2 January 2022

Aspen Island to be renamed after Queen Elizabeth

| Sally Hopman
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Aspen Island

Aspen Island, soon to be known as Queen Elizabeth II Island, in honour of the long-serving monarch. Photo: Glynis Quinlan.

Aspen Island, the home of the Carillon, will be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today (1 January).

Mr Morrison said the name change is to honour the Queen in her platinum jubilee year, which marks 70 years of dedicated service to the Commonwealth.

“Seventy years of service is a truly immense achievement and we are proud to join with other Commonwealth nations to celebrate this milestone,” Mr Morrison said.

“We plan to hold a range of events to coincide with the key events throughout 2022 to show our respect and appreciation for seven decades of service.”

Mr Morrison said renaming Aspen Island would be one of the major celebrations.

“Aspen Island, in Lake Burley Griffin, the home of the National Carillon, will be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island during a special event in June 2022,” he said.

“Given the National Carillon was officially opened by Her Majesty in 1970, it is only fitting that Aspen Island should be renamed in recognition of her many years of service to Australia.”

“This ceremony will also include dedicating the new Queen Elizabeth Water Gardens, which will transform the nearby foreshore as well as improve water quality.”

Both the island and the water gardens will display the Commonwealth flags.

READ ALSO Living in the 70s, when men were men and women could almost earn a living

The Carillon, which recently celebrated its 50th birthday, is one of Canberra’s most iconic landmarks and stands testament to the longstanding relationship between Australia and Britain. As a showcase for the relationship between music and architecture, it draws large crowds of tourists and locals.

The name Aspen Island was gazetted on 21 November 1963 after the Aspen tree of the poplar genus. It is the largest of three islands on the lake, located on the south-eastern side of Central Basin.

More events to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee will be announced during the year, including an invitation to submit a personal message of thanks. The first event is scheduled for 6 February, which marks the 70th anniversary of the accession of the Queen, followed by Commonwealth Day on 14 March, the Queen’s Coronation Day on 2 June and the Queen’s Birthday holiday on 15 June.

Information about celebrations, events and activities is available at Platinum Jubilee.

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Capital Retro11:17 am 05 Jan 22

Yeah, let’s stop all those symbolic tree-planting ceremonies at the National Arboretum as well.

https://www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au/living-collections/ceremonial-tree-plantings

Why on earth is this necessary? She’s already had a road named after her, which is contrary to local protocol, i.e. you have to be dead! It is not “only fitting that Aspen Island should be renamed in recognition of her many years of service to Australia”. Good on her for lasting 70 years as monarch, but surely “dedicating the new Queen Elizabeth Water Gardens” should be enough. Leave Aspen Island with its name!

What’s the point of kings and queens if we don’t get elves and ents and hobbits too?

Frank Spencer6:27 pm 03 Jan 22

With the bell tower should be called quasi modo island which is more fitting and relevant.

I am really looking forward to the day when Australia becomes a republic and Australians are truly multicultural in their thinking. It is fine to name public places after people and places when their is a strong attachment. If there is a name change, to my mind it would be more relevant to use a name of importance to our indigenous citizens. If the name of Ben Boyd National Park can be changed to a name of indigenous cultural significance, then why not change the island’s name using the same guidelines – if it needs to be changed at all. At least there are native Australian aspens.

Capital Retro1:18 pm 03 Jan 22

Nick Anderson, with all due respect to our Chief Minister, not all of us like the “Rainbow Roundabout” that he (and probably you)does but he made the decision.

Frank Spencer6:22 pm 03 Jan 22

What is wrong with the rainbow roundabout??

Another PM lost in the past toadying to the British monarchy. Either leave it as Aspen Island or give it a suitable indigenous name. QE II, whose devotion to duty is exemplary, does not need another Australian honour. The monarchy is an irrevelvant anomaly in 21st century Australia. Instead of bestowing honours on the Queen, Mr. Morrison would be better served leading Australia to a republic and also showing leadership in combatting the latest wave of COVID.

Why doesn’t Scotty give her a Knighthood?
Liberal PMs love giving British Royals Knighthoods.

Geez there truly are some whingers here who can’t see beyond their own politics. I mean, why would we be looking to change the name to an indigenous one when the whole point in changing it is give recognition of an individual’s service?

I want Australia to become a Republic but anyone who can’t see the genuine and lasting impact the Queen has had on our country is beyond ignorant.

So petty to quibble over giving recognition to someone who has given decades of service.

HiddenDragon6:32 pm 02 Jan 22

We’d know he really meant it if something significant in the Shire was renamed after the Queen, but given Morrison’s palpable contempt for Canberra, these token gestures might actually be a sign that he’s a closet republican – as Capital Retro points out, he could hardly be blamed given the leftist political activism of the heir apparent.

Jenny Graves5:58 pm 02 Jan 22

Oh, for Heaven’s sake. No!! We don’t need another reminder of our colonial heritage. It should be renamed with an indigenous name.

Glenys Roper4:39 pm 02 Jan 22

No. Absolutely not. Why can’t we have a local indigenous place in country name? We already have Commonwealth and Kings Avenue bridges. Let’s celebrate what’s unique about Australia

The whole Parliamentary Triangle, which of course is Commonwealth land, is full of “Royal” street names.
If the name is to be changed, it’d be entirely consistent to continue that naming protocol.

Capital Retro7:41 pm 02 Jan 22

No thanks. The point has been reached where there are enough daily reminders of our perceived guilt regarding indigenous people.

Why? It’s a man-made island in a man-made lake.

Why must every new name be a local indigenous name??? There are plenty of those already. Surely a combination of names representing everything about our nation is fair and balanced, not just names to appease 3% of the population.

Leave it with its current name

Why not an indigenous name? Surely we have more than enough buildings and memorials etc named after British royalty and other Anglo historical figures.

We will never lose our monarchist cultural cringe while ever we have a conservative federal government. Arise, Sir Scomo…

Should we also rename the other streets in the
Parliamentary Triangle?

This sounds like Morrison chasing the Royalist vote. I wonder how many Royalists there are.

Roslyn Marlton2:24 pm 02 Jan 22

Such a disappointing decision! Were the people of Canberra asked about this beforehand? I prefer the current name. I doubt that her majesty will be impressed!

So a contracted, fly-flyout worker who is barely employable anywhere else, has decided to re-name some real estate in a place where he doesn’t even live. This at a time when other parts of the country are trying to replace insensitive European names with those from local languages. Well done Scummo, your tin ear is ringing again. Mind you, this could be the most useful thing he has done since coming into power.

June 2022 eh? One month after the Federal election. A way to embarrass Albo who is expected to win the election. In addition to this, look out for a whole raft of Conservative appointments and policies rushed through before the election to burden the new government.

First: Aspen Island is located in the North- Eastern corner of Central Basin.
Secondly, why? A foreign monarch who has basically nothing to do with the actual running of our country or, has any relevance to the Australia of today, is an anachronism. Current leadership excluded, we are a modern nation that should be totally independent.
Bring on the Republic, and yes I am a proud supported of the Australian Republican Movement.

Capital Retro2:15 pm 02 Jan 22

After Price Charles’ inane support of climate “action” at Glasgow, I too am now supporting a republic governance system.

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