Canberra
We stayed with Tim’s sister Finola close to the centre of Canberra in Ainslie. It’s great to hang out in a house for quite a few days, and we figure we’re avoiding the Easter holiday madness when the rest of Australia goes camping. After the rush of Melbourne the nation’s capital seems to suit our countrified pace a little better. There is so much to see in the way of museums and galleries and we had a chance to catch up on chores. Elsie and Larry received some loving maintenance type attention and we did loads and loads of loads of washing. And of course we got to catch up with Finola, meet her bloke Trevor and also catch up with old friends Lage and Mark and their children Manasa and Ruby.
We went to the National Museum, the National Gallery, the National Library, Old Parliament House and New Parliament House! Quite a list, but spread out over quite a few days.
Old Parliament House was last used in 1988, yet it appears that everybody has just gone home for the weekend! Most fittings and many day to day objects were left where they had been used that last day – some offices have been left with scattered papers, personal belongings and even dirty coffee cups. Loved the building with its deco style, and loved all the period pieces like the telephones, TVs and lamps scattered about.
We managed to time our visit to the present Parliament House to when Senator Rachel Siewert was there (for those who don’t know, Nic worked with Rachel for years at the Conservation Council). It was great to see Rach and her office and to go in the back way to Parliament House! While we were there we also chased up a Senator from many years ago, Nic’s great-great-grandfather Hugh de Largie, who was a WA senator from 1901 to 1922.
Finola’s fella Trevor also took us sailing on Lake Burley Griffin in his trailer yacht. There wasn’t much wind but we got to gaze on the city and surrounds from the lake, drifting past the autumn colours of the trees through the AIS rowing course up to the GGs mansion.
We almost had to be forcibly bundled out of Canberra, we had such a great time there, doing all of the above, or hanging out with Finola & Trevor over Easter, or just chilling out on the couch. (The things I, Nic, miss most about having a house are the couch and the bath!) It really was like a holiday from our holiday.
We went to the National Museum, the National Gallery, the National Library, Old Parliament House and New Parliament House! Quite a list, but spread out over quite a few days.
Old Parliament House was last used in 1988, yet it appears that everybody has just gone home for the weekend! Most fittings and many day to day objects were left where they had been used that last day – some offices have been left with scattered papers, personal belongings and even dirty coffee cups. Loved the building with its deco style, and loved all the period pieces like the telephones, TVs and lamps scattered about.
We managed to time our visit to the present Parliament House to when Senator Rachel Siewert was there (for those who don’t know, Nic worked with Rachel for years at the Conservation Council). It was great to see Rach and her office and to go in the back way to Parliament House! While we were there we also chased up a Senator from many years ago, Nic’s great-great-grandfather Hugh de Largie, who was a WA senator from 1901 to 1922.
Finola’s fella Trevor also took us sailing on Lake Burley Griffin in his trailer yacht. There wasn’t much wind but we got to gaze on the city and surrounds from the lake, drifting past the autumn colours of the trees through the AIS rowing course up to the GGs mansion.
We almost had to be forcibly bundled out of Canberra, we had such a great time there, doing all of the above, or hanging out with Finola & Trevor over Easter, or just chilling out on the couch. (The things I, Nic, miss most about having a house are the couch and the bath!) It really was like a holiday from our holiday.
posted by Tim and Nic at
12:49 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home