23 July 2013

Canberra history buffs, these are the books for you

| Barcham
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A set of booklets about Canberra’s early history have been released and considering the popularity of the “then and now” Canberra photos we’ve been showing on this site, I assume more than a few of you will be interested in them.

A set of high-quality booklets about Canberra’s fascinating early history is now complete, with the addition of a sixth titled Beyond the Boundaries by Centenary of Canberra History and Heritage Adviser Dr David Headon.

The new booklet gives a detailed account of the extraordinary 1911-12 design competition for Australia’s new national capital and showcases the four prize-winning entries – and the intense politicking that went on behind the scenes.

The earlier booklets in the set, written by former senior public servant Greg Wood, Canberra Times journalist Ian Warden and Dr Headon, were produced in 2009.

The Executive Director of the Centenary of Canberra, Jeremy Lasek, said that the booklets were developed not just for secondary students in the ACT and around Australia to interest them in the national capital and its centenary, but also for people wanting to know more about Canberra’s many hidden stories.

“They cover the ‘battle of the sites’ to select the location of Canberra, early maps of the ACT and their makers, the visionary ideas that shaped Canberra and, of course, the story of Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin,” Mr Lasek said.

“This series brings the history of our national capital to life. Stories of the events that led to Canberra’s establishment embrace big personalities and issues, controversies, triumphs and tragedies.

“These stories should be familiar to all of us as Australians who take pride in our national capital.”

Limited numbers of the booklet set are available to interested members of the public. They can be collected on a first come, first served basis from the Canberra Museum and Gallery; ACT libraries (Civic, Belconnen, Woden, Tuggeranong, Gungahlin, Erindale, Dickson, Kippax, Kingston) and the reception area at the Nara Centre, on the corner of Constitution Avenue and London Circuit.

There is a limited quantity of books available, so if you’re a history buff get in quick.

They can be found at CMAG, various libraries (Civic, Belconnen, Woden, Tuggeranong, Gungahlin, Erindale, Dickson, Kippax, Kingston) and at the Nara Centre.

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AsparagusSyndrome5:41 pm 27 Jul 13

Star Wars buffs, these are not the books you’re looking for.

Just asked the question and yes, you can get them from the Canberra100 website here.

HiddenDragon11:06 pm 23 Jul 13

So for those of us who are not sufficiently fleet of foot, are/will these publications be made available in electronic form (PDF?)?

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