Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

In Brief:

• Whether it’s school holidays or a slow weekend, there are plenty of ways to keep the kids busy.
• This story includes a list of free or affordable options for family-friendly activities in Canberra.

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Kids climbing the walls and not sure what to do with them? Or just looking for some family friendly entertainment ideas that won’t cost an arm and a leg?

Look no further than these cheap and cheerful activities. They’re sure to keep Canberra kids entertained for at least a couple of hours.

Please be sure to plan your trip by visiting the website or calling the venue beforehand to double check pricing and availability.

Visit Canberra’s museums and galleries

Canberra’s museums, galleries and national institutions have plenty on offer for families and kids of all ages.  Check out the list below and plan a day out with the family that is sure to go down in history.

• Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG) – be inspired by the artistic talents of local artists or why not check out the Outer Space: Stromlo to the Stars exhibition?
• Canberra Glassworks – sit in the public gallery and watch some incredible glass artists at work.
• Libraries – from Story Time to Giggle and Wiggle, there’s always something to do at one of the Libraries ACT branches.
• The Australian War Memorial – you’ll need to book a free ticket before you attend.
• Parliament House – learn about the flag, discover the architecture, explore the gardens and tour the building (free except for some special exhibitions).
• Drill Hall Gallery – there’s music, exhibitions, and events aplenty. Check out the website to find out what’s on.
• National Gallery of Australia – admission is free but book before you visit.
• National Portrait Gallery – got a budding young artist in the family? There’s so much to see at the Portrait Gallery to inspire their creativity.
• The Royal Australian Mint – check out where every Australian coin is made, and why not make your own while you’re there.
• National Arboretum – whether it’s the Pod Playground or kite flying, bonsais or enjoying a bite to eat, there’s plenty to explore at the National Arboretum.
• The National Library – with exhibitions and workshops, and even school holiday activities, check out their website to find out what’s on.
• The National Film and Sound Archive – explore which events and exhibitions are on.
• High Court of Australia – check out the incredible architecture (including the 40m high ceilings), the Great Hall and three courtrooms.
• Geoscience Australia – why not visit the public displays, extensive library, or take a stroll through the gardens to learn about Earth’s 4600 million year history.

Experience the great outdoors

If nature is more your calling, Canberrans are spoilt for choice when it comes to the great outdoors. Whether it’s our national parks or incredible playgrounds, there’s plenty to do for kids both big and small. The Parks ACT website is your destination to discover Canberra’s parks and reserves.

Check out the Parks ACT summer fun activity guide for more ideas.
^{Hike up to Gibraltar Peak within Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. Credit: Richard Poulton for VisitCanberra}

Go on a bush walk

You can also check out some of Canberra’s beautiful bushwalks, tracks and trails. Make sure you’re prepared by knowing your route, wearing comfortable and appropriate clothing, and packing plenty to drink and eat.

Read the Canberran’s guide to hiking this summer for more ideas and information.

Ready, set, play!

With play spaces and playgrounds aplenty, consider these suggestions for your next play date.

There are more than 500 playgrounds across the ACT. Visit one near you, or set out on an adventure to find a new favourite.

Read a list of Canberra’s favourite playgrounds.

Visit one of these 12 new or recently upgraded playgrounds.

^{Yarralumla Playstation.  Credit: Martin Ollman for VisitCanberra.}

^{Pod Playground at the National Arboretum. Credit: Tourism Australia.}

What to do when the weather isn’t playing nice

Too hot, cold, or wet?

Consider your Libraries ACT card your ticket to free online fun.

Here’s how it can keep your kids entertained at home for free.

Don’t forget to eat!

Canberra’s markets make for a lovely day out. Choose from a range of local and fresh produce, plus support our local growers and makers.

Read the ultimate Canberra markets guide.

On the lookout for places with kids’ menus? We’ve rounded up some of Canberra’s best.

Pack a picnic or enjoy a BBQ at your local park – why not take lunch to go? Fill up the picnic basket, grab a soccer ball, and head out the door for an afternoon of fun.

See the tops spots for your next picnic.

Read more like this:

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By donating her seriously ill father one of her kidneys, Erin gave him another decade of good life.

Derek had kidney failure and Type 2 diabetes and was not doing well.

“The alternative was to start dialysis or receive a donor kidney,” Erin said.

Erin opted for an invaluable gift. “I decided this was the right thing to do and began the process of going through the tissue typing and testing to become a donor.”

Like Erin, four in five Australians are supportive of organ and tissue donation, however only one in three are registered donors.

The ACT is below that national average with 27 percent of Canberrans being registered. An additional 4,982 new registrations recorded for the ACT last year.

This is something the DonateLife agency is trying to change. Canberrans are being encouraged to Donate a Minute, Donate a Lifetime this DonateLife Week (23–30 July 2023) and register to be organ and tissue donors.

“I gave my father 10 years of good living before he became unwell and had sepsis, which attacked the kidney, he then had a stroke and died a week later,” Erin said.

“For me it was important that Dad had quality of life, seeing and speaking to many patients who were on long term dialysis made the decision easy.”

In 1982, Darren’s father was diagnosed with a kidney disease that left him with only five percent of his kidneys functioning. He was 40 years old.

“To this day I still clearly remember what he went through, doing a full day’s work and then head to the old Canberra hospital and receive dialysis for three to four hours every two days,” Darren said.

In 1986, Darren’s father received a call that there was a kidney ready for him. His family’s happiness was matched by awareness of the grief the donor’s family must have been experiencing.

“By knowing that the person that had died had wished that his organs were to be donated upon his death, allowed my father and several other organ recipients a second chance at life,” Darren said.

“The average life expectancy of a kidney recipient we were told was around 10–12 years. When Dad passed away in April of 2018, he had experienced an extra 32 years of life. At that time, he was the longest surviving recipient of a kidney in Australia.”

Both Erin and Darren urge Canberrans to consider becoming organ donors.

“I have found even though organ donation may be a difficult subject to talk about, it is easier to talk to your family in a controlled environment, rather than leaving the decision with them after the event when time is critical and clear thought process is required,” Darren said.

“Please speak to family, register together, understand the many lives that can be saved and improved by giving away these precious organs,” Erin said.

DonateLife ACT coordinates all organ and tissue donor activities across the territory.

To acknowledge DonateLife Week, several iconic Canberra monuments will be lit up in magenta tones.

The Carillon, Old Parliament House, John Gorton Building, Telstra Tower, light rail stops, the Canberra Times Fountain, Malcolm Fraser Bridge, National Museum of Australia, the ANU Shine Dome and the Royal Australian Mint will all be lit up at various points throughout the week.

Anyone in Australia aged 16 and over can register on the Australian Organ Donor Register. It’s easy and only takes one minute. To register, visit donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today

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Long-time Canberra resident and ACT Magistrate Louise Taylor has been announced as the first Aboriginal Resident Judge of the ACT Supreme Court.

Having served on the ACT Magistrates Court since 2018, Magistrate Taylor has spent the past five years exhibiting her proficiency in both civil and criminal law matters, displaying a commitment to fairness, impartiality, and open-mindedness.

Her background as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of ACT Legal Aid, combined with her roles with the ACT and Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, further accentuate her expertise and knowledge of the legal system.

As a proud Kamilaroi woman, her appointment also marks a significant milestone – the first time in the Supreme Court’s history that a Aboriginal woman will hold such a prestigious position in the ACT.

Chief Justice Lucy McCallum welcomed Magistrate Taylor to the Supreme Court.

“I have no doubt that Louise’s dedication to upholding the rule of law, combined with her invaluable experience, will contribute to the continued delivery of justice in our community,” she said.

“It is pleasing to welcome her to the Supreme Court as a long-time Canberran and as the first Aboriginal Resident Judge in this jurisdiction.

“The ACT Supreme Court is committed to fostering an inclusive and representative judiciary that reflects the diversity of the community it serves, so we look forward very much to serving alongside Magistrate Taylor.”

The appointment will bring the number of Resident Supreme Court judges in the ACT to six.

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Community Sport Facilities Program

Club Enhancement Program ($10,000 maximum funding)

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Whether you’re parking for work, popping down to your local shops or picking the kids up from school, make sure you park safely and legally.

Illegal and dangerous parking is not only a safety risk, but it makes it harder for others to park.

You can be fined between $132 and $660 for illegal and dangerous parking. It’s much cheaper to park legally than risk a fine.

Parking across pedestrian crossings, on footpaths and verges, at road corners and over multiple parking spots is dangerous and inconsiderate of other road users and pedestrians.

By parking in no-parking zones, you might block another car’s exit or reduce another driver’s line of sight. This can be especially dangerous in high pedestrian areas, like shopping centres, school and sportsground carparks and town centres.

Next time you’re hustling for the perfect park, remember it’s better to park safely – even if it’s a little further away – than illegally.

While at the time it might feel a little inconvenient, every time you do the wrong thing, you risk copping a fine.

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If a visit to Access Canberra is on your to-do list, you’re in luck. Bookable appointments are now available at all Service Centres.

You can book in a visit up to two weeks in advance. Bookings can be made by visiting the Access Canberra website or by calling 13 22 81.

Bookable appointments were first introduced at the Dickson Specialised Centre in 2022.

After positive feedback from community members, the program has been introduced at the Belconnen, Gungahlin, Woden and Tuggeranong Service Centres.

By booking an appointment in advance, you can save time and streamline your visit to Access Canberra.

Once you’ve booked your appointment, you’ll receive confirmation via text and email. If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, you can use the confirmation text or email to do this.

If you prefer to visit Access Canberra on short notice whenever the mood takes you, don’t stress. You can continue to visit Service Centres at Belconnen, Gungahlin, Woden and Tuggeranong without an appointment, you may just have to join a queue.

Remember you can do most Access Canberra transactions online, including car rego renewal, paying parking fines, applying for a birth or marriage certificate and much more.

The only transactions that need to be done in person are registrations that require a photo – driver’s licence, proof of identity, or working with vulnerable people card – or for vehicle related transactions such as new or transfer of registration.

Book your visit to Access Canberra at accesscanberra.act.gov.au/

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Come here, kitty kitty … Here, Barry Ratslayer Prince of Darkness.

From Ginger Sparkle Warrior to Albus Dumblepaw, Canberrans are creative when it comes to naming their feline friends.

Throughout the first year of mandatory cat registration in the ACT, over 15,000 cats were registered – with some quite unusual names recorded.

These include Bootstrap Bill, KitKat, Chicken, Dwight, Sméagol, Fluffy Owen, Whispurr, Storm Thunderpaws, Zippy Kitty and Mr Fluffypants.

Some names proved a bit more of a mouthful.

Lord Steven Charles Edgeworth, Field Marshal of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, Defender of The Faith and Wearer of Little Blue Hats, was the longest name registered.

Coming in at second place was Queen Luna Beth Kitty Cat, True Leader of the Cat Realm.

All cats aged over eight weeks must be registered in the ACT.

Registration for cats born before 1 July 2022 is no longer free. If it’s your first time registering, you will need to pay a one-off fee.

After this, you will need to update your details annually. There is no charge for this.

Annual registration ensures ACT City Services have up-to-date contact details for pet owners, allowing them to reunite cats with their families quickly if they are lost or somewhere they shouldn’t be.

Your cat’s creative name bringing a smile to a City Services staff member – that’s just a bonus.

Find more information at cityservices.act.gov.au/pets-and-wildlife/domestic-animals/cats/cat-registration

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Canberra United will receive a funding boost as they prepare for the launch of the 2023-24 A-League Women’s season.

An additional $125,000 per year will be provided to Capital Football, increasing the performance partnership fee to $250,000 per year for the remaining two years of the current agreement.

The funding boost comes following recent changes to the A-League Women competition, including the addition of new teams, more home and away matches and increases to minimum competition standards.

The ACT Government has a well-established partnership with Canberra United and is proud to increase its contribution to the sport.

In another boost for football in Canberra, the Estate Development Plan Development Application (DA) for Throsby Home of Football has been approved.

The Throsby Home of Football facility will include multiple outdoor football fields, indoor futsal courts, office space for Capital Football staff and associated amenities.

It has been designed to support a range of community and high-performance programs for Capital Football and its affiliated clubs and provide valuable open space for the community to enjoy.

More information on the project can be found on the YourSay website: yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/throsby-football

^{A concept render of Throsby Home of Football.}

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The ACT Government is investing in a range of projects to improve water quality, particularly in Lake Tuggeranong.

Through making drain and stormwater infrastructure more natural by removing concrete and introducing plant life, the government aims to tackle the issue of blue-green algae in the ACT’s lakes.

This approach not only achieves better water quality, it also makes the urban environment a more attractive and natural space.

Several projects will start soon to naturalise water in Tuggeranong, including:

• removing 500 metres of the Tuggeranong Creek stormwater drain and replacing it with natural elements
• modifying 54 street kerbs across east and west Kambah to direct stormwater flows across existing green spaces
• planning stormwater recycling infrastructure at Kambah Playing Fields.

Specially designed water plants will be planted in these areas to trap sediments and absorb nutrients from garden clippings and fertilisers otherwise destined for our waterways, without compromising the area’s stormwater capacity.

These projects come alongside the ACT Government’s recent $8.2 million investment in the Healthy Waterways Program through the 2023-24 ACT Budget.

Visit the Environment website to find out more about the projects.

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Canberrans are driving down transport emissions and making the most of government incentives by choosing electric vehicles.

The ACT is leading the nation on Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) uptake, with 5,000 now registered in the ACT. Around 20 per cent of new cars are electric vehicles (EVs) and ZEVs make up more than 1 per cent of all vehicles registered in the ACT.

While the upfront cost of an EV may be higher, the total cost of ownership over a five-year period may be similar or even more affordable than its petrol or diesel counterpart.

New EV cost comparison tool

A new online tool is helping Canberrans compare the total cost of ownership of different models of electric versus petrol or diesel vehicles.

The free tool is simple to use and can provide cost comparisons. Features of the tool include:

• users can input various features for vehicles, such as vehicles by make/model, body type (hatchback, sedan etc), fuel type (petrol, diesel, battery electric etc), average KMs travelled per year, annual fuel costs etc
• users can input the features for vehicles arriving on the market soon and find out the total cost of ownership
• financial calculators reflect taxes and incentives unique to the ACT (registration waivers and stamp duty exemptions on electric vehicles).

As a growing industry, Canberra households and businesses can also access a range of financial incentives that are not available for petrol and diesel alternatives.

When purchasing your next car, consider making your next choice electric.

Try the new tool at energy.act.gov.au/owning-a-zero-emissions-vehicle/  

To find out more about the zero emissions vehicles in the ACT and what incentives are available, visit climatechoices.act.gov.au

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