Forrest, Australian Capital Territory
Encyclopedia
Forrest is a suburb of Canberra
, Australian Capital Territory
, Australia
. Forrest is named after Sir John Forrest
, an explorer, legislator
, Federalist
, premier of Western Australia
, and one of the fathers of the Australian Constitution. Streets in Forrest are named after explorers and governors.
Forrest is one of the few suburbs in Canberra built to the original Canberra plans. It contains many circular and geometric patterns in its streets and can be quite confusing to drive in. Forrest was renamed from the earlier suburb Blandfordia (the name of the Christmas Bell
) and gazetted as a suburb in 1928.
South Blandfordia became part of the new suburb of Griffith
at the same time.
The original residents of Forrest were mostly senior public servants who were moved from Melbourne.
. The suburb also contains a government run primary school.
Forrest together with the northern parts of Deakin and Red Hill (sometimes called "old Deakin" and "old Red Hill"), represent the most prestigious residential area in Canberra. Most of the area is detached dwellings in which a 1600 m2 block would be on the small side, and 2000 m² blocks are not atypical.
, that is street signs, fire hydrants and footpath lighting and other elements including kerbs and gutters and examples of brick drains, are valued for their contribution to the aesthetic of a twentieth century 'Garden City' planned subdivision. The furniture is now protected.
is found in all except the northeast side. There are a few outcrops of sediments in amongst the volcanics containing shale
and sandstone
. On the northeast a patch of Ordovician Pittman Formation greywacke
outcrops along Canberra Avenue. Black Mountain Sandstone is near St Andrew's church in the north north east. Canberra Formation, calcareous shale is found in the north.
The Deakin
Fault runs from State Circle to Manuka separating the Mount Painter Volcanics from the other sediments.
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Forrest is named after Sir John Forrest
John Forrest
Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament....
, an explorer, legislator
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
, Federalist
Federalist
The term federalist describes several political beliefs around the world. Also, it may refer to the concept of federalism or the type of government called a federation...
, premier of Western Australia
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
, and one of the fathers of the Australian Constitution. Streets in Forrest are named after explorers and governors.
Forrest is one of the few suburbs in Canberra built to the original Canberra plans. It contains many circular and geometric patterns in its streets and can be quite confusing to drive in. Forrest was renamed from the earlier suburb Blandfordia (the name of the Christmas Bell
Blandfordia
Blandfordia is a genus of flowering plants, placed in the family Blandfordiaceae of the order Asparagales of the monocots. The genus is native to eastern Australia. Plants in this genus are commonly referred to as Christmas Bells due to the shape of their flowers and the timing of their flowering...
) and gazetted as a suburb in 1928.
South Blandfordia became part of the new suburb of Griffith
Griffith, Australian Capital Territory
Griffith is an early inner-south suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Griffith is named after Sir Samuel Griffith, who was chosen in 1903 as the first Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and retained his position until retirement in 1919...
at the same time.
The original residents of Forrest were mostly senior public servants who were moved from Melbourne.
Demography
On Census night 2006, Forrest had a population of 1191 people.Education
Forrest Primary School is situated in Hobart Avenue in Forrest. It caters for students in years P-6. The students wear red and yellow. The school celebrated its fiftieth anniversary on 4 April 2008.Suburb amenities
The suburb includes part of the Manuka shopping centreManuka, Australian Capital Territory
Manuka is an area in the Inner South district of Canberra, Australia covering parts of the suburbs of Griffith and Forrest. Manuka Shops, Manuka Oval, Manuka Swimming Pool, and Manuka Circle take their name from the park in the area.- Origin of name :...
. The suburb also contains a government run primary school.
Forrest together with the northern parts of Deakin and Red Hill (sometimes called "old Deakin" and "old Red Hill"), represent the most prestigious residential area in Canberra. Most of the area is detached dwellings in which a 1600 m2 block would be on the small side, and 2000 m² blocks are not atypical.
Notable places
Urban conservation area
The suburb is subject to conservation measures to preserve its character. Important values being preserved in the suburb are:- The majority of the precinct was constructed in 1926 – 27 to meet the urgent need to provide housing for public servants prior to the opening of the provisional Parliament HouseOld Parliament House, CanberraOld Parliament House, known formerly as the Provisional Parliament House, was the house of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. The building began operation on 9 May 1927 as a temporary base for the Commonwealth Parliament after its relocation from Melbourne to the new capital, Canberra,...
in 19271927 in AustraliaSee also:1926 in Australia,other events of 1927,1928 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.-Incumbents:*Monarch – King George V*Governor-General – John Baird, 1st Viscount Stonehaven*Prime Minister – Stanley Bruce-State premiers:...
. - The Melbourne firm Oakley, Parkes and Scarborough won a 1924 competition to design the housing for the precinct.
- The street layout is directly derived from Griffin’s 1913 plan which defined the major axes of Melbourne and Hobart Avenues radiating from Capital Hill and concentric circles. The road layout and subdivision pattern of the precinct is mirrored on the opposite side of Melbourne Avenue.
- The public domain landscaping of the precinct is associated with Thomas Charles Weston, Superintendent of Parks, Gardens and Afforestation, Canberra 1913-1926. Weston’s use of Australian native species was an unusual practice for this period.
- The precinct is also a repository of a small number of compatible privately built dwellings designed by early local architects including Kenneth H Oliphant, one of Canberra’s first independent architects. Oliphant’s work has contributed notably to the character of the urban architecture of Canberra.
Street furniture
The remnants of street furnitureStreet furniture
Street furniture is a collective term for objects and pieces of equipment installed on streets and roads for various purposes, including traffic barriers,...
, that is street signs, fire hydrants and footpath lighting and other elements including kerbs and gutters and examples of brick drains, are valued for their contribution to the aesthetic of a twentieth century 'Garden City' planned subdivision. The furniture is now protected.
Forrest residences
These buildings are in the block bounded by Canberra Avenue, Empire Circuit, Manuka Circle and Fitzroy Street. They were completed in 1938 and include a former fire station. The buildings are considered important examples of Australian Early Modern Architecture and illustrate a distinctive comparison with the "Federal Capital Architecture" that dominated in Canberra in the 1920s and 30s.Geology
Mount Painter Volcanics dark grey to green grey dacitic tuffTuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
is found in all except the northeast side. There are a few outcrops of sediments in amongst the volcanics containing shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. On the northeast a patch of Ordovician Pittman Formation greywacke
Greywacke
Greywacke or Graywacke is a variety of sandstone generally characterized by its hardness, dark color, and poorly sorted angular grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments or lithic fragments set in a compact, clay-fine matrix. It is a texturally immature sedimentary rock generally found...
outcrops along Canberra Avenue. Black Mountain Sandstone is near St Andrew's church in the north north east. Canberra Formation, calcareous shale is found in the north.
The Deakin
Deakin, Australian Capital Territory
Deakin is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Deakin is named after Alfred Deakin, second prime minister of Australia...
Fault runs from State Circle to Manuka separating the Mount Painter Volcanics from the other sediments.