Here are some thoughts comparing the landscapes of Noosa and Canberra Airport with the deteriorating state of Deakin. They were published in the Canberra Times on 1 Aug 2024

During a recent visit to Noosa, George wilson was impressed by the Noosa Council’s efforts in maintaining streetscapes and urban vegetation. Returning to Canberra, the contrast was stark. In Deakin, there are dead trees, cracked footpaths, graffiti, street rubbish, neglected shopping centre gardens, decaying park benches, excessive road signage, and vandalized nature strips.

DRA seeks to enhance the social and environmental qualities of Deakin according to garden city planning principles. While we were pleased to receive support for Floriade last year and to receive a grant for heritage signs, our requests to have planning standards enforced are denied. Requests to “Fix my Street” are often ignored.

In Noosa, parking on nature strips is illegal and enforced. In Deakin, we are told that parking on nature strips is allowed if it is safer than parking on the road. While this is reasonable short-term, should it be permitted permanently? This seems to shift responsibility from the courts to inspectors. A breach is a breach, and leaseholders should choose properties that can accommodate their cars without the need to break the law.

Canberra International Airport showcases stylish landscaping. The ACT Government could emulate these practices and those of Noosa Shire Council set out in their Environment Strategy. Canberra should be leading by example, not following poorly.

For some time now, the DRA has relied on generous donations from a small number of members to finance its operations (newsletters, meetings, flyers, website costs, etc).

The DRA Committee has now decided to move to a more stable and sustainable funding arrangement through the introduce an annual membership fee, similar to that applicable in Yarralumla.

The membership fee is being introduced immediately for the 2023-24 financial year.

DRA anticipates membership will continue to grow as our suburb faces an uncertain future including with changes to the ACT planning system. Our aim is to foster the garden suburb and a richer community through activities to make our suburb of Deakin simply brilliant.

More details at the link

Donations are as always welcome and can now be deposited by PayPal, bank transfer or cheque sent to our PO Box.

The Deakin Residents’ Association (DRA) warmly invites Deakin residents, friends and supporters to join us in celebrating Stage One of the Deakin Heritage project: Discovering and valuing Deakin’s heritage.
ACT Minister for Heritage, Rebecca Vassarotti MLA will unveil the first of two Canberra Tracks signs at the Deakin Shopping Centre on Sunday 28 April at a celebratory event beginning at 2pm.
A further sign will be unveiled in La Trobe Park at a later date.
The two Canberra Tracks signs will provide readily accessible heritage information to residents, tourists and other visitors to Deakin. There will be an online link through the signage to a groundbreaking and detailed history of Deakin prepared by historian Ann-Mari Jordens. Vivid photographic material and other fascinating heritage discoveries will also be provided via the link.
The DRA is keen to engage young people and local schools to encourage appreciation of Deakin’s distinctive, extensive and varied heritage.

We are delighted that the Principals of Canberra Girls Grammar School and The Woden School will attend and also speak about the histories of their schools. A highlight on the day will be a choral performance by The Gabriel Singers from Canberra Girls Grammar School.

The celebration on 28 April will also feature short presentations by the Chair of the Deakin Heritage Project Team and DRA Treasurer, Dr John Bell and historian Ann-Mari Jordens. The celebration will run from 2pm to 3.30 pm with formalities from 2.15 for around 35 minutes. The event is free and outdoors. If you require seating, please bring a folding chair.
The project and signage have been made possible through the ACT Heritage Grants program.

Subject to funding, the DRA plans a further stage involving additional signage in other Deakin locations, together with other heritage material, including a designated heritage trail map.
Contact and media enquiries can be made to Dr John Bell on 0438 732 953
This project is supported with funding made available by the ACT Government under the ACT Heritage Grants Program, Environment Planning & Sustainable Development Directorate.

The Deakin Residents’ Association was pleased to receive $14,780 funding from the ACT Government) to undertake a project under the ACT Heritage Grants program 2023-2024

The aim of the Deakin Heritage project is to document and describe heritage aspects of Deakin, emphasising its importance in the historical development and legacy of Canberra as the national capital based on Walter Burley Griffin’s designs and garden city principles. The project is planned in stages, with Stage One being to design and install two Canberra Tracks signs, one at the Deakin shops and one at La Trobe Park, describing the heritage aspects of Deakin. An historian has written a more detailed historical overview of the development of Deakin for the DRA website https://deakinresidents.asn.au/. This will be accessible via the Canberra Tracks app.

As an interim measure until professionally designed, the text of the overview is at link

Photos supporting the signs are at photos

The street names and history are streets

A report, “21^st Century public transport solutions for Canberra,” has been prepared by an independent group of citizens who believe that in this election year, Canberrans need to be fully informed of the cost to date of light rail and that there are better public transport alternatives available. The report analyses the costs and benefits of light rail in Canberra. It reviews the flawed decision making that led to the ACT Government investing in light rail.

“Bus rapid transit (BRT) is the obvious solution for rapid public transport on the stage 2B route. It offers cheaper, faster, more frequent and more adaptable transport than light rail,” the report says
said. “BRT requires fewer transfers between bus and/or light rail services, costs half as much, can be built more quickly, is twice as cost-effective, and will be at least ten minutes faster than light rail stage 2.”

The paper’s recommendations for the ACT include calls to:

• evaluate adopting a trackless tram system to replace light rail;
• cancel existing contracts and abandon work on light rail stage 2B;
• speed up replacing the bus fleet with electric vehicles;
• expand the number of transit lanes; and,
• seek funding Commonwealth funding for a trackless tram trial.

It shows that the actual cost of Light Rail Stage 1 is in excess of $1.78 billion, contrary to promises that it would cost only $614 million. It finds that the cost to date of Light Rail Stage 2A, originally estimated by the ACT Government at $268 million, is now more than $1.2 billion, making its 1.7 kms, one of the most expensive tram tracks in the world.

The report reserves its strongest criticism for Stage 2B – with a projected travel time that will be much longer than an express bus and will be many times the cost of other competitive transport systems such as electric buses and trackless trams.

The light rail currently proposed for Canberra will serve only a tiny percentage of the population. At rush hour, most passengers on a LR journey to/from Woden will need to stand while on buses, most passengers are provided with seats now.

The environmental impact of Canberra’s light rail will be greater than that of alternative systems because of the concrete and steel tracks. The trees in the centre of Commonwealth Avenue will have to go.

The report recommends light rail should be the subject of a public enquiry if the ACT Government persists with it because of its unsuitability to Canberra’s topography, its cost to Canberrans and the negative impact it is having on the ACT’s AAA credit rating.

A bridge capable of carrying more than 100 tonnes will be needed to get light rail across Lake Burley Griffin. Other major bridges will be needed to traverse into and out of State Circle, cross Hopetoun Avenue and navigate into Woden.

Electric buses are more efficient, can be deployed on a variety of routes and are emission free. Their introduction would not disrupt traffic.

The report concludes that light rail Stage 2B should not proceed.

The report is written by Leon Arundell, John Bell, Kent Fitch, Russ Morison, Mike Quirk and Anthony Senti. The Deakin Residents’ Association Committee has agreed to make the accessible to Canberrans from our website. Report can be downloaded from the link www. deakinresidents.asn.au  

Contact for media enquiries is Anthony Senti (0432 247 782) or John Bell (0438 732 953)