Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
We asked Canberrans on the We Are CBR Instagram page to tell us their favourite place to grab a bite to eat in the city centre. Here are the top restaurants and cafes in Canberra’s CBD, as voted by you!
Dishing the deets on #1
It’s no secret that Canberrans love chicken and chips. The restaurant with the most votes is Fricken Chicken on Lonsdale Street.
An Italian love affair
From bottomless pasta to hand-stretched pizza, it’s clear that Canberrans love Italian food. Some local favourites include:
Whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect flat white, a cheesy toastie or some smashed avo on toast – these cafés are the perfect place to grab a quick pick-me-up:
Good vibes, great food
Looking for somewhere to grab dinner and a drink after work? These top spots are your venues of choice:
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
An artist’s impression of the Acton Waterfront park
The future public park at the Acton Waterfront will be known as Ngamawari (pronounced ‘nar-mar-wa-ree).
The name was gifted by local Ngunnawal representatives at a special ceremony today, which also saw the National Capital Authority (NCA) announce works approval for the new park.
Ngamawari – which means ‘cave place’ in Ngunnawal language – recognises the cultural significance of the limestone caves flooded during the creation of Lake Burley Griffin.
The name signifies these landmarks and the important role they played for shelter and art along the Molonglo River.
“Ngamawari reflects the truth telling story of this place – a place of significance to Ngunnawal people” Ngunnawal Elder Dr Caroline Hughes AM said.
“There is so much Ngunnawal history in this place that has not been told such as the limestone caves that have been hidden by Lake Burley Griffin at a time when Ngunnawal were excluded from the conversation and development of Canberra.
“Ngamawari celebrates and educates all about Ngunnawal Country, history and language,” she said.
City Renewal Authority CEO Malcolm Snow said the idea to recognise Ngunnawal culture has been a popular theme in public consultations on the Acton Waterfront project.
“We have been working closely with the Ngunnawal community representatives and artists on how the park’s design can celebrate and embed Ngunnawal culture and history,” Mr Snow said.
“It is now a great honour to accept this Ngunnawal-language name, which will help forge the identify for what will become a major Canberra destination featuring an adventure playground, cafes, native gardens and events lawns.
“Thank you to the Ngunnawal community for giving this name to the Acton Waterfront – it is precious gift that will leave its mark on future generations of visitors to the park.”
The City Renewal Authority wishes to thank the United Ngunnawal Elders Council, Dhawura Ngunnawal Caring for Country Committee and the Winanggaay Ngunnawal Language Aboriginal Corporation for sharing this name, as well as their insights and knowledge of the area.
The official naming comes as the NCA has provided works approval for the development of the public park following their recent public consultation.
A tender process is currently underway for the delivery of early works in 2024. It is expected the temporary park will open to the public in 2025-26, followed by the permanent park in 2028.
Please note: The new park name will officially come into effect once publicly notified on the ACT Legislation Register in early 2024.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
It’s important to take extra care when swimming in inland waterways.
In brief:
Whether you’re swimming a pool or in a waterway, it’s important to keep safe.
This story shares safety advice for swimming in backyard and public pools and inland waterways.
There’s nothing like a swim to cool off in the hot weather.
Don’t have a backyard pool? Canberra’s public pools are all open for summer. Plan a visit to:
Dickson Aquatic Centre
Manuka Pool
Canberra Olympic Pool
Gungahlin Leisure Centre
Stromlo Leisure Centre
Lakeside Leisure Centre.
Canberra also has inland waterways where you can swim.
Wherever you go, these simple guidelines will help you keep safe in and around the water this summer.
Go prepared
The ACT has several inland waterways, including Kambah Pool and Cotter Bend.
Remember to take extra care when swimming in inland waterways. Hazards are always present and can catch you by surprise.
It doesn’t matter how confident you are in and around the water. You can prepare by following safety advice:
Avoid going alone.
Tell a responsible person where you are going. Let them know when you plan to return, and what to do if you are late.
Always closely supervise children who are in or near the water.
Know your limits – consider your swimming ability and endurance before visiting waterways. If unsure, stay away from the water’s edge.
Always wear a life jacket when boating and fishing.
Understand the dangers. Water depth in rivers can change suddenly and there may be rocks and logs hidden below the surface. Surfaces can be slippery, and currents may be stronger than they appear.
Be careful when getting into the water and avoid diving.
Check the weather conditions and be prepared for changes regardless of the forecast.
Do not enter the water if signs advise of hazards and never enter the water in times of flood.
Do not consume alcohol if you are planning on entering waterways or need to supervise children in or near the water.
Be prepared for an emergency. Take a first aid kit and ensure people in your group are trained to use it.
Carry multiple means of communication, including waterproof options if you are boating or fishing. Check whether your phone has range before entering the water.
Locate and keep a look out for emergency phones near waterways in case you do not have good reception.
Visit the City Services website to check current advice on conditions in Canberra’s lakes, ponds and rivers.
Be a backyard lifeguard
Whether it’s your own pool or you’re visiting someone else’s, be a backyard lifeguard. Follow these steps to keep everyone safe this summer.
Check that your pool fences, gates and other barriers are secure
Keep pool barriers clear of objects and plants that kids can use to climb into pool areas
Ensure the pool gate is always shut
Actively supervise children in and around the pool
Know how to perform CPR
Teach kids to swim and be safe around pools
Pool toys and floatation aids are for fun, not safety. Stay close and supervise children
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The system will better fit a growing and sustainable Canberra.
The ACT’s new planning system is now in effect.
This milestone comes after extensive research and work with the community and industry to create the new framework for the city.
The ACT Government has also released an update to the City Plan and a new City Centre Urban Design Guide, which will guide development and design in the City Centre.
The new, modern planning system will better fit a growing and sustainable Canberra.
It will support delivery of the 100,000 dwellings required to meet population and demand by 2050.
The new planning system will allow the Government to plan for this growth in a measured and sustainable way.
It will mean Canberrans have the services and infrastructure they need now and into the future
The Government has also released an update of the 2014 City Plan today which provides a clear vision and framework for future development in the City Centre as a place for all Canberrans.
The City Plan is supported by a new City Centre Urban Design Guide that works alongside the previously announced Housing and Urban Design Guides to improve development outcomes and guide the design and assessment of developments in the City Centre.
Training programs on the new planning – for both community and industry – have been occurring since September.
Development applications under the previous system will continue to be assessed.
More information about the Planning System and the City Plan is available on the ACT Government’s new Planning website.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Owners corporations can now register for assistance to install rooftop solar in eligible apartment complexes in the ACT.
Owners corporations in the ACT can now register for the Solar for Apartments Program.
The program provides owners corporations up to $100,000 in grant funds and access to a zero-interest loan, to install rooftop solar in eligible apartment complexes in the ACT.
Eligible owners corporations need to apply to the Solar for Apartments program to get funding.
Half the funds are in the form of a grant and half is funded by a zero-interest loan that the owners corporation will need to pay back.
The program aims to allow more Canberrans to enjoy cheaper, cleaner energy from solar and further support the ACT’s transition to a low-emissions future.
The program is co-funded up to $3.6 million under the Solar Banks Initiative of the Australian Government and the ACT Government’s Sustainable Household Scheme.
The benefits of these solar installations will flow to the residents. Many residents in multi-unit developments are renters.
This announcement comes as the Sustainable Household Scheme reaches a significant milestone of 20,000 applications.
This amounts to more than 1 in 10 Canberra households accessing the scheme to address cost of living pressures while reducing their carbon footprint.
It is anticipated over 2,100 households will benefit from the Solar for Apartments Program, which could provide a 35 per cent reduction in electricity bills for Canberrans living in apartments.
This program supports the ACT Government’s commitment to being a global leader in climate action and allows apartment households to share in the benefits of solar.
Brighte is the exclusive finance and administration provider of the ACT Government’s Sustainable Household Scheme.
“Brighte is proud to continue supporting the ACT Government’s nation leading programs by extending finance to apartments, making sustainability more inclusive, affordable and accessible to everyone,” Brighte founder and CEO Katherine McConnell said.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Richard Watkins, Co-owner and Head Brewer at BentSpoke Brewing
The ACT Government is working with Canberra’s local brewers to deliver a new pilot project to train Canberra’s next beer brewers.
‘Brewed to Succeed’ is proposed to be a state-of-the-art training program to meet the diverse requirements of Canberra’s local brewing industry.
Bentspoke Brewing approached the ACT Government and CIT in 2022 about the need for skilled workers in artisan fermented products in the beer and wine industries.
The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is now partnering with BentSpoke to deliver a new workplace program to strengthen local brewing businesses and train more employees in the specific skills sets they need to have a great career.
The pilot will test the potential delivery of a full-time course through CIT, incorporating food production, distilling, wine making and brewing.
“The new brewing course at CIT will empower newcomers to enter the beer industry with the necessary knowledge to hit the ground running, while simultaneously enhancing the skills of employed brewers, thereby strengthening and supporting the local brewing industry,” Richard Watkins, Co-owner and Head Brewer at BentSpoke Brewing, said.
In the ACT, 0.7 per cent of the labour force is in the brewing industry – more than double the 0.3 per cent proportion in Victoria and Western Australia.
The initial program will provide teacher training for an existing expert brewer who will then deliver the course to around 12 students employed in the industry.
The training model could serve as a basis for future programs in other emerging industries facing skills shortages where accredited training isn’t currently available.
Support for more brewing skills is part of the ACT Government’s Skilled to Succeed agenda, and forms part of the Skills Industry Action Plan for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector, which will be released in the coming months.
The program is being delivered by CIT in collaboration with local brewers, following a successful grant of nearly $80,000 through the Skilled to Succeed Innovation Grants Program.
The first students are expected to undertake training from April 2024.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Infrastructure Plan will support all Canberrans to access inclusive, high-quality education close to where they live.
The Education update of the ACT Government’s Infrastructure Plan was released today.
Key elements include:
a new college in Gungahlin
the modernisation and expansion of both Majura Primary School and Garran Primary School
a new CIT campus in Woden
planning for more schools in the Molonglo Valley.
The Infrastructure Plan update outlines projects with a total value of more than $1 billion, to build and renew public education and training facilities to meet the needs of a growing Canberra.
It is the biggest investment in education infrastructure in ACT Government history.
As the Territory continues to grow, the ACT Government is building new public schools and upgrading education facilities across Canberra.
This will support all Canberrans to access inclusive, high-quality education close to where they live.
In addition to new, modernised and expanded schools across Canberra, the update also makes clear the scale of work delivering maintenance and upgrades across the public-school network.
This includes works at 37 public schools as part of the Public School Infrastructure Renewal Program, roof replacements works in schools across the city, infrastructure investment to support inclusive education and planning work for future expansions of capacity in key growth areas.
Building new educational and skills facilities and upgrading existing ones will meet the needs of students, teachers and families into the future.
The new CIT Campus in Woden will see new educational and community facilities built in a central, well-connected area, complemented by a new light rail enabled public transport interchange.
This project also includes the relocation of the Yurauna Centre from the city to CIT Bruce campus.
The new centre will offer courses in literacy, numeracy, communication and vocational training in a culturally sensitive environment, tailored to the need of First Nations people in the region.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
A proud Ngemba woman, Emma Brown received the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award.
ACT students Emma Brown and Cyrus Wren have been recognised at the Australian Training Awards.
The national awards showcase best practice in vocational education and training (VET).
A proud Ngemba woman, Emma received the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award, while Cyrus was named runner-up Trainee of the Year.
Emma was awarded for her achievements during a 12-month Indigenous Apprenticeship Program (IAP) with CIT Solutions.
Her program combined a Diploma of Government with full-time employment as a Customer Service Officer with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Struggling with dyslexia at school and becoming a mum at 17, Emma said she never imagined pursuing further education.
“I really didn’t enjoy school growing up, it was only when I got to college and I started to get support from teachers who recognised that I need to learn in a different way. They helped me believe in myself.
“I never thought in a million years I’d want to continue study, but now I’m looking at other CIT courses I could do, including what’s available through CIT Yurauna [CIT’s dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educational Centre of Excellence],” she said.
The IAP aims to prepare First Nations learners for successful careers in the Australian public services and has had more than 1500 graduates in the past four years.
While she dedicated her award to her son, Zachary, Emma said she’d also surprised – and motivated – herself.
“I wanted to show him good work ethic and that anything’s possible if you put your mind to it. It was about creating a better future for me and my son,” she said.
Like Emma, Cyrus didn’t enjoy high school.
He soon realised he needed a different pathway, and his year coordinator suggested an Australian School-based Apprenticeship (ASbA).
“It seemed like a bit of a no-brainer,” he said.
Cyrus completed work experience at the ACT Education Directorate, which led to an ASbA studying a Certificate III in Business.
“And from that point in time everything started to change for me,” he said.
He accepted a full-time traineeship with the Directorate’s Career and Vocational Pathways team.
He now works as a Career and Transitions Project Support Officer and is studying a Diploma of Project Management.
As part of his role, he has presented to over 1500 students on opportunities in vocational education and training (VET).
“I have a powerful, impactful story I would like to share with people all across the country to help them understand how VET can change their life,” Cyrus said.
The awards were held in Hobart on 17 November 2023.
Cyrus found the ASbA pathway life-changing.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The National Multicultural Festival will now represent Canberra at the National Tourism Awards.
The National Multicultural Festival won the Major Festivals and Events category at the Canberra Region Tourism Awards during a ceremony on 24 November.
The hosts of the 2023 festival were congratulated for attracting a record-breaking crowd of 380,000 people in February.
The National Multicultural Festival will now represent Canberra at the National Tourism Awards in Darwin early next year.
The Multicultural Festival unites 170 cultures and celebrated its 25th anniversary this year.
The award affirms Canberra’s position as a proudly welcoming and inclusive city, and its success is an example of ACT Government and community working together.
The Canberra Region Tourism award recognised the National Multicultural Festival for creating economic impact, increasing visitor numbers to the ACT and community participation in delivering the festival.
It’s not the first award for the festival this year, with a previous win in the Best Community Event category at the Australian Event Awards in September.
This award recognised the benefits of an event in building communities and community engagement.
Planning is well underway for the next National Multicultural Festival that will be held from Friday 16 February to Sunday 18 February 2024.
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The Albanese Government is supporting regional Victorian councils with critical road upgrades through the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP).
$13.7 million will help fund five new projects which will mean safer and more resilient roads for communities across the state.
The Swan Hill Council will receive almost $5 million for the Karinie Street Reconstruction Project. This project will include drainage improvements, kerb and channel replacement, an all-abilities shared-path, road line-marking and improved lighting.
In Leongatha South, the South Gippsland Shire Council will receive $2.4 million to relocate the Simons Lane intersection with the Bass Highway to a safer new location. The relocated intersection will incorporate dedicated turn lanes, road pavement improvements and lighting.
Other projects receiving funding include:
$878,080 for Yarriambiack Shire Council to widen the Banyena Pimpinio Road in Murtoa.
$5 million for Greater Shepparton City Council to upgrade the Goulburn Valley Highway (Numurkah Road) and Hawkins Street intersection in Shepparton.
$490,000 for Yarriambiack Shire Council to widen Glenorchy Road in Rupanyup.
Through the upcoming Budget the Albanese Government is also providing additional funding to ensure the delivery of two important projects on the Princes Highway:
an additional $2.6 million to support the delivery of the Princes Highway East – Lakes Entrance East – Princes Highway Safety Upgrades project.
an additional $2 million to support the delivery of the Princes Highway Intersection Upgrades – Pakenham to Beaconsfield.
This new funding adds to the Australian Government’s existing $316.3 million investment in Victoria’s Princes Highway, which is a key route that connects people and freight throughout Victoria’s regions.
The SLRIP was created by the Albanese Labor Government to ease the administrative burden on local councils as well as state and territory governments.
With $200 million available each year, the Program is part of the Australian Government’s commitment to strengthen investment and support the delivery of safer and more productive roads across Australia.
For more information about the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, visit: Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program
Quotes attributable to Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:
“We know that that local governments in the regions often require more funding to manage rising costs and increased pressure on transport infrastructure due to climate change and extreme weather events.
“The Albanese Government is committed to delivering the funding local councils need to improve road safety, allowing more money to be spent on projects and less on administration.
“We’ve increased funding under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, as well as the Roads to Recovery Program and the Black Spot Funding Program to strengthen investment in safer and more productive local roads.
“Whether it’s local roads or major freight and passenger routes like the Princes Highway, we are investing in regional Victoria’s roads right across the state.”