Since I finished featuring Canberra City in my site, now I can rank the places that I visited in the city according to my preference or my liking. If you had visited the city, what are your top places in Canberra? And why?
Mount Ainslie Lookout gave me a chance to see the city at one point, a scenic view that can only be found at the top. And it gave me a chance to see beyond that my eyes can discover if I was at the ground, a viewpoint of the national city of Australia.
I looked at Australian War Memorial as the father of all war or peace memorial or shrine of remembrance in Australia, not only because it is the largest structure of all but because the national scope it features about their country’s heroes.
Having a chance to see what’s inside the national government house of Australia and understanding its objective why its open to the public made me understand the way they think how they govern their country and their people.
Australian Parliament House – An Iconic Symbol of Australian Politics
A very unique on its own in terms of architecture, the museum emphasizes the people and their story in a very enlightening way to show how they are significant in their country.
National Museum of Australia – With Modern Art and Architecture
When we reached Canberra, our tour guide drove us first to see the National Embassies located not far and also surrounds Parliament House. We drove between Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne Avenue to see different and fascinating buildings that unique on their own as cultural identity of the country they belong to.
Then, we drove up to Capital Hill where the current Parliament House stands which symbolizes Australian politics. For me the building is like White House because White House represents American Government while Parliament House represents Australian Government. Living in Australia comes with familiarity with the country. Every time I watched the news in the morning before I go to office, I used to see Parliament House in the TV where most of the time they feature and interview Prime Minister of the country regarding the current affairs of the nation and its politics.
From the moment that I saw Parliament House, I was excited. I never imagined before that there will be a chance that I will see it up close and personal. I had never even imagined that I will be able to do a building tour and see what’s inside of this so-called ‘National Meeting Place of Parliament of Australia’.
The building is immediately recognizable even from a distance with the help of its location which is at the top of the Capital Hill. It’s architectural design is based on two boomerangs, so if you look down to the building from the sky, it is two boomerangs where its rear are near each other or connected to each other.
Below is my Parliament House building tour story.
FORECOURT
We got off from the underground parking of the building. And from there we went up to reached the Forecourt. The rain fell at the time we visited Canberra, the clouds view outside the building was gloomy and the ground outside has been wet due to rain.
Raindrops in my bus window approaching Parliament House
The scenery was different because of heavy and dark sky, but even that was the case, I had been happy to be in that part of the world at that moment. While waiting for others in our group, I had a chance to witness from a far the Old Parliament House (Provisional Parliament House which used in 1927-1988). When the group has been re-assembled, we entered the building.
Forecourt
Scenery From the Forecourt
Old Parliament House (Provisional Parliament House)
MARBLE FOYER
The first thing that I saw when I entered the building are the semi-marble clad columns stands all over the ground on its lobby. Second thing to notice are the two grand marble staircases in both sides. My overall impression in the foyer, it showcases how grand the Australian Parliament House is.
Marble Foyer
THE GREAT HALL
The Great Hall is part of the building that I saw from the 1st Floor since I immediately went up when I saw the grand marble staircase at the foyer. As a discovery in The Great Hall aside from being used for large national gatherings, receptions or events, is the art displayed in one of its space. The ‘Great Hall Tapestry’ which created by collaboration of finest artist when the building is being built.
The Great Hall Tapestry
(One of the Five Treasures in Parliament House)
The Great Hall
I strolled around the building and below are some of the displays to be found inside the building at the time of our visit. This means that these displays might not be available anymore aside from the arts that are permanent display in the building.
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Some of the exhibits found during my visit in Parliament House
Opening of Parliament House by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 9 May 1988(1994),
by Marcus Beilby (1951)
The picture on the right side is call “The Big Picture” By Tom Roberts
(One of the Five Treasures in Parliament House)
Some photos of 1st Floor
The Parliament Idealism
MEMBERS’ HALL
While walking around inside the Parliament House and after enjoying some of the displays found in the first floor, next part of the building to be discovered is what they call Member’s Hall. It is a square-shaped located at the center of the building and directly under the huge flag mast.
Members’ Hall
Surroundings of Members’ Hall
Another part of the building that excites me was at the time that I got a chance to see up close the chambers of the House of Representatives and Senate. Before, I only saw these chambers in TV but during my Canberra’s tour I got a chance to be inside of it. One significant thing that I observed inside of both chambers are the direct sunlight coming through its glass ceiling at its center. The color scheme on each chamber has been based on colors of British Parliament’s House of Commons for House of Representatives Chamber while British Parliament’s House of Lords for the Senate Chamber.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAMBER
House of Representatives Chamber
SENATE CHAMBER
s
Senate Chamber
THE ROOF
After enjoying what’s inside the Parliament House, another part of the building that excites me during the tour was at the time we went outside and walked at the grass roof of the building. First thing to enjoy were the scenic views to see around Canberra. Because Parliament House stands at the top of Capital Hill, everyone can enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful surroundings where the building is almost at the center of the city. Another thing to enjoy is the up close view of the world’s largest stainless steel structure and its 81-metre high flag mast with its own unique features. And last but not the least to enjoy was anyone can just lie around and have a rest in the grass, enjoy the sky, the fresh air and feel like you are in a park, the only difference, you are at the rooftop of Parliament House.
Scenic Views to enjoy while at the Parliament House Rooftop
Parliament House Rooftop and its World’s Record Flag Mast
COURTYARD
I only got a chance to see the Courtyard which is the garden within the Parliament House through glass windows while I was roaming around the first floor of the building, these pictures also shows the recent rain that occurred in the city.
Reflections, Inspirations and Perceptions (Post#2) : A Formal Apology to Forgotten Australians and Lost Innocents
If you live in Australia for sometimes and able to travel around the country, most likely you heard about the ‘Forgotten Australians and Lost Innocents’. At first when I heard about it, I was curious. I wanted to understand what those words really means. And then I learned from different tours that I had in the country that ‘Forgotten Australians and Lost Innocents’ are referring to aboriginal children that were forced to be away from their parents to experiment the development of these ethnic children to adapt to modern society instead of growing from their natural birth family and its tribes. It is also referred to children that migrated to Australia and grew up to national institutions instead of growing with a foster parents. Last 2009, the Prime Minister of Australia had a formal apology to the nation about the mistreatment given to these children. And that apology transcript has been displayed in Parliament House and I had a chance to see it during the visit.
When I found this piece of document, I stopped for a while to read the whole script. While reading it, it’s a profound discovery because, its one of the apology that I learned coming from a government. The acceptance of mistakes that was done from the past and the willingness to correct it to move forward and to be responsible of what the nation has done is something unusual. Apology between people are already common as innate feature of humanity, but nations apology is something different, it’s a huge responsibility. Yes, we cannot go back from the past, but accepting it and making a difference is something the government or the nation can do right now. Please refer to the link Forgotten Australians Apology for the whole transcript of the apology since my photo is not as clear as it should be. This photo is part of Canberra Day Tour June 2013 Collection.
Most of the time, during a tour inside a building or museum, if quote or a saying caught my eyes, I made sure that I able to capture it. Going back to the photo, I pondered the idea and it’s amazing the truthfulness behind its words. The two photos below were some of the snapshots that caught by my eyes and the idea behind Parliament. These photos are part of Canberra Day Tour June 2013 Collection.
Interior (Post#10) : Canberra’s Parliament House – Marble Foyer
The Parliament House Marble Foyer is one of the lobby that I saw how grand it is in a different way. The ceiling lights, pendant lights, hanging clocks in the middle are all in white colors. The walls with balustrades, the columns partially covered with marbles, the flooring designs with different shapes had complimented to each other. The grand staircase in both sides, by just looking at it and thinking if I started walking on it I felt I am a debutante, it’s so simple but so elegant. Its design seems to be basic but its refreshing, comforting and relaxing. These photos are part of Canberra Day Tour June 2013 Collection.
Chromatic Outlook (Post#33) : Canberra’s Parliament House
The first stop we did after we reached Canberra was the current Parliament House located at the south apex of Capital Hill in Australian Capital Territory. The building was opened last May 1988 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This photo is part of Canberra Day Tour June 2013 Collection.
In The Middle Of Somewhere (Post#2) : Canberra Parliament House – Senate Chamber
During my Day Tour in Canberra, I got chance to enter the building which is the centre of political power in Australia and I am referring to new and current Parliament House in Canberra. The photo above is one part of the building and called as Senate Chamber. While inside, I never imagined that one day I will have a chance to see what’s inside the building because I usually saw this one through news broadcasted in Australia. Photo captured last June 2013 which was part of my Canberra Adventure collection.
Canberra like Brisbane is one of the city that I used to hear that it’s a boring city. When I heard that comment, most likely I am curious why people used to say that. As I knew that Canberra is the city where the central government of Australia is located and chosen to resolve the rivalry of Sydney and Melbourne for being capital city. I went there for a day tour and traveled around 3 hours or more from Sydney I never expected that I will find a city in far flat area. As I saw the metropolis city from a distance I still felt amaze that you will find a community out of nowhere. Photo captured last June 2013. In the photo, three significant structures are visible all in the middle: Parliament House (top most building with green roof), Old Parliament House (white building) and Australian War Memorial (with dome roof at the bottom).
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