AUSTRALIA’S NEW CAPITAL

Evening Star, Issue 19272, 10 June 1926, Page 10

AUSTRALIA’S NEW CAPITAL

ROUND AND ABOUT CANBERRA It was officially announced by the Commonwealth Prime Minister recently that the Federal Parliament will _be opened at Canberra, the new capital ior the'Commonwealth, on May 9 next, the anniversary of the opening or the first Federal Parliament in Melbourne by King George, who'at that time was | the Duke of York. There is good reason (from yesterday’s cable) to believe that on this occasion the ceremony will bo performed by the King s second son, the present Duke of York. The Federal Territory is beautiful to look upon. Fertile, gently undulating plains are shadowed by the blue of distant ranges. Hero and there, thickly timbered hills keep watch over clustered townships. The impression, is one of openness, freshness, space, possibilities. ■ . ' The city is scattered. It resolves ! itself into a number of separate units —-Molonglo, Blaudfordia, Acton, Duutroon, Ainslio, and the rest. With the exceptions of Molonglo and the not inaptly named “ Gap,” these units are well planned, well kept, and altogether attractive. Throughout the capital water is laid on, and fine gardens are the rule. There are no trams, no smoke, no ceaseless noise of bells and whistles. One wonders how long it will be before these invariable concomitants of a great city appear. At present motor cars and buses are the chief moans of conveyance. Parliament House is a splendid structure. It will contain over 700 rooms. From the roof promenade there is a vast outlook over plain and hill and mountain. It is a sight to refresh the jaded politician and lift up his heart. In fact, it appears that everything is going to be very nice for the jaded politician. And, just as from Parliament House the view is all-embracing. sOj it, too—the great White House—dominates the landscape. From almost every part of the territory it is visible. Close by is the Hotel Canberra—No. } Hostel—a place of luxurious appointments. Exquisite cuisine, fine ballroom, billiard room, card room, wellkept gardens, bowling green, tennis courts—these are some of the appurtenances of this first-class modern hotel. It lacks one thing—a license to sell fermented and spirituous liquor. And Queanbeyan, its nearest neighbor, rejoices greatly. The hostel is usually filled to its utmost capacity. It is a delightful place for the idle rich to enjoy a well-earned rest, but the tariff is rather prohibitive. No. 2 Hostel-—the Hotel Ainslie—offers a somewhat lower tariff, but is well appointed and well kept. Both hostels are built in villa fashion, each section opening on to lawns and gardens. Indeed, gardens and plantations of trees are features of the Federal City. Hostel No. 3 is in course of erection. The Government offices at Acton are merely temporary, and are remarkable only for their well-kept gardens. The Territory teems with work and workmen. Some of the latter live in Government cottages, but the majority board in Queanbeyan, going to and from work by bus or car. Since work has been in full swing at the capital Queanbeyan is booming. Trade is wonderful—particularly • hotel' trade. For the Federal Territory is a dry area, and Saturdays iu Queanbeyan are days of rich harvest. The streets are a pageant of cars of every make, and men of many nationalities. The work available at the capital has drawn men from the four quarters of the earth. But, a word of warning. There is a dearth of music in that locality. I sat through an agonising evening at a picture theatre, listening to the wail of an unaccompanied concertina. Canberra has its rare “ purple patches.” One of those is Mount Stromlo

From base to summit tbe mountain is planted with splendid pines. There must be millions of them. Seen from ft distance, the effect is fine enough—but tho drive to the top is wonderful. The road zigzags upwards through a forest of every shade of green, and over the view widens and grows, until at the observatory the world lies at your feet—a far-extending glory of river, hill, and plain, hemmed in by the purples and blues and greys of distant mountains. Behind tho nearest range a bush fire was raging. Smoke and flame enveloped the hills in a pall of weird beauty. The sun was a menacing red. The whole scene was a threat of tho devastation to come, when the fires crossed the Mnrmrabidgee, and came to tho very foot of Mount Stromlo. SYLVAN LOVELINESS. No visitor to the Federal capital must miss the Cotter. Every Sunday cars and buses go out from Queanboyan with a full, and often an overfull, complement of passengers. An enterprising vendor of cool drinks and ice cream does an excellent trade there on Sundays.

It is twenty-two miles from Queanbeyan. After passing jjloiait Stromlo tho road turns towards the hills. The way becomes more beautiful. It runs into the heart of the mountains. There is the meeting of the waters —where the crystal streams of tho Cotter joins the darker waters of the Murrnmbidgee. Crossing the Mnrrumhidgee bridge, one comes to a place of sylvan loveliness, and peace. Here, again, tbe lirt of man assists tho supreme artistry of Nature. Groves of trees have been planted by the wayside, and the effect is wonderfully beautiful.

The car pulls up on the bank, and we sot out for the weir. Our path lies by the river, across a narrow bridge, by the river bank again, with the lacy veil of falling waters beckoning us on, until we climb to tho top of the great wall. To the right of us are the dammed-np waters—a great shining lake, with bays and headlands, steep, thickly-wooded shores; before and behind us, towering hills; to the left, the waters of tho woir falling musically to the deep, narrow bod of tho Cotter. A place indeed to pitch one’s tent and let the world go by—for a week, at any rate!

Every visitor to the Cotter is obliged to walk through that tunnel. It is not an exhilarating experience. On the right is the immense water pipe carrying the water of the dam to the Federal capital. Beneath one’s feet is a varying amount of water; generally just enough to disfigure the footwear, and produce uncongenial dampness of the feet.

Around is an almost impenetrable blackness, which roaches its maximum halfway through the tunnel. Naturally, the journey seems to last an eternity. In reality it is about twenty minutes. On emerging the reward conies in the shape of a fine view. But one has to get back to the car; the tunnel has to be traversed again. The only alternative is a walk of three miles around the intervening hill. Most people choose the shorter discomfort of the tunnel.

The Cotter bears a general resemblance to parts of tbe river• at National Park, and is quite as beautiful. Such are the surroundings of Canberra, a city in tho making.