Month: April 2025

Canberra Hospital’s brand-new welcome hall will open on Monday, 3 June.

The hall is the new entry and main reception for the hospital and replaces the existing reception in Building 2 from this date.

Welcome hall location and features

The welcome hall is close to arrival points such as:

• the multi-storey car park
• taxis and public transport
• a covered waiting area and drop-off zone at the entrance, which also services the new Emergency Department.

It is a convenient meeting point in a modern, inclusive and comfortable environment.

Visitors can enquire at the main reception area to find their way to locations around the hospital and gather in the seating hubs.

Community input was essential to the hall’s design and construction. This feedback has helped shape the building to be welcoming and easy to navigate. It also reflects the diverse nature of the Canberra community.

The new space will improve the experience for both staff and visitors.

Design features:

• a striking wooden-panelled main reception to provide customer service and welcome community to the hospital
• a new café and retail space (to be opened at a later date)
• seating hubs and green outdoor spaces for visitors and patients to relax in
• floor-to-ceiling, double-glazed windows providing a strong connection to the surrounding landscape
• a transparent, above-ground clinical link that connects the existing hospital with the new building and provides patients with privacy as they move through the hospital
• striking art installations from local artists that create a welcoming and inclusive space.

The Critical Services Building

The welcome hall will connect the new Critical Services Building with the rest of the campus.

The Critical Services Building is in the final stages of construction and is expected to open to the community in August. It will then be known as Building 5 on the hospital campus.

The welcome hall is the first part of the new building to open.

For more information on the Critical Services Building and the Canberra Hospital Expansion project, visit www.builtforcbr.act.gov.au.

^{Inside the new welcome hall featuring Bradley Mapiva Brown’s ‘Ngala Dhawura – Country of Many Trees’ artwork.}

^{The main corridor of the Critical Services Building featuring Hannah Quinlivan’s ‘Life Force’ artwork.}

^{The main entry to the new welcome hall, alongside ‘Lynnice Church’s ‘Journey of Healing’ artwork.}

Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) and Brighte have announced three recipients of their Brighte Pathways: Women in Sustainable Energy scholarships.

The scholarships aim to support the growth of the ACT’s sustainable energy sector, address skills shortages and give young women pathways to success in what can be a heavily male-dominated industry.

Each scholarship is for a woman who has demonstrated commitment to the industry and is valued at $2250.

They are available to women studying full- or part-time, enrolling or intending to enrol in any of the following courses:

• Certificate III in Automotive Electric Vehicle Technology
• Certificate III in Electro-technology Electrician · Battery Storage Systems · Grid Connected Photovoltaic Power Systems
• Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
• Certificate III in Electronics and Communications
• Training in Insulation Installation.

Christine Robertson, Interim Chief Executive Officer of CIT, said the program underpins the Institute’s commitment to fostering gender diversity and sustainability in the renewable energy sector.

“Through this partnership, we are empowering women to pursue careers in renewable energy and contributing to the growth and innovation of the industry. We are also addressing the skills shortages prevalent in electrification industries,” she said.

Barriers to becoming a trade professional include lack of exposure and experience to trade vocations and previous stereotypes of gender-associated work.

“The scholarship funds can be used to cover student fees and purchase recommended equipment for their studies. Additionally, Brighte will cover the Solar Accreditation Australia costs for eligible female CIT students awarded financial scholarships,” Christine said.

Brighte Founder and CEO Katherine McConnell said we are facing an industry shortage of tradespeople needed to help Australia hit its renewable energy targets.

“Through our partnership with CIT, we are proud to support the development of our apprentices and create opportunities for these women to thrive in this dynamic and rapidly growing industry.

“It is so important for us to do our part to ensure that the training pathways are there for young women to enter the industry and help us achieve the growth needed to ensure Australia’s sustainable future,” she said.

Brighte is the exclusive administrator for the ACT Government’s Sustainable Household Scheme (SHS) as well as the accompanying Solar for Apartments scheme.

Over the past two years, more than 18,500 installations have been completed with the scheme generating more than 300 GWh of energy.

CIT will offer more renewable energy scholarships in 2024 to encourage the uptake of renewable energy training.

Find out more on the CIT website.

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The first sod has been turned at Garran Primary, kicking off work on the project to modernise and expand the school.

This key milestone marks the beginning of work to establish the site and begin construction.

The complete modernisation and expansion of the school will deliver new learning and administration facilities, car parking and improvements to school access.

The school’s capacity will be increased to up to 975 students.

The works will also include a new gymnasium, hard courts and green spaces, providing more sporting facilities for the Woden community.

The new learning spaces will provide students with an environment that fosters creativity, innovation and personal growth.

The redevelopment will also support the community by developing modern facilities. It is hoped these become a meeting hub for local clubs and groups in the Garran area.

Some preliminary works have already taken place during the school holidays, including providing new alternative play spaces and facilities. These will help ensure the continued delivery of a well-rounded curriculum for all students throughout the construction period at Garran Primary School.

The project’s staged construction approach will allow learning to continue onsite in the existing school as work takes place.

It will also reduce the impact on parking and ensure the site’s surrounding area is safe for students, families and members of the public.

The first stage of the Garran Primary School modernisation project – the construction of the new school campus – is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025.

For more information about these works, or to follow along with the construction progress,  visit www.builtforcbr.act.gov.au/projects/education/garran-primary-school-expansion-and-modernisation

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Key actions to improve health, wellbeing and equality for LGBTIQA+ Canberrans will be implemented as part of the Capital of Equality Strategy for 2024–29, released today.

The new strategy affirms the ACT Government’s commitment to positive change and improved wellbeing for LGBTIQA+ individuals, their families and their communities.

The strategy acknowledges persistent challenges for the LGBTIQA+ community.

Key actions

The Capital of Equality Strategy for 2024–29 will be implemented through action plans. Some of the key actions announced with the strategy include:

• continued support for the Capital of Equality Grants Program, recognising its positive outcomes for LGBTIQA+ communities and the continuing demand for these funds
• working together with LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to scope their needs and design the solutions
• actions to improve health outcomes, including mental health, gender-affirming care, fertility access and abortion access
• implementing a range of policy forms for LGBTIQA+ equality, such as improving LGBTIQA+ related data collection in housing policies and continuing the work on protections for people born with variations in sex characteristics from deferrable medical interventions
• building an information hub for LGBTIQA+ communities to know where to seek support
• continuing support for LGBTIQA+ work and events, recognising their vital role in creating community connections and spaces of belonging.

As Canberra’s population grows, the new strategy marks an important step in ensuring the city remains one of the world’s most welcoming and inclusive.

A changed acronym

The ACT Government now adopts the LGBTIQA+ acronym.

The addition of ‘A’ explicitly acknowledges and affirms the identities of asexual, aromantic and agender individuals within the broader LGBTIQA+ community.

This modest but important change gives the asexual, aromantic and agender communities confidence that they are welcome and wanted.

“The biggest barrier in coming out as asexual is education. The more awareness there is of asexuality, the easier it will be for people to be open with their identities. Recognition is incredibly important in this regard,” Canberran Phil said.

More information

More information on the Capital of Equality Strategy for 2024–29 and the First Action Plan is available at The Office of LGBTIQ Affairs webpage .

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If you’ve experienced loss, it’s likely there are strangers who made an impact on this period of your life.

Kind emergency services staff, compassionate healthcare workers and caring funeral directors can make a big difference.

But something you might not have considered are the people who take care of the spaces where loved ones rest. The workers who carefully and respectfully plan and maintain the places that Canberrans go to grieve and remember.

Michael and Heather are horticulturalists who maintain Canberra Memorial Parks, including Gungahlin Cemetery and Crematorium and Woden Cemetery.

“We’re creating an environment that is part of a sacred place that people go,” Heather said.

“Potentially for some people it’s one of their worst days or times, so there’s an opportunity for us to in some tiny way try and make that better.”

From a horticultural point of view, working on the Memorial Parks is multifaceted.

“We manage a lot of plantings. We’ve got a lot of high-care gardens, which have a lot of input,” Heather said.

This can include:

• pest and disease management
• formative pruning
• weed management
• planning.

“We take things into account like being culturally aware,” Michael said.

“There’s lots of different plants and there are plants that aren’t native to Australia. But they’re still beautiful and very significant to many people. When someone sees those plants that may make them think of home and that may make them feel a bit more comfortable.”

Creating and maintaining a space that provides comfort is key for both Michael and Heather. As Canberra locals, they are keenly aware of the impact that the Memorial Parks have on their community.

“You drive through the gate and you just have that inbuilt job satisfaction,” Heather said.

“You know that you’re part of something that is important to the local community and their family members, as well as local residents that spend time here and cherish the area.”

“I don’t just come to work for the money,” Michael said.

“I come to work because I love what I do. I love the people I work with. I love maintaining and creating an environment that helps families and loved ones when they want to come to the cemetery. They feel comfortable. They see it’s well maintained.”

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Shirley Smith High School has been officially named, with a plaque unveiled at a naming ceremony to mark the occasion.

The school opened this year in Kenny, welcoming its first cohort of year 7 students.

It will, in time, cater to up to 800 students from across east Gungahlin, providing high-quality public high school education.

The school was named after prominent activist and Wiradjuri woman Shirley Smith.

She was a founding member of many important community services in Redfern, Sydney, including the Aboriginal Medical Service, Aboriginal Legal Service, the Aboriginal Housing Company, and the Aboriginal Children’s Service. 

Shirley Smith’s advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people influenced other communities to establish similar services.

The school has been designed with flexible learning in mind, and also has spaces available for use by both students and the community, including a double gymnasium, covered hard court, an oval and a multipurpose hall.

In addition to the plaque unveiling, a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony were provided by Ngunnawal elder Aunty Tina Brown – who is a distant relative of Shirley Smith’s – to officially welcome everyone to the site. 

Find out more on the Shirley Smith High School website or enrol for 2025.

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Things are looking a little different for Rocky, who held the record as the dog with the longest stay at Domestic Animal Services (DAS).

The three-year-old was at the shelter for over 300 days. This left volunteers scratching their heads as to why the friendly mixed-breed hadn’t found his forever home.

Today, Rocky’s living in a whole new world. For a start, he’s now Oberon, or Obi for short.

While his new family fell in love with him instantly, they weren’t so keen on his name.

He now bears the title of the fairy king in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which the family felt was a much better fit.

“Well, he’s just so gentle. When we picked him up, he was wearing a big studded collar and I felt that it was too much of a stereotype. A tough-sounding name (Rocky) and a tough collar for a tough-looking dog,” his new mum, Kate, said.

She and her family are keen to do away with some other misconceptions too.

“One of the best things about Oberon is how chilled out he is,” Kate said.

“But some people have definitely been nervous … not wanting to come too close. A number of times we’ve come across people with small dogs who have picked them up as we passed.

“On the other hand, plenty of people are happy for Obi to approach their young children. A 12-year-old told me he ‘knows not to judge a dog by the way it looks,’ which was great to hear,” she said.

Adopting from Domestic Animal Services helps people like Kate give a dog a second chance, regardless of their breed, looks or age.

“Working at DAS has really opened my eyes to how many dogs are actually already out there in desperate need of love and a home,” DAS kennel hand Amity said.

“Working with these desperate animals, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience the selfless nature of a shelter animal, as well as their beautiful personalities. These incredible dogs are just searching for a sense of security and compassion, and once it is given to them, they never cease to please!”

While many people look for puppies when deciding to add a dog to their family, Amity urges Canberrans to look beyond years.

“Most people won’t adopt as they wouldn’t have been able to raise the dog from a very young age. However, what most people don’t understand is that disadvantaged dogs can have a higher sense of gratitude and appreciation to the family that takes them home.

“Gaining trust is so much more important to these shelter dogs, so they are willing to go so much further to show their new owners just how appreciative they are,” she said.

“Not only is adopting a dog from DAS rewarding, it is also an extremely easy and inexpensive way to find the one you’ve been looking for.”

There are many dogs currently looking for their forever home at DAS.

View dogs up for adoption or visit DAS in Symonston to meet them in person.

DAS is open from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.

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Canberra Raiders fans are in for a treat with a new series of themed podcasts now available.

Supported by funding from an ACT Heritage Grant, the Bleeding Green Interviews share the Raiders’ unique story as part of the Territory’s DNA.

The Raiders have produced a podcast series of oral histories recorded by club historian David Headon.

From players to CEOs, those interviewed offer remarkable insight into both their own histories and the club’s.

There’s coach and legend Ricky Stuart, Hall of Fame Immortal Mal Meninga and Patron John McIntyre, to name a few.

The series been created in a partnership between the Raiders and the ACT Heritage Library.

“The Canberra Raiders plays a fundamental role in our unique ACT identity. The ACT Heritage Library is both honoured and delighted to partner with the Raiders to preserve and provide ongoing access to these oral histories with key people in the foundation and development of the Club,” Antoinette Buchanan of the ACT Heritage Library said.

“They are a rich resource as documents of our sporting, social and regional history.”

The club has generated loyal fans of all ages since its inception in 1982.

The Raiders were the first non-Sydney team to enter the New South Wales Rugby Football League, later the NRL.

The club proudly supports and develops rugby league at all levels and age groups – from grassroots to elite teams.

Six of the interviews are now available through the Raiders website and Spotify.

Those tuning in via the website can also watch the interviews.

The remaining four episodes will be released throughout the current season and all will be available through the Libraries ACT online catalogue.

Episodes available now:

• Episode 1: Glenn Lazarus
• Episode 2: Marian Furner and Don Furner (Junior)
• Episode 3: John McIntyre
• Episode 4: Alan Tongue
• Episode 5: Mal Meninga
• Episode 6: Ricky Stuart.

“The Bleeding Green Interviews project is the perfect follow-up to my Absolutely Bleeding Green history of the Raiders that was published several years ago,” David said.

“We learn so much from those interviewed – fascinating details of the club’s unique history, at once exciting, personal, often humorous and always engaging. Go online and treat yourself!”

Each episode is introduced by recently retired Raiders great Jarrod Croker.

The project was supported with funding made available by the ACT Government under the ACT Heritage Grants Program.

Find the interviews on the Raiders website or Spotify.

Mal Meninga presents the premiership trophy to the crowds in Civic Square in 1989. ACT Heritage Library collection.

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The new South Tuggeranong Health Centre will provide residents with access to a range of free public health services.

These will include paediatrics, pathology, dementia care and chronic disease programs.

The centre’s clinical services and design have been guided by feedback from clinicians, consumers and the local community through consultation carried out in late 2023.

The feedback revealed residents wanted easier access to preventative health services and treatment for chronic disease.

The new centre will offer a range of community-based services that reflect the changing health needs of the Tuggeranong community.

The services available at the new health centre will include:

• paediatrics
• pathology collection
• diabetes clinics
• falls and falls injury prevention
• dementia care
• chronic disease programs
• community nursing
• a virtual care interview room.

The South Tuggeranong Health Centre, located in Conder, is one of five new health centres being delivered across the ACT.

Other centres will be located in the Inner South, North Gungahlin and West Belconnen.

The health centre in Molonglo opened in 2022 to provide women’s and family health care to the region.

The centres will provide integrated multi-disciplinary care with a focus on preventive care and advice, early intervention and the management of chronic illness.

They will complement Canberra’s existing network of nurse-led Walk-in Centres and community health centres.

The ACT Government will continue to invest in health services and infrastructure across the ACT to provide Canberrans with access to the right health care, at the right time and in the right place.

This includes more investment in our health workforce, including recruiting and upskilling our teams and committing to nurse and midwife-to-patient ratios.

The government will soon consult with Inner South and North Gungahlin residents about the services and design of the new health centres coming to those areas.

A development application for the South Tuggeranong Health Centre will be submitted and a head contractor engaged for construction in the coming months.

Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2024 and be completed by the end of 2025.

Find more information on builtforcbr.act.gov.au

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The popular Gardening Australia program will have a distinctly Canberra flavour on Friday 17 May.

ABC TV’s gardening flagship will air a story featuring two ACT schools, several students and much-loved volunteer Carol Quashie-Williams, scientist in residence at both Farrer Primary and Namadgi School.

As a CSIRO STEM Professional in Schools, Carol has enriched the lives of thousands of young people during two decades of volunteering.

She teaches life skills in gardening, nutrition, cooking and teamwork, with lessons in biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, physics, maths, literacy and art sprouting here and there.

An agricultural and environmental scientist and entomologist, Carol can spot a caterpillar at ten paces, even if it is hidden under the husk of a corn cob.

Namadgi School Principal Gareth Richards says Carol’s way of engaging the kids means her presence is felt whether she is on site or not.

“Even when she’s not at school, the kids are still carrying on with activities she’s taught them,” he said.

“We’ll see them walking around the garden with magnifying glasses in hand, inspecting bugs they find along the way. She has a lasting impact on our students’ lives.”

Another legacy of Carol’s involvement is professional growth and development.

“She builds the capacity of our staff. Working shoulder to shoulder with Carol they have picked up expertise they’ve been able to go on to share with our students,” Gareth said.

Named Volunteer of the Year at the 2019 ACT Public Education Awards, Carol started volunteering when her own children were at school and found it so rewarding she continued after they had left.

With a day job in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, she says her involvement in the schools program enables her to maintain her pest surveillance and diagnostic and science communication skills.

“I enjoy inspiring the next generation of scientists and gardeners and love the enthusiasm of the students when working outside and in the environment centres,” she said.

‘My Garden Path – Carol STEM’ airs on Gardening Australia this Friday 17 May at 7:30pm (repeated Sunday 1:30pm, or catch up via iView or the Gardening Australia website).

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