You’ll be wanting to get rid of those prawn heads pretty quickly. Photo: File.
It’s not every day society grinds to a halt, but we’re coming up to one such day. From Christmas Day to New Year’s Day, you’re never quite sure who’s working and who isn’t. So we’ve compiled what we know into this handy list.
When should I put my bins out?
Because Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year, several suburbs will have to put their bins out later in the week.
These include Amaroo, Bonner, Casey, Charnwood, Cook, Crace, Dunlop North (North Ginninderra Drive), Flynn, Fraser, Hall, Jacka, Melba, Moncrieff, Ngunnawal, Nicholls, Palmerston, Spence and Taylor.
If you live in any of these, put your bins out on Saturday, 28 December, instead of Christmas Day.
A spokesperson for the ACT Government says all other collection days – including on Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – “will be collected as per normal”.
The Mugga Lane and Mitchell resource management centres will be closed for Christmas Day, whereas the recycling drop-off centres in Belconnen, Mitchell, Gungahlin, Phillip and Tuggeranong remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Help, I’ve burnt lunch. Where can I go shopping?
Most stores remain open between Christmas and the new year, but there are exceptions, so check with the respective store first.
Supermarket chains Coles, Woolworths and Aldi will open every day except Christmas Day. Many of the local IGA and SPAR shops will fill this void. Expect reduced hours though.
As with most shopping centres, the Canberra Centre has extended its trading hours in the lead-up to Christmas, but will be closed on the day itself. Westfield in Woden and Belconnen are closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. South.Point Tuggeranong is closed on Christmas Day.
Click the above links for the full list of opening hours for each centre.
The Canberra Centre has extended its opening hours in the lead-up to Christmas to make the most of those last-minute shopping expeditions. Photo: James Coleman.
And a Christmas hamburger?
McDonald’s and Hungry Jack’s will remain open on Christmas Day. Several Domino’s Pizza stores are also open from 4 pm to 10 pm, including at Denman Prospect, Calwell, Bruce, Erindale, Dickson, Belconnen, Fyshwick, Kippax, Canberra City and Casey.
Colonel Sanders over at KFC is off playing Santa Claus for the day, so his fast food restaurants will be closed. Red Rooster it is then.
What about bus services?
Canberra’s buses and light rail will run as normal throughout the holiday period.
Travel on Christmas Day is free. Buses will run from 7:30 am to 5 pm with local services every two hours, the Rapid 4 every 30 minutes and all other rapid services every hour.
Free public transport is available for Canberrans attending New Year’s Eve celebrations from the evening until the last service. The summer holiday public transport timetable will be released soon at www.transport.act.gov.au and provides more set detail.
And don’t forget ‘fare-free Friday’, which will remain in effect over the break.
Johnny has taken a fall. Where can I go for medical help?
The walk-in centres in Tuggeranong, Weston Creek, Inner North (Dickson), Belconnen and Gungahlin remain open from 7:30 am to 10 pm every day, including on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
These provide free healthcare for non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses such as cuts and strains, fractures and infections (although it’s recommended children under one year old and people with complex or serious conditions see their GP). No appointment is needed.
The ACT emergency departments at Canberra Hospital and Calvary Hospital will operate as normal over the Christmas and new year period but expect them to be very busy.
In need of a good read.
Ah, you’re out of luck. All of the ACT’s library branches, including return chutes, will be closed from 3 pm on Christmas Eve through to Sunday, 5 January (inclusive).
They’ll reopen Monday, 6 January, but with changed opening hours until February 2025. The government says it’s “to provide staff with increased opportunities for leave, complete end-of-year processing, and prepare for 2025 with minimal impact on services”.
Those with Libraries ACT membership can access all the digital resources whenever you want.
Um, there’s a stray dog in the street.
The government’s animal control service, Domestic Animal Services, will be closed from Christmas Day and reopen on Thursday, 2 January. During this time, access to the shelter on Mugga Lane in Symonston is “by appointment only”.
Rangers will be operating as normal during the holiday period. Email animalcontrol@act.gov.au for non-urgent enquiries.
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