This Sunday has turned out to be more varied and interesting that planned at the outset. The day did not dawn quite as brilliantly and as cold as the preceding but it was one to stay wrapped up well in our heavy caps and coats.
Our first destination was to the Old Bus Markets in the suburb of Kingston, not too far from either the parliamentary precinct or Manuka. The markets are set in old industrial buildings and are only on Sundays. We arrived at about half ten and there were already masses of locals wandering about the varied stalls or seated at the very basic tables eating a variety of cooked multicultural foods. One shed is entirely given over to arts and crafts, and the other to mainly produce. If one was looking for gifts, or classy knits, or perhaps decorations for one’s new or bare home, this would be the place to go. There was much to attract one’s attention although it was only the very good second hand book stall that attracted any serious attention from us. I could have spent a fortune there although the books were on the pricey side; the proprietor is, after all, running a business. For any would-be tourists I would recommend that you do not go with your lunch and thermos already prepared and waiting back in your car, but go with an expectation of sampling exciting and tantalising food there at the market.
The Canberra Glassworks is within the same precinct, located in the old power station. We spent some time standing on a balcony high above glass blowers fashioning their works in one of the several Hotshops. Here the gas furnaces operate non-stop, taking days to cool down from their 1200 degrees Centigrade and even more days to reheat, hence the non-stop operation. A young woman donned a microphone system and talked us through the processes as she made a piece for a creation she is working on; an assembly of many parts which will be illuminated in some way with LED lights. We have watched glass blowers before and this was no better than that we have visited in New Zealand’s Whangarei, however well worth a look particularly if it is something you have not seen before.
It was past midday and our body clocks were suggesting a picnic beside the lake; we drove across one of the two bridges and around toward the museum on West Lake where we found a suitable place offering alternative views of Parliament House and the towering flag flying in the brisk breeze.
From here it was not very far to the Australian National Botanic Gardens, set on the side of Black Mountain. Restricted by a parking ticket of one hour, we set off on a short walk around the highlights of the park, firstly up through a gully planted out in rain forest. Mist is sprayed up from the bottom of the gully encouraging the plantings and if it were not for the brightly coloured parrots, one might be forgiven thinking they were walking through New Zealand bush. Here as in many parts of Victoria, the ferns, of both tree and ground varieties, seem no different to the layman than those growing in New Zealand. The curling shoots of the bracken and other ferns are just as the koru, the jealously guarded curl that the Maoris consider to be uniquely theirs. The tree ferns here are no different to the pongas in New Zealand, those that attract the fury of Maori if you are seen to transfer any from the roadside to your own garden, making such an excellent retaining wall. Surprise, surprise! We in New Zealand do not have a monopoly on these so called taonga or treasures.
Back down off my soapbox, we enjoyed our brief visit to the Botanic Gardens; a walk through bush is always a pleasure. But it should be noted that these gardens offer the scruffiness of natural plantings rather than carefully manicured gardens. Although I personally prefer this, I would not necessarily put the Botanic Gardens on the A list of the Must-dos in Canberra.
Having seen the touring structure of the Telstra Tower through the trees in the gardens, we decided we should at least drive up Black Mountain to see if one could enjoy views from the car park. We had already decided that we would not bother paying to go up the tower, since we had already driven to the top of Mount Ainslie and the volunteer at the Information Centre suggested that doing one was probably enough.
Whilst reading the interpretative panels in the car park, we were joined by a couple of motor homers, Tony and Sally, and spent some time chatting with them, finding much in common. They were heading up the tower undeterred by the price; we headed off across to what we hoped to be a good vantage point. In doing so we passed a sign showing the entry fees at a mere $10 for adults and $3 for Seniors. When we found ourselves at the ticket office with our new found friends, they remarked that they had been surprised when we had indicated that price was ruling the ascent out. We had expected something about three or four times a much.
Just as the Eureka Tower in Melbourne and the Sky Tower in Auckland should be on any travellers’ to-do list, the Black Mountain Tower should be added to the Mount Ainslie as part of an essential orientation tour. Each offers something different; the Tower rising 195 metres above the summit and the viewing platform sixty metres up, from where one has 360 degree views over the entire city with Lake Burley Griffin as the jewel in the centre. From Mount Ainslie one gets a good understanding of the grand design of the city.
We spent some time circling the viewing deck gazing out over this fabulous city, then ventured briefly up to the upper deck out in the elements. At 670 metres ASL, you can imagine we did not linger longer than it took to walk a brief circuit. From here we descended to the basement where we watched a PR film, showing the construction of the tower and espousing the benefits of the improved telecommunications.
Construction of the tower began in 1970 amongst a wave of protest and controversy; advocates of the Griffin Plan unable to see how such a monstrosity could enhance or follow the flow of the original design of the city. Eventually the spin managed to convince the citizens that this would indeed be a boon to the area, drawing in even more tourists to see their wonderful city, and it probably has. But I have to say, that until we actually drove up to Black Mountain ourselves today, I had viewed the tower poking up above the dark forest as obtrusive and out of place. I have now changed my mind. The tower was opened for operation in 1980.
Our Tomtom brought us back to camp via a very scenic route, a nice finish to an excellent and varied day.
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