1 May 2017 – Canberra ACT
Today we planned to visit the Australian War Memorial which opened at 10:00am.
We left early to allow time to park and also let us take some pictures of the area that surrounds the War Memorial.
By the time that the Memorial opened, we had taken our pictures. The clear skies of recent days was replaced today with clouds but there was no threat of rain.
Having checked the War Memorial’s web site yesterday, “He” was armed with a camera and a bag containing a second camera and a variety of lens. We passed through security where our bags were checked and then asked by non security staff to attend the cloak room to determine if my camera bag could be taken inside the Memorial. The events of the next few minutes are best described in an email that was sent to the War Memorial after our visit.
“Good Afternoon
We visited the Memorial today and I had some minor issue with entry resultant of a camera bag that I was carrying. I was initially asked to “cloak” the bag (with several thousand dollars of photographic gear in the bag) but was finally allowed to take the bag with me provided it was carried by hand and not on my back.
Before my visit, I checked your website regards photography and noted that:
Conditions of entry
- • For safety reasons, visitors are required to present bags (including small handbags and camera cases) for inspection, and to cloak large items (in our Orientation Gallery).
- • Photography and handheld video cameras are permitted.
I did not interpret the above to mean I could not take my camera bag with me specifically when it implied I could with the only requirement being to present the bag for inspection. I’m also certain that I have taken the same bag with me during my last visit a couple of years ago.
I would recommend that you vary the above wording to clarify “large items” if that includes camera bags. During my visit, I did see another person with a camera bag carried “over his shoulder”.
I am very grateful to the supervisor who did allow me to carry my bag and I would appreciate if he could be given a “thank you” on my behalf.
The Australian War Memorial is a very special place to us with links back to a sailor who was killed on The Perth.
I sincerely hope that the conditions on your web site and printed material (if applicable) can be clarified to remove any issues in the future that may impact another visitor.
Kind Regards”
It was difficult carrying my bag for the several hours we were inside the Memorial but the inconvenience did not overshadow the visit.
We attended a wonderful talk about the “Enigma” machine and also placed a poppy against the name of someone who is special to us.
After leaving the Memorial, we made a visit to the National Arboretum. The following comes from their web site.
“Prior to 2003, most of the 250-hectare Arboretum site was occupied by pine plantations. However, after the devastating bushfires of 2003, the ACT Government resolved to replant the site as a ‘national arboretum’. A design competition was launched in 2004 and the winning design, 100 Forests 100 Gardens, focused on establishing an arboretum to display forests of rare, threatened and/or iconic species from around the world, including Australia. This design also incorporated the cork oak and Himalayan cedar forests, planted early last century, much of which survived the fires. Experimental plantings, research and education were all to be important aspects of this project.
Planting began in 2006 and is now mostly complete with just a few forests still to be planted. Already we can see the area evolving into a beautiful patchwork of young forests, many with seasonal interest, displaying new spring growth, flowering, fruiting, autumn colour, shedding bark, attracting birds and insects, so there is always something new to discover.
The Arboretum has been open to the public since February 2013. It is located at the western end of Lake Burley Griffin, about 6 km from the centre of Canberra—Australia’s national capital. The site is undulating with lookouts, so visitors can enjoy fantastic views, particularly to the east where the Arboretum overlooks the lake and the city.”
We were a little disappointed with what there was to see but imagine that this will be a wonderful site to visit in future years when the trees start to grow.
Our final stop was to the Royal Australian Mint where we took the opportunity to visit a gallery where you can see coins being produced. We made several coins in a press and also purchased some proof coins to take home.
We had a quick happy hour in the caravan before enjoying dinner in the café located inside the caravan park.