OUTCOME OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
We had a very successful AGM on 26 March and our Committee has expanded to include a new member and a returning member. Marianne Albury-Colless continues in her role as President; Robyn Bergin as Secretary; and Derk Swieringa returns to his role as Treasurer and Public Officer. Committee members are: Anne Buttsworth AM, Sue Byrne, Gary Fan, John Henderson, Molly Henman, Roy Jordan and new member Debbie Wauchop.
Tony Maple, a local historian and raconteur, was our guest and spoke of the time before Reid and the early days. We include a short summary for those who couldn’t make it on the night.
Before Reid: The People at the Heart of Old Canberra
Tony opened his presentation by speaking of the local Aboriginal tribes who had inhabited the land now known as Canberra for about 1,250 generation or 25,000 years. Europeans arrived about 200 years ago, a mere 5 generations or so, and James Dickson was the first to prepare a map of the region in 1829.
The local European residents included JJ Moore who could be found on his Acton Peninsula property, Canberry, in 1823. Nearby, in Quinbeam, now known as Queanbeyan, was Timothy Beard, an ex-convict who was nudged off his land by Robert Campbell. Robert Campbell, a Sydney businessman, had received a very large land grant from the government in compensation for the loss of one of his ships that had been seconded by the government. Robert engaged James Ainslie to bring the first sheep to Pialligo which became Duntroon. Pierce Smith lived at Acton and was responsible for building the rectory in the glebe which ran down the western boundary of the Campbell property (which is now about the middle of Coranderrk Street).
Robert Campbell in front of St. John’s Church
With an increasing number of European land-owners in the region, the government commissioned Robert Hoddle to survey land boundaries. Hoddle later went on to survey Melbourne. Both areas were laid out with magnetic north-south boundaries. In 1841, the Bishop of Australia, William Broughton, visited Robert Campbell and they discussed the need for a church. They decided that it was better to locate the church outside Duntroon on Scott’s Crossing Road and the church can be seen in an 1845 photograph of Canberra. St John’s Schoolhouse can also be seen in this photo, albeit without a roof due to a fire. One of its earliest students was Harry Holland who later became a socialist, was jailed for sedition, and moved to New Zealand where he ended up Leader of the Opposition. Scott’s Crosssing Road can also be seen in a 1915 photo of General Bridges’ funeral procession.
It wasn’t until Frederick Campbell fenced his land, disrupting some of short cuts people had become accustomed to, that the government formally surveyed roads in the area. Frederick was also responsible for bringing trout to the Canberra River and rugby union to the region.
The church school, the smithy and the first post office were all located in what is now Reid. Priscilla Williams ran a post office on Limestone Avenue with her much older husband. She continued after his death in 1886 until she retired in 1913. It was an important role in the community because, as post mistress, she had licence to read the Squire’s newspaper and was therefore one of the most informed people, and knowledge sharers, in the district. The site of the Post Office is marked on Allambee Street at the back of Kanangra Court. You can also find a plaque on the site of the first business in Canberra – Murray’s Bakery – in Commonwealth Park.
In 1908 the Commonwealth Government selected the Yass-Canberra district as the location for a national capital and sent Charles Scrivener to determine where it should be within that district. Later, there was an international competition to design the capital and the winning plans, drawn up by Walter and Marion Burley Griffin, were considered as input into a plan drawn up by a departmental board in 1912. Following an outcry, the government ditched this idea and asked Griffin to be involved. Until 1927 Reid was known as South Ainslie.
UNSW CANBERRA CITY STAGE 1 WORKS APPROVAL
The National Capital Authority public notification period for the Works Approval for UNSW’s Canberra City Stage 1 has begun. The consultation period will close on Friday, 23 May 2025 at 5.00 pm. Full details are available on the NCA website as is information on how to submit feedback.
Indicative facade from Constitution Avenue, from the UNSW consultation website
LODGING APPLICATIONS WITH THE ACT HERITAGE COUNCIL
The ACT Government has developed a new guide for lodging applications with the ACT Heritage Council for development and works. It is aimed at anyone seeking advice or an approval from the Heritage Council, including heritage-property owners, managers, and agents; private developers; or an ACT Government agency. It can be found at https://www.act.gov.au/environment/heritage/apply-for-heritage-approvals-and-permits/development-at-heritage-sites.
COMMONWEALTH PARK CONCEPT VISION 2025 – PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
The National Capital Authority (NCA) has released its concept vision for the revitalisation of Commonwealth Park and has invited the community and stakeholders to provide feedback by Friday 20 June 2025.
Like most vision statements it’s expressed in up-beat language lauding the benefits of the built environment—pools, playgrounds, cafes. We believe the continuing development of the City and West Basin increases the need to retain natural spaces so that residents, and others, can find respite from city noises and busy days and restore some inner calm. Revitalisation of public spaces sounds great but, so often, undervalues the importance of gardens, nature and solitude.
With the election over, it also looks like the new convention centre will become a reality making the move of Civic Pool a fait accompli. Whether utilising a valuable city park for this purpose is the right move is another question.
We encourage you to visit the Commonwealth Park Concept Vision 2025 on the NCA’s website at https://www.nca.gov.au/yourcapitalyoursay/commonwealthpark. There is a community briefing on Thursday 22 May from 5.30 to 6.30 pm—you will need to register—and pop up sessions and an online survey. Submissions can be made online at yourcapitalyoursay/commonwealthpark), by email to Commonwealth.park@nca.gov.au or by mail GPO Box Canberra ACT 2600.
From the Concept Vision statement
INTERESTING IN BELL-RINGING?
The bell tower at St. John’s Church is open the first Sunday of the month for an hour from 5-6 pm for budding campanologists and interested members of the public to have a go at ringing. You are welcome for a few minutes or the full hour.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: STREET NAMES OF REID
Did you know that the streets in Reid are representative of many the principal Aboriginal languages and were selected in alphabetical order, radiating outwards from London Circuit? For example, Amaroo means beautiful rest; Booroondara shady place; and Kogarah place of rushes. So, not only is Reid a beautiful place now it seems it always was. See more on the RRA website.
RESIDENTS OF REID: PROFILING MARIANNE ALBURY-COLLESS
| Marianne is a long-term resident of Reid and President of the RRA since 2018. She was sensitised to heritage very early on, growing up in a beautiful and historic home in Bomaderry.
She became a teacher (she freely admits to an obsession with the misuse of apostrophes) and then a Commonwealth public servant—at the Australian War Memorial, National Museum, Parliamentary Education Office, Department of Environment, Public Service Commission and Murray-Darling Basin Authority. She has adult daughters who grew up in Canberra and together lived in India, Malaysia and China. She has been a member of the North Canberra Community |
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| Council for many years; on the National Trust Heritage and Tours and Events Committees; is Convenor of Friends of the Ainslie Volcanics Grasslands (opposite the Mercure) and works with Friends of Grasslands, tackling invasive species and invasive telecommunications towers! Marianne is keen on working to keep up values of heritage in our housing precinct, recognising the support the RRA has received from the Heritage Unit to restore our street signposts and develop a Conservation Management Plan for Reid Park Sports Ground. Keep up the good work Marianne! | |
ACT Neighbourhood Watch – Reid crime statistics
| February 2025 | March 2025 | April 2025 | |
| Ainslie Ave | Other theft | Assault other | Other property damage
Other theft |
| Allambee St | Theft of vehicle no. plates
Other property damage |
Assault causing ABH
Assault other |
|
| Boolee St | Bicycle theft | ||
| Constitution Ave | Other theft | ||
| Cooyong St | Theft of vehicle no. plates
Other theft |
Burglary dwellings | Other theft |
| Currong St | Other theft | ||
| Goreen St | Assault other | ||
| Kogarah Lane | Other theft |
| Community
News |
St John’s Anglican Church
events: stjohnscanberra.org |
Canberra Korean Uniting Church
events: canberrakorean.uca.org.au |
| St Peter’s Lutheran Church
events: stpeters-canberra.lutheran.org.au |
Reid Tennis Club est 1928
bookings: play.tennis.com.au/reidtennisclub |
RRA Committee 2025–26 Contact via: info@reid.northcanberra.org.au
President: Marianne Albury-Colless Secretary: Robyn Bergin Treasurer & Public Officer: Derk Swieringa Committee: Anne Buttsworth AM, Sue Byrne, Gary Fan, John Henderson, Molly Henman, Roy Jordan and Debbie Wauchop