Monday, January 2, 2017

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!

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Suburb #94 Flynn

In order to avoid a total anxiety meltdown, I went exploring one of the biggest suburbs I had left about a fortnight ago - and its been so crazy since then I completely forgot to write up my post! So here goes...

Flynn a suburb in the mighty Belco, is named after Minister John Flynn who founded what was to become the Royal Flying Doctor Service. His face appears on one side of the $20 note.

Streets in Flynn are named after workers from the Flying Doctor Service.


I think Flynn is certainly one of the prettiest Belconnen suburbs that I  have wandered around since Giralang which seems a lifetime ago now. Alas there are no local shops, but I felt a real sense of calm here amongst the interestingly designed houses, beautiful gum tress and flowering gardens.

I started my adventure at the southern end of the suburb, where Ginnindera Creek cuts its way across, largely hidden by grasslands. Its not a big area but really quite lovely, particularly amongst the butterflies :)




Walking north through the suburb, there were gorgeous flowers everywhere...




Some of the houses looked so peaceful amongst the gums...almost made me want to give up inner city living...almost...





The views from the top of the suburb were also quite impressive....



And even from the top of Fort Flynn :p



It wouldn't be a Canberra suburb without some interesting design features though...




But overall, a very pleasant place to explore. I hope Santa did drop by :)



Saturday, November 26, 2016

Suburb #93 McKellar

I finally had a day off with no rain and no work or family crises, so I actually got to do a new suburb after a three month drought! I decided to head back to Belconnen and visit McKellar - suburb number 93, somewhere I had never been before.

McKellar is named after Colin McKellar, someone I had never heard of and after reading his bio, to be honest I am a bit surprised he has a suburb named after him. His claim to fame is being the Minister for Repatriation for five years.

The streets here are named after journalists.



McKellar is quite a small and remarkably quiet little suburb. I started my adventures exploring the McKellar Wetlands, which while small were surprisingly full of wildlife and quite gorgeous. They are apparently a 'frog hotspot'. Not sure about that - but there are definitely a lot of bugs for frogs to eat!







Luckily there weren't any real crocodiles though :p


At another pond in the corner of the suburb, I also came across a family of swans....


When the parents saw me, they, however, made it quite clear that they didn't want me anywhere near their children.



It became a bit like a scene from Jaws....so I quickly departed...


Alas, there are no local shops left in McKellar, but it appears they may be trying to revive them?


 So my remaining adventures consisted in exploring the local architectural styles...






They certainly like their houses big here and a few too many columns for my liking....but all in all a very pleasant little suburb - a perfect spot for a cup of tea on the balcony, surrounded by beautiful roses, while waiting for Santa :p







Friday, August 12, 2016

Suburb #92 Florey

OK so after a rough couple of months healthwise and personally, and a broken camera....its time to get this blog back on track. I am way too close to the end to give up now!

I restarted my adventures in suburb no. 92 Florey in Belconnen.

Florey is named after Howard Florey who won the nobel prize for his work on penicillin delivery, which is estimated to have saved more than 82 million lives. He was unhappily married to someone called Ethel. He later became a baron.

The streets in Florey are named after scientists.


I think Florey was a good place to 'start again'. Its a pretty sleepy suburb filled with some very Canberran features....








The houses here appear to either look like this...


Or like this....

But if you had enough of concrete suburbia and need to get away....there are happy aliens in the park to play with...


Walls to paint on...


And the bus to Freedom apparently leaves from here...


But beware of the floods...


P.S.Spring can't be too far away now!!!