National Carillon Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids National Carillon
National Carillon in 2016
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Carillon
Architectural style	Brutalist
Location	Queen Elizabeth II Island, Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Country	Australia
Coordinates	35°17′55″S 149°08′30″E / 35.2985°S 149.1417°E / -35.2985; 149.1417
Inaugurated	26 April 1970 (1970-04-26) by Elizabeth II
Renovated	2004
Owner	Commonwealth of Australia
Landlord	National Capital Authority
Height	50 m (164 ft)
Technical details
Material	Concrete
Design and construction
Architecture firm	Cameron Chisholm Nicol
Other designers	John Taylor & Co (bells)

Commonwealth Heritage List
Official name: Carillon, Wendouree Dr, Parkes, ACT, Australia
Type:	Listed place
Criteria:	D. and E.
Designated:	22 June 2004
Reference #:	105346

The National Carillon is a tall musical tower located on Queen Elizabeth II Island in Lake Burley Griffin, right in the middle of Canberra, Australia. It's like a giant musical instrument with many bells! The National Capital Authority looks after it for the Australian government. This special carillon has 57 bells. They range from a huge bass bell that weighs over 6,000 kilograms to a tiny treble bell weighing just 8 kilograms.

A Gift from Britain
What is a Carillon?
- How the Carillon is Used
- Carillon and Memorials
Gallery
See also

A Gift from Britain

The National Carillon was a gift from the British government to Australia. It was given to celebrate Canberra's 50th birthday as the nation's capital. Architects from both Australia and Britain competed to design it. The winning design came from an Australian company called Cameron Chisholm Nicol.

Building the Carillon

The carillon was designed in 1967 and built between 1969 and 1970. Its three tall columns represent the British government, the Australian government, and the city of Canberra. Queen Elizabeth II herself officially opened the National Carillon on April 26, 1970. This tower is a symbol of the strong connection between Britain and Australia. It also marks an important moment in Canberra's history.

The tower stands 50 meters (about 164 feet) tall. The bells and their playing system were made by John Taylor & Co in England.

Carillon's Unique Style

The carillon is a great example of a building style called "Brutalism." This style uses strong, bold shapes and often has large, plain walls. It also features straight lines and concrete materials.

Exciting Upgrades in 2019

In 2019, the carillon got some cool upgrades! It received a brand new keyboard, called a "clavier," and a completely new system to connect the keys to the bells. Two new bells were also added.

One new bell was named the Ngunnawal bell. This was to honor the first people of the Canberra area. This bell is very heavy, weighing over 5,000 kilograms, and plays the note G. The other new bell was the lightest one, making the carillon's musical range even wider. These improvements were also done by John Taylor & Co. The work was finished even though there were some delays because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is a Carillon?

To be called a carillon, an instrument must have at least 23 bells. The National Carillon has 57 bells! When it was first built, it had 53 bells. More bells were added during updates in 2003-2004, bringing the total to 55, and then 57 in 2019. Each bell weighs between 7 kilograms and 6,000 kilograms. The bells can play many different notes, covering almost five full musical octaves.

How the Carillon is Used

The carillon plays chimes every 15 minutes and a short tune every hour. You can also enjoy special tours and concerts on many days. For example, there's usually a concert of Christmas songs on Christmas Eve each year.

The best place to hear the carillon is within 100 meters (about 328 feet) of the tower. However, you can often hear its beautiful sound much further away in areas like the Parliamentary Triangle and Kingston. The quarter-hourly chimes sound a bit like those from Big Ben at London's Houses of Parliament.

Carillon and Memorials

The National Workers Memorial is located nearby. It was designed so that people visiting the memorial could hear the carillon's bells. The sound of the bells helps people remember their loved ones.

Gallery

The many bells inside the National Carillon
A hot air balloon flying over Lake Burley Griffin, with the National Carillon below
The special keyboard used to play the carillon
The Carillon at sunset in 2011
The National Carillon lit up in royal purple for the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II
A sign at the National Carillon