Southern Gateway Planning – There is a pop-up meeting to collect feedback from Deakin residents. It scheduled for Saturday, 22 August 2026, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Deakin Netball Courts.

You can access the full draft proposal on the ACT Government YourSay Conversations Southern Gateway Portal. https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/southerngatewaycorridor

If you are unable to attend, the public consultation feedback remains open until 15 September 2026 via the Draft Southern Gateway Survey.

https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/southerngatewaycorridor/southern-gateway-planning-and-design-framework-survey

DRA met with Senator Pocock’s office and discussed the following 

• Non-Compliance with Commonwealth legislation – PALM Act 1988, National Capital Plan, EPBC Act 1999
• National Capital Authority – operational approach, capability, consultation
• Complex & confused planning responsibilities – National Capita Authority & ACT Government
• No integrated or holistic approach – information lacking disconnected or misleading
• Approach disconnected from civil and social infrastructurebrequirements – Mint Interchange, community facilities and services
• Not clear why National Capital Authority is Planning Authority for new high-density suburb that is not nationally significan

See also the attachments

A report in June 2026 discusses independent cost estimates by Smart Canberra Transport and
Australian Logistics Study Centre (ALSC) for ACT light rail Stages 1, 2A and 2B.

This review was prompted by the public announcement by Chief Minister Barr (7Mar26) that among other measures to rein-in capital expenditure on infrastructure, a decision on progress of Stage 2B would not be taken until after the 2028 ACT election. This decision followed the Eslake review of ACT finances, commissioned by the ACT Legislative Assembly, which, among other things, criticised the funds being spent on infrastructure instead of on more important projects for the community.

DRA has now received a reply from the ACT Government in response to the concerns we raised about the impact of Light Rail Stage 2B on the Parliamentary precinct.

We are pleased to note that the Minister’s letter addresses the issues we put forward. These were matters that we believe were overlooked in the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). We will now examine the forthcoming final EIS closely to see whether those concerns have been properly recognised and addressed.

In his response, Minister Chris Steel acknowledges the national significance of the Parliamentary Zone and the importance of protecting its heritage and environmental values. He states that the project is being developed in accordance with the National Capital Plan and that environmental and heritage assessments are being undertaken through the EIS process. He also says that a landscape-led approach is being used to minimise impacts and integrate the project more sensitively with its surroundings.

The Minister notes that the draft EIS considered impacts on biodiversity, heritage, traffic and transport, and landscape character. According to the letter, the project adopts an approach of avoiding and minimising impacts wherever possible, particularly in sensitive areas such as the Parliamentary precinct. Where impacts cannot be avoided, the Government says it intends to rely on measures such as heritage management procedures, construction environmental controls, rehabilitation works, and replacement planting.

The letter also confirms that community feedback during public exhibition of the draft EIS has informed revisions to the final EIS. One of the changes now identified is a shift from median running to inner running south of Sydney Avenue until the transition onto Adelaide Avenue. The Minister says this arrangement was assessed in the draft EIS and that it has a comparable footprint to the previous option, with a similar extent of impact because the road corridor would still need to be widened.

On traffic, the Minister acknowledges concerns about changes near Capital Circle and Adelaide Avenue. He says traffic signals at that intersection are considered necessary to integrate light rail safely with the existing road network and to address known safety issues. The letter further states that, while some changes to traffic conditions are expected, investigations indicate that average delays in peak periods are anticipated to be less than 10 seconds.

The Minister also states that Stage 2B remains a proposal and is still subject to assessment and determination under Commonwealth and ACT legislative processes. He says the final EIS will be made publicly available and that people who made submissions will be notified. The Government has also indicated that a comprehensive business case will be developed after planning approvals are completed and before any future investment decision is made.

DRA welcomes the fact that the Minister has directly addressed the concerns raised by residents. However, the key test will be whether the final EIS meaningfully reflects these issues and demonstrates that the heritage, landscape and environmental values of the Parliamentary precinct are being properly protected.

We will continue to review the material carefully as it becomes available and will keep residents informed.

The Deakin Residents Association has received 1,600 Floriade bulbs for planting at the Deakin shops. The garden beds have been prepared, and we are ready for the main planting day.

Saturday 13 June
2:00 pm
Deakin Shops

Under the guidance of Jack and Jenny Gault, we will be planting the bulbs that will form this year’s spring display.

The 2023 display was widely admired and helped create a stronger sense of community in Deakin. Some photos of the 2023 display can be seen here: We hope this year’s planting will be equally successful.

If you can assist, please bring gardening gloves and a small hand trowel if you have one.

We have also been allocated annuals to plant between the bulbs. A second working bee has therefore been scheduled for Saturday 27 June, when we will plant the annuals and complete any remaining work.

To help with planning, please let us know if you expect to attend on either or both days.

Federal Golf Club and its retirement village operator partner Mbark are inviting the community to participate in consultation regarding a proposal to remove the concessional status from a 6.9 hectare section of the Federal Golf Course.

Community consultation will take place from 18 May to 18 June 2026.

Residents are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming information sessions where proposal materials will be presented and representatives from Federal Golf Club and Mbark will be available to answer questions.

Consultation Sessions

• Online Session 1
  Tuesday 2 June 2026 – 6:30pm via Zoom
• Public Forum
  Wednesday 3 June 2026 – 7:00pm
  Hosted by Woden Valley Community Council via Zoom
• Online Session 2
  Thursday 4 June 2026 – 6:30pm via Zoom

Background information and plans relating to the proposal can be viewed at:
Active & Connected Consultation Website

To register your interest in attending a session, please email:
taniaparkes@taniaparkes.com.au
Please nominate which session you would like to attend and details will be sent to you.

Further Information

• Email: taniaparkes@taniaparkes.com.au
• Telephone: 1800 172 173

Community submissions can be made at any time during the consultation period by emailing:
community@fgc.com.au

Consultation closes on 18 June 2026.

For more information about Federal Golf Club visit:
Federal Golf Club

Pedal Power is working on a joint study with the University of Adelaide to study how cyclist visibility can impact driver behaviours! If you’re a regular commuter or cyclist, who rides more than 50km a week, and have an interest in improving road safety, they’d love to have you involved in the study. For more information, and to sign up, click here.

The ACT Government is considering an alternative location for Traction Power Substation 8 (TPS8) as part of Light Rail Stage 2B to Woden.
The initial site was the grassed area at the corner of Gunn Street and Guilfoyle Street, Yarralumla.

The new proposed location is the Denison Street car park in Deakin, opposite Deakin House.

The DRA is seeking further information about how this alternative site would integrate with the planned Molonglo Interchange and the Kent Street Station, including potential impacts on access, traffic, parking, visual amenity, and local businesses.

Residents and businesses are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming community information sessions:

Community Information Sessions

Session 1

• Date: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
• Time: 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
• Location: Denison Street car park (Opposite Deakin House)

Session 2

• Date: Thursday, 11 December 2025
• Time: 8:00 am – 9:30 am
• Location: Denison Street car park (Opposite Deakin House)

The DRA will continue to follow this issue closely and engage with residents, neighbouring community groups, businesses, and relevant government agencies. Further updates will be posted as more information becomes available. More information about Stage 2 at https://www.act.gov.au/lightrailtowoden/stage-2b

If you would like to raise concerns or provide feedback, please contact the DRA at: vicepresident@deakinresidents.asn.au

The following summarises the outcomes of the Deakin Residents Association Annual General Meeting held on 13 November 2025 at 6:00 pm.

Despite earlier concerns that we may not have sufficient nominees for a 2026 Committee, the meeting was well attended and generated constructive discussion.

Engagement with Canberra Girls Grammar School

Sandie Simmons and Nancy Lee represented Canberra Girls Grammar School (CGGS). They noted that the School will celebrate its 100th year of operation in 2026, and members suggested that this milestone would be an excellent opportunity for CGGS to showcase aspects of Deakin’s history.

They also outlined a range of opportunities for collaboration with the DRA, particularly through their community-service program. One suggestion was that students might assist older residents with computers and digital skills. There was also discussion about opportunities for students to help record local heritage and stories associated with notable residents and historic homes.

Members noted that intergenerational learning could work both ways, with students benefiting from the knowledge and experiences of older residents while offering practical support to the community. More information for residents interested in participating will be circulated shortly.

Heritage Documentation and Local History

Several members expressed interest in extending last year’s Heritage project to document the heritage of Deakin, especially the histories of homes associated with influential or long-standing residents. CGGS students may be able to contribute to this work as part of their community-service activities.

Liaison with Local Businesses

DRA aims to strengthen engagement with local businesses.
Jason El-Khoury from HIVE attended the meeting, spoke about current trends in the real-estate market, and expressed enthusiasm for continuing last year’s successful Easter egg hunt. HIVE is also keen to explore additional initiatives that may benefit or interest the Deakin community.

Yarralumla Residents Association Update

Peter Pharaoh from the Yarralumla Residents Association (YRA) outlined several initiatives underway in Yarralumla, including a Christmas event and local tree-maintenance activities. He also described YRA’s concerns regarding proposals to convert existing open space and parkland into a permanent traction facility for the proposed Light Rail extension to Woden.

Peter also noted that YRA has a volunteer team working on their streetscape due to limited council support. Their approach helps maintain the appearance and amenity of Yarralumla and provides a model the DRA may wish to explore for Deakin. More information will follow as this idea develops.

ACT Finances and Rates Concerns

MLA Fiona Carrick provided an overview of the ACT’s financial position, including the increasing burden of debt servicing. Forward projections indicate that interest payments will exceed $1 billion in FY 2028/29. Concerns were raised that more services appear to be directed to the north side of the lake, while rates remain higher on the south side with unclear benefits returned.

We have written to Ms Carrick taking up her offer to obtain information from ACT Treasury on the total amount of rates paid by Deakin households and the level of expenditure in the suburb.

Members also requested information on how unimproved value is calculated and how revenue is allocated across suburbs.

For those interested in a more detailed overview of ACT finances, the ISCCC is hosting a public forum with guest speaker Dr Khalid Ahmed (former senior ACT Treasury official):
Monday 24 November 2025, 7:00–9:00 pm, Eastlake Football Club.
More details are available at the link

Ms Carrick also expressed concern about insufficient community space and the growing number of major residential developments proposed for Woden—including 17 new apartment towers, one at 54 storeys.

Committee for 2026

We are pleased to confirm that a full Committee has been formed for 2026, including Treasurer and Secretary positions. Nominations were received and accepted for the following members:

• Jack Gault – Public Officer
• John Bell – Treasurer
• Peter “Batch” Batcheldor – Secretary
• Mark Rebentrost
• George Wilson
• Martin Jennings
• Brian Leonard
• Carol Guida
• Jim Bain
• Leanne Thomas
• Philippa Rowland
• Peter Longland

The positions of President and Vice President will be determined by the Committee following further discussion.

We have also been approached by representatives of the Forrest Residents Group (FRG) regarding closer collaboration with the DRA, given our shared interests, adjacency, and overlapping community concerns. The Committee agreed that this opportunity should be explored further.

Volunteers for DRA Projects

We received strong interest from members willing to contribute to ongoing and emerging DRA priorities, including:

• Bikeway and active-travel advocacy
  • DRA is working with Pedal Power is exploring options to establish a safe, continuous cycling route from Woden to Civic.
• Improving street landscapes, nature strips and amenity
  • Members are encouraged to continue reporting issues through FixMyStreet.
• Rates and benefits
• Traffic speed and volume issues
• The Deakin heritage project

Probable closure of the Scout Group in Deakin

The DRA is saddened to learn that the Scout Group at Latrobe Park is likely to close due to an inability to attract sufficient leaders to continue its youth-development activities.

The Group began in December 1925 as Second Canberra and has operated from the Latrobe Park Scout Hall since 1963, when the Hall was opened by the then Governor-General, Lord De L’Isle. Local parents and Scouts raised funds for its construction, including through bottle drives.

In 2003 the Group was renamed Air Scouts Canberra, reflecting the aviation-themed program introduced by me as the then Group Leader.

In light of the Group’s impending closure, I am proposing to contact former Scouts, leaders, parents and supporters to gauge interest in a gathering at Latrobe Park. Such an event could:

• provide an opportunity to reminisce and acknowledge the Group’s century-long contribution to youth development in Deakin and Canberra.
• help collect stories, photographs and memorabilia for the Deakin heritage project; and
• offer a forum to consider alternatives to closure and fund raising.

The Committee agrees that this idea warrants further consideration and planning.

Warm regards,
George Wilson AM
Vice President, Deakin Residents Association
 0418 236 575
 www.deakinresidents.asn.au