City Hill, Canberra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids City Hill, Canberra |
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Aerial view of City Hill and the Vernon Circle
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| Location | Civic, Australian Capital Territory |
City Hill is a special park located in Canberra, Australia's capital city. It sits on one of the points of the Parliamentary Triangle. This triangle is a key part of Walter Burley Griffin's original plan for Canberra. The park is surrounded by a road called Vernon Circle. This area is an important part of Canberra's city center design.
Discovering City Hill
City Hill is a well-known landmark in Canberra. It is centrally located within the city. However, it is not often visited by people. This is because it's a bit away from shops and public areas. It can also be tricky to get to because major roads surround it.
A Special Design
The trees on City Hill were first planted in 1921. Charles Weston, Canberra's first Superintendent of Parks and Gardens, oversaw the design. The goal was to highlight the views along the six main avenues that spread out from the hill. This design also helped show how important Griffin thought the hill was as part of the Parliamentary Triangle.
What You'll See There
At the very center of City Hill, you will find a tall flagpole. This flagpole has flown the ACT flag since 1989. That was the year the territory became self-governing.
Right around the flagpole are rows of Roman cypresses. These trees are planted closely together. Spreading out from the center are twelve oval-shaped groups of Roman cypresses. There are also six groups of Monterey pines. These trees help make the design look very balanced and symmetrical.
In 2014, the Canberra Centenary Column was added to the park. This column was put there to celebrate Canberra's 100th birthday.
Hidden Surprises
Even though City Hill is in the middle of a big city, it feels a bit isolated. Because of this, you might find some interesting things there. For example, a small variety of mushrooms can grow under the pine trees. This is quite unusual for a city center park.
The prominent flagpole in the middle of Vernon Circle is not actually at the highest point of City Hill. The true highest point is to the southeast. From there, you can look out over Lake Burley Griffin.
