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Published: June 27th 2010
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Parliament House
The Parliamentary Triangle has Capital Hill at its apex topped by Parliament House opened in 1988. What better way to see Canberra than to sign up for a professional development conference on Early Years Intervention for Children with Special Needs with Kate, the deputy and Jill my colleague in the early Years Support Unit and an opportunity for some team building. It was quite an apt place for a conference as the name Canberra is based on the Aboriginal word meaning ‘meeting place’. The only draw back was that you were expected to fund the trip yourselves?!?!? Well, after a request to the Principal and the Parent Association we had our air fares paid and that just left our accommodation and food, an interesting concept but what seems to be the norm in the Education Circle?!
We flew into Canberra Airport and landed on the only short airstrip west of the city and soon found our selves shivering in the taxi queue adjusting to the considerably colder air the ACT in winter, it was just like England! The next experience was directing the taxi driver to our accommodation in Manuka, south of the city, who succeeded in getting lost and then we abandoned him as we decided we would get there faster if we walked! I
The Silver Coat of Arms
Designed by silversmith Robin Blau, it depicts a shield and an outline of a Kangaroo and an Emu facing inwards, symbolising that Australia will only move forwards as both animals are unable to walk backwards. even used my new iphone and navigated ourselves to our two bedroom apartment which was pretty impressive for me as I am renowned for my wonderful map reading skills or not!
The conference was not quite what we expected and we struggled with some of the speakers and what they reported and then others were inspiring and thought provoking encouraging discussion and forward planning. Somehow we had thought there would have been more workshops and speakers who would fill us with inspiration and refuel our creative brain cells for future lesson planning. We did however listen to a couple of American Speakers, one a Speech Therapist and the other Music Therapist who inspired us all and we did not once look at our watch to check on the time. It was also a great opportunity to meet up with other teachers from all around Australia and share stories, just a shame we could not ask questions of the Education Minister who addressed the conference but was unable to stay for an open and frank discussion, I wonder why?.
The best part of the trip however was the two days we had walking around the city, drinking lots of
Anzac Parade and Parliament House
From different points of the city you were able to focus on buildings and monuments from different angles. The broad wide roads reminded me of Wshington DC. coffee and visiting some of the sights nestled around a beautiful lake . Designed by an American Architect, Burley Griffin, it reminded us somewhat of Washington DC with its long, wide roads and avenues of trees and of course they were all in beautiful autumnal colours, being that far south the climate is more like Europe and there are seasons as we know them. An early start took us to Capital Circle and the new Government House partly built into a hill, with grass partially covering the roof with a huge steel flagpole towering above it. We wondered through the building not quite all 4,700 rooms and sat in the public gallery of the House of Representatives and marvelled at the beautiful tapestry that hung in the Great Hall. We finished our visit with coffee and cake on the roof looking across the city to the Australian War Memorial and Old Government House.
We then managed to fit in a visit to the National Gallery of Australia and walk around the Sculpture Garden that lead us down to views across the lake, lunch in the Gallery of Modern Art and then a taxi drive across the city and along
Old Parliament House and War Memorial beyond.
The Old Parliament House was centre to Australian politics for 60 years and now houses the National Portrait Gallery Collection. Anzac Drive to explore the War Museum and The Pool of Reflection surrounding the Eternal Flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A very moving place especially as we stood in silence and listened to the Last Post being played as the doors to the Hall of Memory was closed.
Sunday took us to explore The Depot Craft markets and meet up with some friends of Jill’s who kindly drove us up to the view point at Mount Ainslie to give us a birds eye view of the city and the surrounding mountain side. What was particularly striking was the lack of tall high rise buildings and that most of the buildings nestled below the tree line giving a feel of space and open country very far from the fact that it was the capital city of Australia.
With delicious homemade food from the market we drove back down to have a picnic by Lake Burley Griffin next to the Carillion Tower, a tall brick building housing a set of brass bells that have to plucked when played to create a unique sound. Quite a noisy experience, we had to move a fare distance away from the noise
Sculptures in the Garden
Behind the National Gallery of Australia you could wonder amongst large and unusual sculptures which lead you down to the lake. so we could hear ourselves speak! Finally we made a brief visit to the amazing National Museum of Australia, a unique building made of twisted steel and coloured curved walls that twisted and curled creating different facades at every turn. I wish Kevin had been there to see it I thought it was wonderful and somewhere I would want to return to sometime.
Like all good things our trip soon came to an end and we were heading back on the evening flight to Brisbane having had a great time, getting to know my colleagues better and developing their friendships as well gaining a clearer insight into the Australian Education System and realising that we had a long way still to go!
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