Japanese Cherry trees

The inscription pretty much explains it (in English below). On the north side of Lake Burley Griffin, near Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.

Captain Cook

The Captain Cook Memorial globe at Regatta Point. This is only half of the memorial - the other part wasn't in operation on Saturday because of the wind. It's a water jet in the lake, which shoots up nearly 150 metres into the air. When it's windy, the water can blow across onto Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, and can be a traffic hazard, so you'll have to wait for another day for a photo of that.

The globe shows the routes of Captain James Cook's three voyages - you can see the red, yellow and blue lines better on the image below.

National Library of Australia

The National Library of Australia, viewed from Commonwealth Park on the northern side of Lake Burley Griffin. The trees are starting to display their autumn colours.

Waterlily

Waterlily on Nerang Pool, Commonwealth Park.

A Prime Ministerial walk

 

I went for a wander around the lake while yesterday's birthday party was in process, and came across this fellow also out for a stroll. Apparently he's quite new, and there's no plaque announcing his identity, which had a few passers-by a little confused. But if you know anything about Australian politics, you'd have to recognise Sir Robert Gordon (Bob) Menzies, Prime Minister from 1939 to 1941 and from 1949 to 1966 - the longest serving PM in our history.

A castle in Canberra

Canberra is full of surprises, including this castle in Commonwealth Park, down by Nerang Pool. 

It's a fabulous playground for kids, and I was there with the boy-child to celebrate his friend's birthday. Plenty to keep them amused here - tunnels, ladders and secret spaces to hide in.

Time capsule

Tucked away under the trees in Commonwealth Park is this small stone pyramid. The plaque at the top has the familiar Autralian Bicentennial logo (1788-1988), and the following words:

To celebrate

Australia Day in the Bicentennial Year

a Time Capsule was placed beneath this cairn

on

January 26, 1988

by

The Canberra Times

Australia Day in the National Capital

and the

National Capital Development Commission

The Time Capsule is to be opened

in the year 2088.

Apparently there's no official record of exactly what is in the 1.5 metre glass capsule, sealed with argon gas and buried in the earth, but I did find reference to it containing a letter from the then-Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, a short history of The Canberra Times newspaper, and numerous objects and photographs submitted by the people of Canberra.

National Carillon

The Carillon, viewed from Commonwealth Park (with Nerang Pool in the foreground).

The 50-metre tall tower of the Carillon, with its 55 brass bells, stands on its own little island in Lake Burley Griffin - Aspen Island - connected to the shore by a footbridge. The Carillon has a recital program on Wednesday and Sunday lunchtimes, and it's not just classical or church music on the bells. Yesterday's program was:

Wednesday
02 NOVEMBER
Carillonist: Kerryn Milligan

ROASTING RAYS
Preludio Cou Cou - Matthias van Den Gheyn

A COLLECTION OF SHORT PIECES - arr. by Leen’t Hart
Moo-Li-Hwi
C’est le Mai, joli Mai
Gottes Edeklnabe
The Irish Washerwoman
Barbara Allen

THREE SELECTIONS FROM FRANTZ CASSEUS
Yanvalloux from Haitian Suite
Valse
Romance
Serenade Lointaine

FAVOURITE CONTRASTS
Dream a Little Dream of Me - Gus Kahn
Amazing Grace - arr. John R Knox

AUSTRALIAN FOLKSONGS
Botany Bay
Click Go the Shears
Wild Colonial Boy
Waltzing Matilda

Questacon

Looking towards Questacon (the National Science and Technology Museum) from Commonwealth Park, across Nerang Pool and Lake Burley Griffin.

Dancing on water

In a lily pond in Commonwealth Park, there is a strange flock of birds.They have long steel stilts for legs, and remind me of somewhat raggedy brolgas, although the sculptor - Alan Gauir - hasn't specified what species they are, or given his sculpture a name. He won first prize in the 1991 Floriade sculpture competition, and have remained to keep a beady eye on things.

Floriade 2011: not the flowers

The 35 metre ferris wheel is a great way to see the floral patterns on the ground:

The street organ is at Floriade each year (and the operator takes requests):

Where there are flowers, there are butterflies ...

The reptile display was a big hit. And so were the gnomes:

Floriade 2011: around Nerang Pool

 

Looking across Nerang Pool, with the Captain Cook Memorial Jet in the background.

 

Black swans on Nerang Pool.

Floriade 2011: the flowers

Floriade

We headed into town today to visit Floriade, a huge celebration of Spring and annual display of floral design in Commonwealth Park. This year we had a special reason to visit: my daughter was involved, together with a team from her school, in helping to plant some of the million + bulbs back in April, although she wasn't quite sure today just which ones were hers!

Floriade has a different theme each year. This year is was a Feast for the Senses, and while at ground level it wasn't always clear what each garden bed represented, from higher up you could see a giant coffee cup, a huge chilli pepper, a decorated cake, flames on a barbecue, and other food-related symbols, all created from tulips, hyacinths, bluebells, ranunculus, irises, violas, pansies, poppies and more.

There was also a Victory Garden, carnival rides, a children's area, plenty of places to eat, and a special area devoted to garden gnomes :)

I'll have more images from Floriade over the next week or so.