Capital history in the news
After the fires
Remembering a Summer of devastation | Report that the “firies fridge” from the roadside at Bungendore has been donated to the National Museum of Australia (NMA) as one of the first items in a series that will mark the significance of this horror fire season.
Greater protection for Aboriginal sites and artefacts | The ACT Government has provided greater protection for the region’s Ngunnawal culture by implementing a range of safeguards to conserve cultural sites and artefacts during an emergency.
Personal and local, local history
Life stories faces final chapter without help | Life Stories, a Canberra program that gives people with a life limiting illness, including children, the opportunity to tell their life stories, and in doing so, reminisce, reflect, celebrate, and perhaps reach a level of acceptance before they die, is in danger of closing as its funding is due to run out at the end of March.
Red Hill primary school calls the roll for its 60th-anniversary year | Red Hill Primary is celebrating its 60th anniversary. A school history will be produced, assisted by an ACT Heritage Grant that will also help the school stage an exhibition at the Open Day on 3 May as part of the ACT Heritage Festival. Former students or staff who want to provide stories about their time at the school can contact Emma Campbell by emailing rhps.pandc@gmail.com
Canberra in the 1970’s
The man with the cheque who paid for Blue Poles | Article about Ted Crossing, a former Australian Treasury official based in New York, who was responsible for negotiating the 1973 purchase of Blue Poles on behalf of the Whitlam Government.
Friday with the friends: Demonstrator | On 21 February Friends of the National Film and Sound Archive (FNFSA) will screen Demonstrator. Made in 1971 the film was shot locally and remains the only feature film financed solely by Canberrans. It captures the feel of Canberra as it was in 1971, still a young capital, but becoming the centre of things.
The city remembered
Restoring the lost vitality of city's heart | Article about 1947 painting showing a bustling Canberra city centre focussed on the iconic Sydney and Melbourne Buildings. The painting will feature in Seeing Canberra an exhibition opening on 7 March at the Canberra Museum and Gallery which will show different representations of the capital by artists over the years.
Walter and Marion in cool new artwork | The final building in the Kingsborough residential development in Kingston has been decorated with an enormous artwork by Christopher Paul Toth depicting Canberra’s designers Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin.
Other news
Flight over Snowies a tragic lesson | Historian Matthew Higgins’ account of the crash landing of a Dakota A65-50 that went down at Cowombat Flat, near the head of the Murray River on the NSW Victoria border, in 1954.
Army history research grants | Applications are now open for the 2020-21 round of the Army History Research Grants Scheme. They close on 13 March 2020.
Acknowledgement: The image above of the Canberra civic centre in 1938 is inspired by the renewal plans for the iconic Sydney and Melbourne Buildings. It comes from the State Library of Victoria and is out of copyright. See acknowledgement page for full details.
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