We woke to a mild morning under cloudy skies and were up enjoying breakfast while fellow campers stirred around us. The gazebo opposite our campsite that had blown away during the evening was back where it belonged – the owners had returned and made good overnight. Chris and our neighbour had stopped it blowing too far away in their absence, but couldn’t return it to where it came from without something to secure it to the ground.
Our plan of attack for the day was to visit the Australian War Memorial as soon as it opened (to avoid the anticipated build up of holiday crowds), then to head over to the National Portrait Gallery later in the day. We left our campsite with plenty of time to spare, so decided to stop off at Old Parliament House to check out the historic gardens that have been rejuvenated and opened to the public.
The gardens had been neglected once the new Parliament House opened in the 1980s, and it was only recently that efforts were made to restore them. The grounds have had a makeover and are largely dedicated to rose gardens.
While not really the season for roses, a number were still in full bloom. Effort had been taken to retain the red playing surface on the Senate tennis courts and green for the House of Reps courts. Once they would have been clay and grass respectively.
Chris had read about a significant monument located outside the gardens to the west and we went in search of it amongst the tall cypress and ancient oak trees. The Magna Carta monument pays homage to the basic principles of the rule of law that is an integral part of the Australian constitution. The unassuming monument could have been missed if were didn’t know what we were looking for.
Once again we crossed Lake Burley Griffin and continued up ANZAC Parade to the Australian War Memorial. Seating, public address systems and large outdoor TV screens were already in place for the ANZAC Day dawn service on the 25th April.
Entry to the War Memorial is up a flight of stairs that lead directly to the Reflection Pool and Eternal Flame. The open area is flanked by a covered verandah that includes the name of service men and women killed while serving their country. Family and friends leave red poppies as a sign of respect beside the names of the fallen. The list of names goes on and on – it’s quite humbling.
The War Memorial hosts an amazing collection of artefacts which cover all theatres of war Austrailans has participated in – from pre Federation to recent times.
It is a timely reminder as you walk the corridors that death and destruction are the only guaranteed outcomes of war.
For a change of pace we recrossed Lake Burley Griffin to visit the Portrait Gallery set behind / underneath the High Court building. A quick stop was required to remove the UHF antenna from the bull bar so we could fit in the underground car park beneath the gallery.
Our first priority was a quick lunch before wandering through the portraits on display. Not only are the subject matters generally well-known people, the artists are often highly regarded and much admired painters. Many pieces on display have either won, or been well placed in, previous Archibald competitions.
We detoured via Manuka for a stroll around the nearly deserted shops to take in the afternoon sun. The autumn leaves have clearly turned, making for a colourful streetscape and providing plenty of work for those employeed to sweep up the leaves.