Rebirth and Renewal: Spring in Canberra

I was lucky enough to live in Canberra for three years back between 2005-2007 and it was a great time in my life.

For anyone who knows, the winter is quite tough in Canberra as it gets pretty damn cold, but one of the many things I miss about living in the capital is its spring time.

The air feels a little different in spring, it has a bit of a chill to it but also the sense of summer as well. It’s a great mix and a beautiful season to experience.

There’s no better place in Canberra for some exercise or some photo wandering than the famous Lake Burley Griffin.

Named after the man who designed the new capital of Australia, American architect Walter Burley Griffin. The lake was built to be a hub for new the city but it’s also great for a picture or two.

They say Canberra is a planned city and from ground level around the lake you get to see many of its great structures including Parliament House, the National Carillon and the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.

But coupled with the designs that make the city, are the beautiful trees that align the lake and in good weather you can spot some of the wildlife too.

The lake is kind of massive so it would take an hour or two to walk around the whole thing. But with ample parking all along it you can find a spot for yourself and explore it in sections.

This time I roamed around the southern end but all aspects of the lake are worth a picture.

It’s pretty easy to get around in Canberra and you can’t go wrong wherever you choose to go.

It’s a great city and one that I’m proud I used to call home. So I might be a little biased but if you are looking for things to do in Canberra, then I’d definitely recommend a photo tour around the great Lake Burley Griffin.

Til next time! 

Chris

The light and colour of the QVB

There’s not too many buildings like it in Sydney. The Queen Victoria Building (QVB) in the middle of The CBD is a throwback to our early history.

Built in 1898 and named in honour of Queen Victoria back in England, it’s a great place to go on a bit of a photo tour.

The building is full of beautiful stained glass windows and moody staircases, it’s really a great place to work on your light skills.

But the best piece of all is this as shown above, if you stand in the middle of the QVB on the ground floor, directly overhead is this magnificent sight. It’s just an amazing structure and every time I go on some photo wondering there you find a different angle to photograph.

You could spend hours roaming around this great place finding all the cool places to photograph or you could even skip that and just head to one of the many great cafes there and watch the city world go by.

Either way a good time to be had in our great city of Sydney.

TIL next time!

Chris

Canberra, Lake George and running from Snakes

On the long drive from Sydney to Canberra in the ACT lies one of the best sights in NSW. Where the line between the blue sky and the water of Lake George blur to what looks like a a renaissance painting.

Lake George is a beautiful spot just 40 minutes drive north of Canberra. It’s also an ephemeral lake, meaning it fills and empties without warning, leaving behind a vast, flat stretch of grazing land. In my 20 years of driving to Canberra it’s looked different every time I’ve been down there.

It was named by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1820, but Aboriginal people had been living in the area for thousands of years, calling it “Weereewa,” or “place of bad waters”. In the 1960s, the lake was even a popular spot for swimming, boating, and sailing, with paddle steamers and regattas drawing crowds from all over.

There’s not too much action out on the Lake these days, but it’s still a great piece of Australian history.

There’s a few great spots to pull over and stretch your legs or to take a picture before you hit Canberra. But just be on the lookout for some classic Australian wildlife as I got a little to close to this little guy for my liking.

I’m not sure if he was just enjoying the scenery, but I moved quicker than Carl Lewis to get back to the safety of my car once we made eye contact.

But it’s a great location and well worth pulling over before you hit the National Capital.

Til next time!

Chris