...those onion rings and dumplings are just too damn good! And there is finally a place in my suburb to get an espresso martini! :)
And so began a lovely sunset walk back home...over the hill and through Legacy Park....not a bad view hey? :)
So that was really it for our fabulous big day out in Campbell....
I do have to cheat though and add a couple of extra photos of the Blamey Crescent walk I take every time I walk to civic - inherently 'campbell' for me.
Plus a friend wouldn't forgive me if I didn't include a photo of his impressive hedge :p
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