It’s been a big year for news across the ACT with transport, education and business never far from the headlines. Take a walk back through 2024 and have a look at 10 of our most popular news stories.
10. You can’t pork there, mate: Dead boar found dumped at Coombs bus stop
by James Coleman
Wild boar dumped in Coombs bus shelter. Photo: Adam Stipancic.
Some say he died of boar-dom while waiting for the bus. But it seems coming across dead pigs is not exactly a rare occurrence in the Molonglo Valley.
A dead boar, more than a metre in length, was spotted dumped in a bus shelter in Coombs in the Molonglo Valley on 17 August.
Adam Stipancic posted a photo of the spectacle to the ‘Our Molonglo Valley’ group on Facebook.
9. WATCH: Security camera catches ‘big bang’ in Kaleen over the weekend
by James Coleman
The truly big bang was captured from this security camera in Kaleen on the night of Saturday, 3 August. Photo: Sophie Meadow.
“What was that big bang?”
ACT social media pages came alive with the all-too-common question one Saturday night, around 11 pm – but this time it was captured on a security camera.
8. Transport Canberra apologises for disastrous first day of MyWay+ system
by James Coleman
Transport Canberra deputy director-general Ben McHugh had his team working around the clock to resolve the issues. Photo: James Coleman.
Transport Canberra has apologised for the disastrous launch of the new MyWay+ ticketing system and committed to ironing out the bugs.
A six-week trial period (during which travel on public transport was free) came to an end on 27 November, when commuters and school kids began tapping onto buses and light rail with either new MyWay+ cards, Mastercard or Visa bank cards, or a QR code on the MyWay+ app on their smartphone.
Except it wasn’t that smooth for everyone.
7. ‘Something to do with my appearance’ – man arrested for trespassing at his own home
by Chris Johnson
Tuck standing by the pool where his neighbour and the police didn’t believe he belonged. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
A Narrabundah man resting by the pool complex of the building he lives in appears to have been racially profiled, not just by a neighbour but also by police who allegedly arrested and handcuffed him before locking him in a paddy wagon because they didn’t believe he lived where he said.
The Australian citizen is originally from Zimbabwe and has lived in Canberra for five years, having previously lived in Australia for 12 years before moving to Scotland to gain his MBA from the University of Edinburgh.
6. First wild koala sighting in years could put the brakes on new Gungahlin suburb
by James Coleman
The koala was spotted in grassy woodland in Jacka, Gungahlin. Photo: NatureMapr.
A koala has been spotted in the wild in the ACT for the first time in four years, possibly throwing a spanner in the works for development of Canberra’s northernmost suburb.
A member of the public spotted the furry marsupial in a grassy box-gum woodland in Jacka in Gungahlin and posted the photo to online citizen science platform NatureMapr.
The exact location has been suppressed for the animal’s protection, but it’s within an area slated for a major housing project.
5. More than 2500 fines handed out in first few weeks from mobile phone detection cameras
by Claire Fenwicke
Adjudicators manually check each instance of illegal mobile phone use while driving detected by the cameras. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
Potentially $1.3 million (at least) was made in the first few weeks of fines being issued from the photos taken by the ACT’s mobile phone detection cameras.
Between 20 February (when the fines period began) and 6 March, 1.16 million vehicles were checked by both fixed and transportable cameras.
This resulted in 2576 infringements being issued, which are worth $514 (and three demerit points) if you’re caught holding your phone for a call, or $632 (and four demerit points) for using the phone to send a text message, access the internet or check social media.
4. A calm classroom is a learning classroom: How Catholic schools are turning the behaviour tide
by Ian Bushnell
Lining up ready for learning: a class at St Patrick’s Parish School in Cooma. Photo: Frances Robertson.
A quiet revolution is taking place across 10 Catholic schools in the Canberra and Goulburn Diocese.
The schools — including the ACT’s St Clare’s College, Merici College and St Thomas the Apostle School in Kambah — are piloting a program this year that sounds old-fashioned but is backed by the latest research into how children’s brains work.
The Classroom Mastery program developed by leading classroom management expert Dr Tim McDonald aims to provide a calm, safe and predictable classroom environment that enhances learning and makes the most of the time available.
3. ACT Government signs off on new type of numberplate
by James Coleman
The Road Transport Authority (RTA) determines the dimensions, layout and other characteristics of Canberra’s numberplates. Photo: James Coleman.
Access Canberra will start selling a new type of numberplate next year after a petition for it gathered more than 500 signatures.
Rob Taylor launched a petition for Japanese-style numberplates at Canberra 7’s Day, a tribute event to the iconic rotary-powered Mazda RX-7 sports coupe, held on 9 July by local owners group MazdACT.
He owns a yellow 2002 model, in ‘Bathurst R’ spec – one of only 500 released to the Japanese domestic market in 2002 to commemorate the 12-hour race of the same name in Australia, where the RX-7 won three years in a row from 1992.
2. Employees at a loss after Canberra bakery announces closure
by James Coleman
Paul Cochrane has worked at the Goodman Fielder Canberra bakery for 17 years. Photo: James Coleman.
At the age of 55, Paul Cochrane was preparing to head back into the classroom and retrain for a different job.
He’s among 47 Canberrans who were left at a loss after national food giant Goodman Fielder suddenly announced it would be shutting its local bread factory, Buttercups Bakeries in Fyshwick, and moving production to western Sydney.
1. Farewell Terry Snow, businessman, philanthropist and true citizen of Canberra
by Genevieve Jacobs
Terry Snow and his dog China, painted by Jude Rae for the National Portrait Gallery. Image: National Portrait Gallery.
Australia has few billionaires, and fewer still whose central cause in life is to help others.
Terry Snow, a third generation Canberran, a generous donor to those in need, and a quiet man who loved his horses and dogs, died at the age of 80.
He leaves a remarkable legacy of business success and philanthropic generosity.
Loading ...
