Glebe Park, Canberra
Glebe Park, Canberra | |
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Location | Civic, Australian Capital Territory |
Coordinates | 35°16′54″S 149°8′9″E / 35.28167°S 149.13583°E |
Area | 40 hectares (99 acres) |
Glebe Park is a public park on the eastern side of
, and to the south, the National Convention Centre.History
Glebe Park is a remnant of a hundred acres (40 hectares) of land allocated by
Glebe House was built in 1871-3 as a rectory for St John's church. It was a two storied house with a single storied veranda made of bricks from nearby swampland clay. The land was used as a farm to support the rector.
In 1912, when the decision had been made to site Australia's capital here, the land and building were resumed by the Commonwealth Government but was continued to be used as a rectory until a new rectory much closer to the church was built in 1926. From 1926 to early 1928 the Old Rectory at St Johns was leased from the Government by the Anglican religious order of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, or the Kilburn Sisters, to found St Gabriel's school which later became the
Glebe House then served as a guest house for the next 25 years. By 1954 it was in a poor state of repair and there had been a number of additions that were not in harmony with the original building. The House also stood in the way of plans for the development of the city area. There was some protest at destroying a building associated with Canberra's early history and some discussion about alternate uses such as a residence for the aged. However, the building was sold by the Commonwealth government to the Acton Football Club. The club used the bricks to construct a clubhouse in Franklin Street, Forrest. A plaque was erected ten years later in Ballumbir Street, Reid, just to the south of St Peter's Lutheran Church, to mark the site of the former building.
Recent history
A community campaign to save the trees resulted in a park being proclaimed in 1983 and heritage listing by the National Trust of Australia (ACT) and the Australian Heritage Commission. Formal landscaping with fences, gates, paths, a rotunda, and a playground was completed in 1989. The park has ten gates, which are named after historic people or places. In the course of the landscaping, further land was excised for the building of the National Convention Centre, a casino and a hotel (at present, the Crowne Plaza). The present area is about 4.7 hectares, just under one eighth of the original area of the glebe.
Uses
A children's playground has now been built in the park.
In recent years outdoor art exhibitions have been staged in the park, notably during the Canberra Festival.
2017 saw the Canberra Christmas activation move from City Walk into the park for Christmas In Glebe Park, With a more family focused event running for 3 weekends and supporting Red Nose as the charity partner.
Gallery
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Part of Glebe Park, looking towards the Manhattan apartment building
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A gazebo built in 1989 is located at the centre of Glebe Park
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The park as viewed from above during autumn, looking out towards Mount Ainslie
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Landscaping changes in 1989 included a fence and gates
External links
- Body, A.H. (1986). Firm Still You Stand (The Anglican Church of St John The Baptist, Canberra, Its Parish and Parishioners. 1841-1984). St Johns Parish Council. ISBN 0-9591711-2-6.
- Waterhouse, Jill (1978). A light in the Bush (The Canberra Church of England Girls' Grammar School and the capital city of Australia, 1926-1977). Canberra Church of England Girls' Grammar School Old Grammarians' Association. ISBN 0-9599072-1-1.