Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Here is a list of fun experiences in Canberra for you and your toddler.
When it comes to keeping toddlers busy, not just any activity will do.
They have moved beyond entertainment for babies but aren’t quite ready for school-aged fun.
Luckily, Canberra has plenty of facilities and activities for kids of all ages, including toddlers.
Here are some toddler-friendly activities loved by Canberra families:
The Discovery Centre at the National Museum of Australia
The Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre is a play space for children from birth to 6 years. It is jam-packed with different activities, including:
a quiet reading area with books
a wheelchair-accessible rocking deck
platforms, ropes, ramps and stairs to climb
light projections
and plenty more.
There are also activity sessions during the school term, including:
pyramid making sessions on Wednesdays
story time on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Little Griffins Play & Learn
Join a free event for babies and toddlers aged 0 to 4 on the last Friday of every month at the National Capital Exhibition. Each month has a different theme and includes activities like arts and craft and music.
When you’re finished, pop next door to the Canberra and Region Visitor Information Centre at Regatta Point. There is colouring in and some fun activities from Questacon. There is also a playground next door to the Centre.
Curious Corner at the National Gallery of Australia
On the first Thursday of the month, the National Gallery of Australia hosts a program designed for children aged 3-5 and their caregivers.
The sessions encourage curiosity and creativity. They build on ideas from the Gallery through creative making in the Tim Fairfax Learning studio.
The event is free, and bookings are essential.
Little Faces at the National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery hosts a range of family-friendly activities. Little Faces is a way for babies and toddlers to explore portraits through play, music and fun.
Bookings are essential.
PlayUP at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
PlayUP is a playful way for young families to explore the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The exhibition includes play spaces, roleplay, craft activities, story time, and more.
PlayUP is open from 9am to 4:30pm daily.
National Arboretum Canberra
The National Arboretum Canberra’s outdoor educators host weekly nature-based playgroups for children aged between 18 months and 5 years.Sessions run from 10am to 2pm on Mondays and Fridays during the school term.
The Playgroup is designed for children to build physical and emotional confidence and unleash their creativity. It also helps them to become environmentally conscious individuals.
Playgrounds
Regardless of what side of Canberra you live in, you’re never far from an excellent playground.
Some popular Canberra playgrounds include:
Ruth Park Playground in Coombs
Farrer Nature Play & Adventure Trail
Boundless Canberra
Pod Playground at the National Arboretum Canberra
Point Hut Pond Gordon District Playground
Moncrieff Community Recreation Park.
Yarralumla Play Station
The Yarralumla Play Station in Weston Park includes:
the Weston Park Miniature Railway
Lake Walter Mini Golf
Mini Farm Friends.
Catch the mini train for a farm visit for an exciting day out. Afterwards, grab a babycino and some lunch from the Station Stop Café. There’s also a playground across the road.
National Dinosaur Museum
Dinosaurs are a source of fascination for toddlers. The National Dinosaur Museum is a fun, interactive way to learn about the earth’s ancient history. Explore the indoor exhibitions and then venture outside to the landscaped dinosaur garden.
Giggle & Wiggle
Giggle and Wiggle is a free program held at Libraries ACT for babies and toddlers up to two and their carers.
The program focuses on language development. Sessions include singing, dancing and sharing rhymes.
Families are encouraged to spend time in the library afterwards to build connections and make friends.
Questacon
Questacon is always a hit with kids, but Mini Q is built specifically for curious toddlers.
There are a range of activities and spaces for children aged up to 6. Each area is designed to help children learn about the world around them.
There is a play café, vet office and mechanic. You’ll also find water play, a space-themed area, and much more.
Mini Q is included with general admission. There may be session times in place during peak periods like school holidays and long weekends.
The Australian National Botanic Gardens
The Botanic Gardens are the perfect place for toddlers to spend some time outdoors. There’s plenty of space to run, wander and explore.
Head to the Visitors Centre to get a guide and map. The staff can also tell you about the family-friendly activities available at the Gardens.
The ‘Who Lives Here?’ children’s discovery walk takes 30 minutes and is designed for children up to 8. It’s fun and teaches children about their environment.
There is also Bush magic: storytime in the Gardens on the first Friday of the month from 10am-11am.
Canberra Zoo and Aquarium
A visit to Canberra Zoo and Aquarium is about so much more than just seeing animals and sea creatures.
There are 2.6km of walking trails, complete with an Adventure Trail with interactive activities for kids.
When it comes to playing, AdventureLand is the star of the show. It’s the Zoo’s playground space for children aged 2-12.
There are 55 activities available for children, including:
cubby houses
a tree house
animal sculptures and structures.
There’s even a toddler-specific area that’s close to the toilet block and baby change room.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The park’s impressive eagle centrepiece was designed by Ngunnawal artist Lynnice Church.
In brief:
A new park on Aspinall Street, Watson is now open.
It provides families a vibrant new space to play and learn more about Ngunnawal culture.
It is part of the Section 76 Watson site, which will include new housing.
The new Maliyan Park in north Watson is now open.
It is located on Aspinall Street, near the Negus Crescent intersection.
This new neighbourhood park celebrates Ngunnawal culture through:
vibrant artwork
new trees and plantings
diverse play equipment.
It was designed with the aim of sharing Ngunnawal culture while enjoying time outdoors.
The park’s centrepiece is a Maliyan (wedge-tailed eagle) structure. This was designed by Ngunnawal artist Lynnice Church.
The impressive structure signifies the Maliyan’s importance to the traditional custodians. It is believed she was chosen to create resources for Ngunnawal people.
Other artworks include native animals and insects designed by Ngunnawal artists Jazz and Krystal Matthews from Wilay Designs.
The park also features a selection of endemic plants with a special and practical connection to Ngunnawal community and culture.
Visitors will find play equipment for a range of ages and play styles. There is nature play, swings, slides, climbers and spinners.
Older children and adults can make use of exercise equipment and a kick-around space.
Maliyan Park is a unique space for local families to play, relax and learn more about Ngunnawal culture.
It is part of the Section 76 Watson site that will provide for:
approximately 200 new homes
a demonstration housing project of approximately 20 to 30 homes while keeping high-quality trees to continue to provide habitat for wildlife and reduce urban heat.
Section 76 was developed in consultation with the community. This includes input from the Dhawura Ngunnawal Caring for Country Committee.
There is play equipment for a range of ages and play styles.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
This is the first stage of work to regulate assisted reproductive services and improve access to information on heritage for donor-conceived people.
In brief:
New laws will better support donor-conceived Canberrans and their families.
New regulatory requirements for clinical practice are being introduced.
A new ACT donor register will help donor-conceived people access family information.
People who use and are conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART) are now better protected in the ACT.
A new piece of legislation – the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act (2024) – is in place.
It requires Canberra ART providers to continue adhering to strong clinical and ethical standards.
These will better support the health and wellbeing of donor-conceived Canberrans and their families.
Improving access
The new legislation is the first stage in the ACT Government’s work to regulate and improve access to ART services in Canberra.
It supports Canberrans who:
use ART to become parents
are donor-conceived and wish to access information about their parents’ donor, in a timely and sensitive manner.
It also introduces regulatory requirements for clinical practice by ART providers, including:
registration requirements
conditions around providing clinical services
requirements for gamete (sperm or eggs) retrieval and use
requirements for embryo creation and storage.
“The legal regulation of the ART industry is a necessary step for all those who access fertility treatment in the territory and will help assure Canberrans that the industry is operating ethically and that they will be in safe hands while accessing treatment,” National Director of Donor Conceived Australia Aimee Shackleton said.
An ACT donor register
The new law ensures donor-conceived Canberrans will be able to access information about their parents’ donor/s from their ART providers. This includes information on genetic heritage and any half-siblings they may have.
It also establishes a donor register. A register will make it an easier, more streamlined process for donor-conceived people to find such information.
Stage 1 of the donor register
The new law sets up the first stage of the register.
Through this, donor-conceived individuals who are conceived after 29 March 2025 can access details about their donor, including identifying information. Parents will also be able to access this information, where the gametes were donated after 29 March 2025.
This first stage will also include the establishment of a voluntary register. This will start in March 2025.
This will allow for existing donor-conceived people and past donors to voluntarily add their details to the register.
“We are grateful the ACT Government has legislated to create a voluntary register enabling those who wish to make connections with family, and share vitally important medical information, to now do so in a safe and appropriate manner,” Aimee said.
Stage 2 of the donor register
The second stage will include a retrospective register for all donor-conceived individuals. There, people can access information about their parents’ donor, irrespective of when they were conceived or born, if those records still exist.
This will be put in place after extensive community and stakeholder consultation.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Kai’s design has been a way of connecting with his Japanese heritage.
In brief:
Kai McKenzie changed careers from electrician to international fashion designer.
Despite early success, he is keen to take his business to the next level.
Advice from Canberra Business Advice and Support Service (CBASS) has helped him plan his next steps.
Kai McKenzie had just finished his final exam to become a qualified electrician, after four years as an apprentice. But, after being let go from his full-time electrician role late last year due to company downsizing, he decided to follow his love for fashion and create a Japanese-inspired fashion label which sold out its first public release in just five days.
Connecting with heritage through fashion
Born in Australia to a Japanese mother and Australian father, Kai said his fashion label, Minami Studios is an homage to his mother’s heritage and her maiden name.
“I don’t know if it’s a common feeling that Australians born into two different cultures experience, but I felt a void and a lack of connection to my Japanese heritage,” he said. “This has been my way of connecting with it.”
With a trip planned to Japan late last year, he started out by creating five Japanese-inspired pieces of clothing for the trip. He documented the process on his Instagram account and has now amassed 74,000 followers, both English and Japanese speaking.
“I started posting in Japanese and now 10-15 per cent of my audience is based in Japan,” he said. “I posted really consistently until something resonated,” he said.
Free CBASS business support
Although Kai has found a great way forward with Instagram and socials, he said he was totally lost when it came to running a business.
That’s when he turned to the Canberra Business Advice and Support Service (CBASS), an ACT Government-funded program that supports Canberra businesses of all sizes and stages.
The service is delivered by Anna and Candice at Lighthouse Innovation who have over 30 years of business experience. They provide advice from setting up to closing a business and everything in between.
Kai heard about CBASS from a family friend. He called that day to make an appointment and met with Anna and Candice two days later.
“It was so reassuring to meet with them,” he said. “There is so much you need to do to set-up a business, and honestly I was lost.”
“They really helped me streamline things and map out timelines for all my plans. It felt really overwhelming, but they gave me some things to focus on, which I have, and they’ve worked out really well.”
CBASS offers up to four hours of free advice to business owners, tailored to their business needs.
Looking to the future
When asked what was next, Kai said he’s working on getting some more training to improve his technical skills and launching his first full collection.
“I had my first public release of a piece just this August,” he said. “It was the Tome (pronounced Tohmeh) pant in black and Khaki. I sold out in five days, and it blew me away! I’m working on making all of those now for my customers, and progressing with the launch of my first full collection, which should be ready for release in early 2025.”
Kai said he recommends anyone thinking of starting a business head to see Candice and Anna at CBASS.
“Go and see them,” he said, “It’s been such a reassuring process.”
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The foyer will support young people to finish their studies with a secure roof over their heads.
In brief:
A new youth foyer will be built at CIT Woden.
The foyer will feature accommodation for students aged between 16 and 24 at risk of homelessness.
A service provider will run the foyer and offer culturally appropriate supports, like mentoring and cooking lessons.
A new youth foyer will be built at the CIT Woden campus to help young students at risk of homelessness.
Young people are on the frontline of the housing affordability crisis. The new foyer will provide a home close to study for those who are unable to live with family but want to finish their education.
As well as students who are already enrolled in education, those who are not but are ready to start can move into the foyer.
It will offer studio and single-parent family apartments for 20 students aged between 16 and 24.
It is due to be finished in 2025 and is the second in Canberra.
In the coming months, the ACT Government will appoint a service provider to run the foyer.
The provider will also deliver a range of culturally appropriate supports.
These are expected to include:
mentoring and coaching
life skills development such as budgeting, cooking and healthy eating
support to engage with the local community.
The foyer integrates housing, education, future employment and life skills support, all under one roof.
The 2024–25 Budget allocated funding for the foyer’s service provision.
The Federal Government has also contributed, included in the overall funding of the CIT Woden Campus project.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Receiving specialist care in a place that feels like home helps people with eating disorders apply their skills once they are ready to leave.
In brief:
Canberra’s brand-new Eating Disorders Residential Treatment Centre in Coombs is complete.
Appointments will begin the week commencing 26 August 2024.
The centre is Australia’s first publicly run 24/7 residential eating disorder centre.
The new Eating Disorders Residential Treatment Centre in Coombs is now complete.
It is Australia’s first publicly run 24/7 residential eating disorder centre. This is a brand-new service for the ACT region.
Appointments will begin the week commencing 26 August.
Residential treatments will begin in the coming weeks.
The importance of residential care
Receiving specialist care in a place that feels like home helps people apply their skills once they are ready to leave the service.
“We believe residential treatment, with 24/7 specialist eating disorder care in a home-like environment, is an essential option for successful recovery for many within the stepped system of care for eating disorders, and we’re excited to see more treatment options expanding across Australia for the more than 1.1 million Australians directly impacted each year,” Butterfly Foundation CEO Dr Jim Hungerford said.
Eating disorders can have significant impacts on the physical, psychological, and social-emotional wellbeing of all affected.
As such, the centre provides therapeutic services that include:
specialist treatment
intensive nutritional treatment
psychological treatment.
Consulting with stakeholders
The centre’s completion is an important milestone for those with, or caring for someone with, an eating disorder.
The ACT Government worked with various stakeholders to finalise its design.
These include clinicians, non-government organisations, people with lived experience of eating disorders, families, carers and the wider Canberra community.
“Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) looks forward to families and carers being active participants in the vital role of the Residential Treatment Facility and to continue providing our counselling, education and support services to the broader Canberra community,” ACT Director at EDFA David Quilty said.
National charity The Butterfly Foundation also shared insights. It runs the Wandi Nerida residential recovery centre for eating disorders in QLD.
The Australian Government has supported the establishment of the Coombs centre.
It will complement other eating disorder services in the region, including the Eating Disorders Clinical Hub and the early intervention service.
Getting help for eating disorders
If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing an eating disorder or body image concerns, contact the Butterfly Foundation National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 or find support services at Butterfly.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
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The program builds new public housing in the ACT, and this development is one of its largest.
It will include a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes. This variety makes the development suitable for a range of household types – from families through to single households.
The townhouses will be built by Supply Nation accredited builder Projex Building Group.
They will all be Class C adaptable, which means they are suitable for people with a disability and allow people to age in place.
They can also be easily modified over time, should the needs of tenant change.
Providing more homes will have a significant impact on public housing waitlists.
As of 30 June 2024, 614 homes have been built and 176 homes purchased under the Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program.
A further 482 homes are currently under construction, being designed, awaiting development application approvals or in a procurement process to secure builders.
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