Centenary of Women's Suffrage Commemorative Fountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Centenary of Women's Suffrage Commemorative Fountain |
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| Year | 2003 |
| Location | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
| 35°18′11″S 149°07′50″E / 35.3029642°S 149.1304283°E | |
The Centenary of Women's Suffrage Fountain is a special memorial in Canberra, Australia. It is located in the grounds of Old Parliament House. This fountain celebrates a big moment in Australian history. It marks 100 years since the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 was passed. This important law gave white Australian women aged 21 and over the right to vote.
Contents
How the Fountain Came to Be
This section explains how the idea for the fountain started. It also covers the different plans for the memorial.
The First Idea for the Memorial
In 2002, Senator Amanda Vanstone wanted a memorial to celebrate women getting the right to vote. She started a competition to find the best design. The winning design was a tall, red steel structure. It looked like a fan with 10 spinning blades. This design was created by artists Jennifer Turpin and Michaelie Crawford from Sydney.
The plan was to put this artwork behind the Old Parliament House. However, there were some delays in finishing the artwork. Also, many people and the media had concerns about the design. They wondered if it was the right fit for such an important place. Because of these issues, the contract with the artists was cancelled in September 2003.
A New Plan: The Fountain
In 2003, Senator Kay Patterson suggested a new idea. She was the Minister for the Status of Women at the time. She proposed building a fountain instead. This new plan moved forward. Cate Riley and Andrew Smith from the National Capital Authority helped design the fountain. Artist Mary Stuart created and placed the beautiful mosaic tiles.
About the Fountain's Design
The fountain has a simple, rectangular shape. It has six water jets on each side. There is also a small waterfall, called a weir, at one end.
Messages on the Fountain
Around the edge of the fountain's pool, there is special writing. This text remembers the passing of the Commonwealth Franchise Act. It also mentions the election that happened the next year. This was the first election where women could both vote and run for office.
The Walkway of Achievements
A pathway leads away from the fountain. This walkway has tiles embedded in it. These tiles tell the story of important achievements by women. They highlight the contributions of women in the Federal Parliament of Australia.
