Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
There are nine new units complete.
Nine new public housing units in West Belconnen are now complete and ready to welcome tenants.
The homes have been developed under the ACT Government’s Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program, which has seen more than 475 homes built and a further 577 under design or construction since the launch of the program in July 2019.
The new homes add to the category of public housing in highest demand: approximately 80 per cent of all housing applicants can be housed in a two-bedroom dwelling.
Each of the homes is equipped with Class C adaptable features, suitable for people with different mobility and accessibility needs, and support tenants to age in place.
They are located close to a school, shops, and transport and feature a 7-star energy rating, offering greater comfort and increased affordability for tenants.
The program demonstrates the ACT Government’s commitment to providing high-quality public housing that caters to tenants’ needs.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Tuggeranong has over 30 dog off-leash areas and one dog park, with another on the way.
Tuggeranong is a dog friendly region of Canberra, with plenty of on-leash and off-leash open spaces for you and your four-legged friend to explore together.
Here are some of our favourite spots:
Dog parks
There is one dog park in Tuggeranong, with another one on its way.
Greenway – Mortimer Lewis Drive, Lake Tuggeranong
Located next to the picturesque Lake Tuggeranong, this scenic dog park is an ideal spot for your dog to socialise and play.
Large eucalyptus trees provide shade and there are large grassy areas. There are also benches so you can take a seat while your dog plays nearby.
There are two separate play areas: one for smaller dogs, and one for larger dogs.
Lanyon dog park – corner of Jim Pike Avenue and Woodcock Avenue, Gordon
Design work is progressing for a new fenced dog park near Point Hut Pond. Construction is expected to begin later in 2024.
There are over 30 areas that are dog off-leash in the Tuggeranong region.
Point Hut Pond
On hot days, take your dog to the western riverbank of Point Hut Crossing and Point Hut Bond. There are dog swimming spaces where your pooch can have a paddle before running themselves dry on the riverbank.
Calwell Playing Fields
With plenty of open space, Calwell Playing Fields is the perfect spot for zoomies or a game of fetch.
It’s important to know that ovals or sportsgrounds are conditional spaces. This means that if the oval is in use (i.e. when it is booked for formal sport, including training sessions), you and your dog will need to come back later.
Fadden Pines District Park
The side of this park closest to the Futsal Centre (the opposite side to the playground and skate park) is a dog off-leash area. There’s a large grassy area perfect for playing, and shady trees throughout the area.
There are public toilets on the other side of the park near the barbecue area. However, remember that when in use, all playgrounds, picnic areas and barbecue areas (as well as sportsgrounds) become dog prohibited areas. If they’re not in use, you’re able to venture into this area with your dog on their lead.
Simpsons Hill, Chisholm
This area is perfect for active dogs. There’s a grassy hill with lots of trees and space to run around.
On-leash areas
All streets, verges, footpaths and cycle paths are on-leash areas. You’ll also need to keep your dog on-leash if you’re within 10 metres either side of the path.
Lakes are also dog on-leash areas unless otherwise signposted.
Remember that regardless of where you are, it’s an offence not to pick up your dog droppings. You can receive a $150 fine for not picking up your dog’s droppings, and a $75 fine for not carrying appropriate equipment to collect your dog’s droppings. Keeping poo bags on hand near your leash (and using them to clean up after your dog) is an easy way to avoid copping a fine!
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Canberrans are keen for spaces where their dogs can run free.
Work has begun on the new Franklin Dog Park, located in the open space bound by Nullarbor Avenue and Oodgeroo Avenue.
Major works are expected to take approximately nine months to complete (weather permitting), meaning Gungahlin dog owners should be able to use it next summer.
The new fully fenced dog park will be the third in Gungahlin and the eighth in Canberra.
Its design follows community consultation in 2022.
Key features include:
2,870m2 fenced recreational area
Accessible loop path within the perimeter of the dog park
Gravel car park with seven car spaces, including two accessible spaces and four bike rails
Picnic shelter, seating and drinking fountain
Dog agility area with some play elements including low and tall bar jumps, weave poles, pyramid ramp, hoop tunnels and log balance beams
Irrigated grass area for ball and frisbee play
Dog poo bag dispensers and bins.
There will also be 48 new trees planted for canopy cover, and additional shade once matured.
The ACT has one of Australia’s highest rates of pet ownership. Community feedback revealed Canberrans want space for their dogs to run free and a variety of terrains for dogs to explore and use their sense of smell.
Fenced dog exercise areas contribute to the effective management of dogs in public spaces by providing a controlled space where dogs can freely exercise and play. They also assist in alleviating the pressure on shared recreational areas.
There are several other projects currently underway across Canberra to provide more recreational opportunities for people and their dogs.
The new fenced dog park planned for the Lanyon Valley will provide more spaces for southsiders to socialise and exercise their dogs.
The Lanyon Valley dog park will include many of the same features as Franklin, including a grass play and agility areas, shade structures and seating.
A construction tender for that park will be released around the middle of the year.
Improvements to public open spaces present additional opportunities for on-leash dog walks.
These include improvements to the Tuggeranong foreshore, which are nearly complete, and upgrades to the Lake Ginninderra path circuit and Yerrabi Pond District Park.
Stay up to date on the suburban infrastructure projects being delivered, including playgrounds, local shopping centres and dog parks, at cityservices.act.gov.au/bettersuburbs.
The park will be located in the open space bound by Nullarbor Avenue and Oodgeroo Avenue.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Katie Pike will no longer need to travel interstate to train for skating competitions.
The new competition-standard half-pipe at Belconnen skatepark is another step closer.
With off-site fabrication underway, construction has now started on site to expand the skatepark alongside the legendary ‘Belco Bowl’.
Fencing of the site has been completed with works over the coming weeks to include demolition activities to provide access to site and earthworks to start preparing the area for the future half-pipe.
The concrete slab is in place and the on-site assembly of the prefabricated metal and wooden ramps is underway.
The new half-pipe is expected to open to the public early in the second half of 2024.
The Canberra Skateboarding Association and Canberra BMX Club have called for improvements to Canberra skate parks.
The city’s skate culture is already strong, and the sport is growing in popularity.
Belconnen is Canberra’s best-known skatepark and already considered world-class by many enthusiasts.
Also known as a vertical or vert ramp, the new half-pipe will take ACT skating to another level, growing the city’s appeal to both national and international skaters.
Young Canberra skater and international competitor Katie Pike is excited about the development.
“I’m really looking forward to having a competition vert ramp in my home skatepark,” she said.
“That will help me out a lot because obviously I have to travel to Sydney to skate competition vert ramps and now that we have one in Canberra it will be a lot easier. Instead of having to travel most weeks I can just train five minutes away from home.”
Joel Bliss, another local skater, is also enthusiastic.
“I’ve been waiting, I think, my whole Canberra skating life for this moment,” he said.
“The first sessions are going to be amazing. I’ll probably just drop in and roll around for a while to get used to it. Because these ramps are big! The vert ramps we are used to around here are like mini ramps in comparison to this actual proper-sized ramp, so the speed you get on these things is just a thing in itself.
“It’s going to be unreal and there will be skaters from all over Australia that will come when they hear about it. It’s going to be a good thing. I can’t wait,” Joel said.
The ACT Government manages seven skateparks and another 12 parks that feature skating facilities across Canberra.
These cater not only to skateboarders but also cyclists, scooters, rollerbladers and rollerskaters.
“I think it’s really good and I think it will help with the progression of skating in Canberra,” Katie said.
The competition-standard half-pipe is funded by both the ACT Government and the Australian Government under the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.
Joel Bliss can’t wait for the new half-pipe to be completed.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The new homes vary in size and cater to a wide range of needs.
A new 30-unit public housing development has opened in Tuggeranong and is ready to welcome tenants.
The unit complex is one of the largest public housing developments delivered under the ACT Government’s Growing and Renewing Public Housing program.
The program, launched in 2019, aims to deliver 1,400 renewed or new public homes by mid-2027, which will increase the total number of public housing in the ACT by 400.
The new homes cater to a wide range of needs and are Class C Adaptable, making them suitable for people with disability and people as they grow older.
The development features an onsite playground and a range of unit sizes, from one-bedroom to four-bedroom.
They have each been completed with above-standard energy efficiency ratings, to provide tenants greater comfort and increased affordability.
The development is located close to shops, services and transport, as well Lake Tuggeranong and surrounding parks, allowing residents easy access to Tuggeranong’s outdoor spaces.
The ACT has the second-highest proportion of public housing out of any jurisdiction in the country.
The ACT Government’s Growing and Renewing Public Housing program is on track to meet its targets.
More than 640 homes have already been built or bought, and another 577 are in the construction pipeline.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Getting involved in neighbourhood initiatives like community gardens can help make a positive difference.
If you avidly use your household recycling bin, upcycled old furniture, or received something from a “buy nothing” group in your community, you’ve been a part of the circular economy.
It’s a system that’s designed to minimise waste and maximise the use of resources. It promotes the repurposing, recycling and reuse of materials so nothing goes to waste.
The circular economy reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but it’s also a pretty useful way to save money.
There are lots of ways that Canberrans can get involved in the circular economy.
Recycle correctly
If you can’t reduce or reuse, then recycling is the best choice.
Not everything that can be recycled can go in your yellow recycling bin.
Recycle these in your recycling bin:
aluminium and steel cans
glass bottles and jars
paper and flat cardboard
plastic bottles and containers
For other items, the Recyclopaedia is your go-to guide for recycling.
For example, batteries aren’t accepted in household bins. However, there are over 60 local collection points for the safe disposal of batteries.
Choose alternatives to single-use plastics
Choose reusable alternatives to single-use items such as water bottles, shopping bags and food containers to reduce waste.
Support local sustainable businesses
Look for local businesses that prioritise sustainability by offering products made from recycled materials or following eco-friendly production practices.
Some examples of sustainable businesses in Canberra include:
Thor’s Hammer
Soft Landing
repair businesses
local charity shops.
Get things repaired
Instead of automatically replacing broken or damaged items, consider repairing them.
Explore local repair cafes, workshops, or DIY repair tutorials to extend the lifespan of products and minimise waste.
A great place to start is the Tuggeranong Repair Café or the Hawker Community Repair Café.
The handy team of volunteers can help fix a range of items including household electrical items, clothing, laptops, tablets and mobile phones and more.
Get involved in local community initiatives focused on waste reduction and circular economy practices. These might include:
neighbourhood clean-up events
clothing swaps
community gardens
composting and food waste reduction.
By working together, Canberrans can create positive change on a larger scale.
Live in an apartment building? Consider working with a local collection and composting service.
Do your research
Make informed choices about what to buy and where to buy it. Prioritise products that are:
durable
energy-efficient
made from recycled or renewable materials.
Shop second-hand
Buying your items second-hand helps reduce waste to landfill and is typically more affordable.
Ways to buy second-hand goods include:
local charity shops
vintage stores or boutiques
markets, such as the Old Bus Depot Markets
Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace.
Make your own
Your Libraries ACT card comes with access to Creativebug, an online platform with art and craft video classes. There are classes on making and repairing clothes, knitting, and crocheting. There are also courses on how to make home décor or craft projects that make brilliant gifts for friends and family.
Keep an eye on the Tuggeranong Repair Café and Hawker Community Repair Café who sometimes offer repair workshops where you can learn skills from local volunteers.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Yarralumla Nursery’s staff carefully monitor the conditions of the seed bank.
When bushfire swept through Yarramundi Reach in 2003, it took with it Roman Cypress trees first planted in 1916.
While that exact type of Cyprus could well have disappeared from the ACT, Yarralumla Nursery’s seed bank came to the rescue.
“Yarralumla Nursery’s seed bank is a wonderful resource that has been used to create Canberra’s urban forest,” the nursery’s Senior Director Matt Parker said.
“We were able to propagate the same genetic Cyprus from our seed bank.”
The seed bank is a living record of every seed collected, purchased and stored at the Yarralumla Nursery since 1913.
The latest to be added are the seeds of the Bunya Pine tree.
Native to Queensland, these large conifers hold sacred values for First Nations peoples and come from a plant family dating back to the Jurassic period.
Bunya Pines can be found throughout Canberra – from the National Arboretum to Lanyon Homestead.
The seed bank is a valuable historical asset for the nursery and the role it has played in establishing Canberra’s green spaces.
It now contains over 200 genus of seeds, with relevant information painstakingly recorded.
Seeds are stored in alphabetical order, in old glass ‘lolly’ jars of all shapes and sizes.
They are hand-labelled with the species weight and seed registration number and consistently maintained at 20–22°C.
“If seeds are dried and stored correctly, there are minimal issues,” Yarralumla Nursery Production Operations Manager Belinda Ryan said.
“Our propagation staff specialise in monitoring the conditions of the seed bank and storing the seeds. For example, jars need to be at least two-thirds full of seed to maintain temperature and reduce air moisture and you can’t put seed into warm jars as this may break seed dormancy, meaning they could start to grow.”
Around 15,000 plant cards – which staff refer to as birth certificates – feature seed information dating back to 1913.
While these were once housed in wooden draws at the nursery they have since been digitised and are available on the Archives ACT website.
“Some Eucalyptus species from the ’60s are still viable and germinating,” Belinda said.
“The seed bank at Yarralumla Nursery is an amazing space full of nostalgia; I like searching through and finding the oldest seeds,” Matt said.
And now the newest are safely stored under B for Bunya Pine.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The city’s diverse, accessible visitor experience is growing Canberra’s reputation as a go-to holiday destination.
Figures released by Tourism Research Australia show that 2023 was a record-breaking year for Canberra tourism.
During 2023 the ACT welcomed 5.8 million visitors who spent $3.8 billion in Canberra. This is the highest ever visitor expenditure in a 12-month period over the past 25 years. It surpassed 2022’s expenditure by $770 million.
Total visitor numbers have recovered to 95 per cent from pre-COVID levels. Expenditure has also surpassed pre-COVID levels, at 135 per cent compared to 2019.
Last year the ACT welcomed 5.63 million domestic visitors who spent a total of $3.33 billion. In the last 25 years, this is:
the highest ever number of visitor nights
the highest ever expenditure
the third highest number of domestic visitors.
Across all states and territories, the ACT experienced the biggest growth in domestic overnight visitation, and second highest expenditure growth, when compared to 2022. NSW remains the main source of domestic visitors to the ACT, accounting for two thirds of overnight visitors, and three quarters of day trip visitors.
International markets continue to rebound strongly with the USA, UK, China and India delivering 40 per cent of international visitors.
The city’s diverse, accessible visitor experience, led by its major attractions and events, are growing Canberra’s reputation as a go-to holiday destination. Major exhibitions at national attractions have been significant drawcards and new investment in a range of tourism products is providing more reasons to visit and return.
The ACT’s expanding aviation connectivity is making it cheaper and easier for visitors to get to Canberra. Canberra Airport connects to 12 domestic destinations, three North American hubs with Fiji Airways, and a host of destinations through Asia with Batik Airways.
Canberra’s Tourism industry is thriving on a national stage, receiving a record seven awards at the 2023 Qantas Australian National Awards including three gold awards.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.
You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Canberra students benefit from learning protective behaviours to use online.
From TikTok to Discord and beyond, Canberra kids are logging into a whole lot of online platforms.
But how much do teachers and parents know about them?
ACT school leaders gathered recently to discuss the topic at an online safety education leadership summit.
Principals and deputy principals from across Canberra engaged with a panel of experts on keeping students safe online.
Working together on online safety
Kellie Britnell from the eSafety Commissioner says there has been a recent increase in reporting online safety incidents such as cyberbullying and sexual extortion.
“Cyberbullying has now been around for quite a while … but you couple that with some of the new technologies like we’re seeing with artificial intelligence and it’s all new, it’s not regulated and it’s not just in Australia,” Kellie said.
Kellie recommends a whole-of-school and whole-of-community approach to education, with consistent messaging.
“We have to be working with children and young people, staff and teachers, but also with families. We need to keep talking,” she said.
A principal’s perspective
Ainslie Primary School Principal Wendy Cave says schools must work with students to help them draw on protective behaviours, skills and strategies.
Educators – many of whom may not have grown up with such technology – need to be on the front foot.
“There’s such a lot that’s hidden in the online world and it’s important for us all to explore it, unpack it and work together to understand the risks and challenges and opportunities,” Wendy said.
Kellie Britnell, Manager, Awareness and Capability, eSafety Commissioner (left) and Wendy Cave, Principal of Ainslie Primary
It provides tips on helping children safely navigate the digital world and educating them to avoid harmful online experiences.
Core to this are three key strategies:
1. Be engaged, open and supportive
Share online time as part of family life. Play games together. Talk about favourite apps, games or websites.
Keep communication open.
Reassure your child they can always come to you.
Let them know you will not cut off internet access if they report feeling uncomfortable or unsafe when online – this is a real concern that may stop your child from communicating with you openly.
If you notice a change in behaviour or mood, talk to your child about it. If you are concerned, consider seeking professional help – from your GP, a psychologist or school counsellor.
2. Set some rules
Set age-appropriate rules for devices and online access, with consequences for breaking them.