Canberra red : stories from the bush capital / edited by David Headon and Andrew MacKenzie.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Headon, David John, 1950-

MacKenzie, Andrew (Landscape Architect)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Canberra (A.C.T.)--Social life and customs.

Canberra (A.C.T.).

Canberra (A.C.T.)--In literature.

Canberra (A.C.T.)--History.

City planning--Australia--Canberra (A.C.T.).

City planning.

Australia.

Physical Description:

ix, 266 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

Crows Nest, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin, 2013.

Summary:

Dragged from the big metropolises of Sydney and Melbourne in the 1920s, a first generation of federal government workers settled into humble red brick Canberra 'govvies' on the brown paddocks of the Limestone Plains. They complained about the cold and the lack of pubs. But over time, like the first pioneers a century earlier, they embraced their new home. They grew fond of the peaceful tree-lined streets of their garden city in the bush, proud of what had been created around the muddy Molonglo River. Canberra Red takes us beyond the elected reps and national landmarks, beyond the neat maps and ubiquitous aerial photographs that are the public face of the planned, political city. Some of Canberra's best known writers reveal what it is that makes their special city tick, and what has become of the grand vision of Walter Burley Griffin and his extraordinary partner, Marion. Including chapters from Marion Halligan, Frank Moorhouse and Andrew Sayers, lyrics from the unforgettable P. Harness, and newly 'discovered' postcards from Walter Burley Griffin himself, Canberra Red is a thoughtful and warm evocation of a city that has come of age.

Contents:

1 Learning to Live on the Limestone Plains / Kate Rigby Rigby, Kate 1

2 The Long Dinner Party / Frank Moorhouse Moorhouse, Frank 29

3 A City of the Mind / Marion Halligan Halligan, Marion 47

4 An Ideal City / David Headon Headon, David 61

5 A Chosen City': Americans in the Capital / Christopher Vernon Vernon, Christopher 85

6 The View from Mount Ainslie / Andrew Sayers Sayers, Andrew 98

7 A Great Place to Raise (Australian) Kids / Shanti Sumartojo Sumartojo, Shanti 110

8 Cultural Capital / David Nichols Nichols, David 128

9 Belconnen Mall / P. Harness Harness, P. 145

10 When Our Ethos Sings / Glenda Cloughley Cloughley, Glenda 148

11 Made in Canberra / Susan Boden Boden, Susan, Nicholas Brown Brown, Nicholas 171

12 Recovery Stories / Andrew MacKenzie MacKenzie, Andrew 193

13 Representing the National Capital at Regatta Point / Robert Freestone Freestone, Robert, Margaret Park Park, Margaret 210

14 Decompacting the City / Jack Lydiard Lydiard, Jack 226

15 Still Settling the Limestone Plains / Stephen Dovers Dovers, Stephen 235.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9781743315835

174331583X

OCLC:

854835240