I grew up in Ainslie from '55 a stones throw from "the pines" as we called them. At that stage the park was so dence and unkept that as young kids we were afraid to walk too far into them.

It was Menzies' wife who got him to pull his finger out and get on with building Canberra. He himself had little interest in the place.

Russell, I so happy to come across your channel and see you educating the folk on how fab The Nation's (Bush) Capital is! 🌇 🦘. I'm rare: Canberra born and bred... And happily raising my family here. I won't lean into the #southside4lyf or #northside debate, as we have only just met. However, I'm looking forward to watching your other vids and seeing more of your work. ☺️

now you're a real canberra channel

Lived here from one and a half years old (1963), very few suburbs, in fact the suburb we built in after living in Yarralumla for a while was a paddock with sheep on it - it is called Curtin. Since then I have lived outside ACT and in the north and many places in the south. I am 100% a southside person. Too many paragraphs would be needed to explain. North is okay but I am loving I bought in the Southside.

G’day Russel, Just recently found your channel and really enjoy your videos! I wonder if you’re interested in doing a video of how Canberrans were represented before self government, through various advisory committees. I find there’s not a lot of information around about it, but I did hear the ACT Legislative Assembly Library recently collected documents from that time. Thanks again for the Canberra Series, looking forward to watching more! Shaun

Here in London we keep trains away from roads, much safer.

More of this in 2025 and don't be afraid to use YT Promotions. I can see you as a field reporter on a fun ABC show. I'd love to make a suggestion for a deep dive but I know nothing about Canberra. And I was a Raiders supporter up until the Super League. You're way too young for that nonsense. Point is, I don't know anything about Canberra other than I've actually enjoyed every time I've visited. The people who live and work there are always so surprised that I don't want to leave. (I settled for "we have Canberra at home" -- Albury/Wodonga, Wagga Wagga's bastard step child)

Good to see you on a mountain, Russel. Happy new year mate

I am new to Canberra and chanced upon your channel. This is really fascinating stuff. This already explains a lot of the big whats I have about Canberra and, lets say, interesting design.

Becoz the Northside is so much more awesomer than the Southside.

Hi Russell, yesterday, as we left the Canberra Centre tea emporium, we speculated about your whereabouts and what you are doing. Then last night you pop up on our KZbin menu. Great to see you are still here and that you are following your passion.

dude, GO FIND A WOMAN AND ASK HER TO SHOW YOU HOW TO DRESS

On the South side we have mountains everyone has a great view. On the North side If the person across the road has a good house you have a good view... Flat landers.

If you're not living in Sydney, you're Canberra, I mean camping.

I moved to Canberra in 2006 and bought a new unit in Dunlop, because it was near my friends, and I had no bias as to location. I visited often in the 1970s and stayed with family friends in Narrabundah. So, I have NO preference over north vs south. When I first moved here, my then accountant (in the St George building) asked why I lived on the northside, as if it were a bad thing! I know people from all over Canberra, and EVERY area has its advantages and attractions. I cannot understand the parochial north vs south divide. When I worked at FAHCSIA in Greenway and DHS in Homeworld, I frequented the Hyperdome, and found everything I needed there. I love Canberra and am happy to travel to whatever event interests me, regardless of location. In any case, it is so much easier (and quicker) to drive from one town centre to another than (say) Melbourne, or (God forbid) Sydney. A total NON issue, IMHO.

Great vodcast. The other thing that came with the Y plan and roundabouts was carparks everywhere, killing the green-spaces, empty sprawl and a Public Transport system that didn't work.

Interesting video. Well done.

The Y plan slapped on top of WBG's plan was a a stuff up. As was the NCDC slavish adoption of boring British New Slums, down to building everything upside down, facing south into the winter winds and blocking Canberra's beautiful winter sun. The NCDC obsession with urban sprawl created traffic and commuter problems in a tiny city that could have easily avoided them. The NCDC obsession with cars blighted the Canberra Garden City, turning it into Car Parkland, with no consideration given to public transport which is particularly expensive and inefficient as a result. The connection to Sydney was trashed when the Canberra Train Station was moved to a remote site outside Kingston, which itself is outside the centre of Canberra, and the Airport was created with no public transport to the City Centre. Canberra could have been built with medium density housing and offices close to the centre, instead everything has been pushed to the edges so the Government could speculate on land sales and block the natural upscaling of the inner urban areas. No one is allowed to make money except the extremely inefficient and sluggish ACT Government and their friends. Since that failed there has been a succession of further bad decisions fighting each other to be THE urban plan. So we continue to have urban sprawl, now extending outside the ACT borders, along with inappropriately awful speculative and ugly high rise with no consistency or thought to public spaces, nor idea of how that would be tied together to allow free and easy movement of the population. The worst of all worlds. But one where some large favoured developers, officials and politicains do well personally. The ACT's single worst decision was to let Canberra Airport fall into private hands and suck a major part of the commercial market away from Canberra, because it doesn't have to pay the excessive rates to support the whole community. That and allowing single landlord monopolies in the Town Centres, that has then left them to rot.

Speaking of the lentil belt, is it just me or is there a utilitarian streak on Mort Street that actively rejects the vegan identity of Lonsdale Street? If not, how can we morties create one? ;-)

There is no division. It’s a mirage. Be excellent to each other and party on dudes. 😀🖖

Good thing no-one lives in Canberra

Queanbeyanphobic

Nice one. Found it. Interesting developments - the intersection where the Cotter road meets the RSPCA and the Defence College was converted to a big roundabout back in the 90s and has since been demolished and turned into traffic lights. Also, the big Gungahlin roundabout has been turned into a weird hybrid with traffic lights at each point where traffic meets. There is a similar one in the heart of Hobart and several in the UK.

Lake B-G should be widened by 1.2m.

Griffin really only had a year to oversee limited development. Two world wars and the Great Depression really slowed things down. Modern Canberra, particularly the suburbs are down to John Overall and the NCDC.

Your thumbnail looks like a game of pickup sticks

Great video Russell!!

Great video. I am about to move to Canberra and this has been very informative and may influence where I choose to live. Large bodies of water often divide a city. Growing up in Sydney, I was acutely aware of the division between the north and south sides of the harbour. For many years, they were treated as two separate cities until the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built but that mentality continues.

I am a southsider however I much prefer the northsides layout and would live their if my work didn't require me to live in the south.

This was so great! More Canberra video essays pls

Every city in Australia copying Sydney again

Where is that Map at 0:41?

Excellent vid. Thanks. Will be sharing.

This is actually great! Thank you.

ready for a full camera stare while driving Russell

That very interesting. Love the rainbow roundabout 🏳️‍🌈

Learn something new everyday 😊

The development of Canberra was hit hard by the beats of 20th century history. The genuine Griffin plan only had a couple of years to be implemented before WW1 put things on hold in 1914. There was some more building in the 1920s leading up to OPH before the Great Depression followed quickly by WW2. The real growth of Canberra happened in the 1960s, politically driven by Bob Menzies desire for national prestige and implemented by Sir John Overall and the NCDC. Outside of some genuine modern transformation in Civic and Braddon, Canberra is essentially Overall's interpretation of the Griffin Plan. It is reflected in the sheer bulk of brutalism we have, rather than the neo-classic, beaux arts and early art deco you see in these original plans.

I'm from the US, and was in Canberra last weekend. For some reason, with all the evergreen trees, the layout of the city. When I was driving around, it felt somewhat familiar and American to me. And that's how I ended up here, and learned about Walter Burley Griffin and his wife. I know the city isn't really a touristy destination, but if you like history like myself, it's an amazing city.

Hi, would it be alright if you could spell out the 2nd and 3rd place winner's names? I am researching for a school project about Canberra.

Gimsons design was easily the best

a shame, two years old and not even 600 views, great video. earl grey is the most overrated tea, imo, still good though.

😂😂 i wanted to know about the American statue that simbolised America and Australia relationship it was a large eagle.

I watnted to know about the Russell hill statue that simbolised America and Australia relationship. It was an eagle.

Beauty hands 🤤🥴

You are so cute

We told you this would make a great video :D !

I hate that it took me this long to get to this, but you really nailed this one. Great subject, incredible insight, awesome composition. I hope you're proud of this one.