Mulga Wires

Yunggaballi Park, Moncrieff.

Our last stop after three days of exploring Canberra.

Suburb and Street names in Canberra follow themes. Moncrief’s theme is music with the suburb being named in honour of Gladys Lillian Moncrieff, or 'Our Glad', who entertained Australian troops during World War II and the Korean conflict. The street names applaud Australia's music history.

The Ngunnawal people are the traditional owners of this land and ‘Yunggaballi’ means ‘singing’ in their language so the use of Yunggaballi to name this unique Canberra park and playground is very appropriate.

As well as the traditional slides, swings and climbs, the park and playground also has a wide range of musical instruments to play - that will even keep adults amused.

12.22pm - Day 3 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

Tocumwal Housing Heritage Precinct, O'Connor

This is one of Canberra’s secrets with many Canberrans unaware of this heritage listed housing precinct. The precinct is considered unique in Canberra for its urban planning, landscaping and social history.

As an interesting sidebar, one of the Gears and Beers guys was one of the first occupants with his parents when he was 5.

The homes were originally built in 1942, at the large World War 2 airbase in Tocumwal, NSW. They were originally built as barracks for the servicemen with their external design purposefully constructed to look like houses to help disguise the airbase as an Australian town. After the war nearly 200 of the houses were moved to Canberra to help alleviate the lack of housing during the post-war development of the city.

The eight cul-de-sacs in the precinct share access onto a community recreation area with the individual identity of each street reinforced by the street plantings. Many of the cottages retain their original hedge plantings.

11.57am - Day 3 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) @theAIS
“The Basketballer” by Dominique Sutton.

This sculpture is one of three - The Gymnast, The Basketballer and The Sprinter - that were commissioned and placed on top of The Sydney Tower to celebrate the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In 2003 The Sprinter was relocated to Sydney Olympic Park whilst The Basketballer and The Gymnast were moved to the AIS.

10.05am - Day 3 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

Our tour on day 3 took us through Belconnen, North Canberra and Gungahlin. An excellent meeting point for this ride is Gold Creek Village on the Barton Highway just south of Hall. The location is made even more enticing by Armadillos Café (7 O'Hanlon Pl, Nicholls) where we are always made welcome and the food is absolutely excellent.

3.39pm - Day 2 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

In front of St John’s Anglican church, Reid. This is one of the earliest European buildings in Canberra, dating back to 1841. Early photos of the region taken well before Canberra was even contemplated show a lonely church minus its spire on a grassy plan, the spire being completed in 1877. One of these early photos is reproduced on the information sign in front of the main gate.

3.29pm - Day 2 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

The Boer War Memorial, ANZAC Parade.
This is one of the most striking memorials on ANZAC Parade.

3.24pm - Day 2 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

The Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial on ANZAC Parade. Etched on the rear wall in polished granite is an iconic photograph from the Vietnam War showing Australian troops about to board helicopters for their return to Nui Dat. The Gears and Beers group are reading the quotes on the "Wall Of Words".

1.12pm - Day 2 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

“I aspire, I achieve.”
This is the inscription on The Junior Farmers Memorial in Valour Park at Watson. The memorial recognises the sacrifices of young farmers who died in service to Australia.

11.58am - Day 2 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

One of the many café stops of our tour - @threemillsbakery The well maintained gardens make this a very attractive place to pause and chat.

The sculpture is part of Canberra Airport’s “Art in the Parks” and is unsurprisingly called “Paper Plane” by Jerko Starcevic.

11.15am - Day 2 Gears and Beers 3-day Canberra tour

06 November 2020

Mt Pleasant is one of the lesser visited lookouts in Canberra and is the site of The Royal Australian Artillery Memorial.

We are now looking back at Dairy Farmers Hill @nationalarboretumcanberra, at the other end of the lake, where we stood yesterday. By taking in both lookouts you get marvellous views of Lake Burley Griffin, the Parliamentary Triangle and the city centre of Canberra.