Glebe Park, Canberra
Encyclopedia
Glebe Park is a public park on the eastern side of Civic
, Canberra
, Australia
. The park is bounded by Coranderrk, Ballumbir, Akuna, and Bunda Streets, and to the south, the National Convention Centre.
, an area of land whose revenues contribute towards parish expenses. Campbell gave two acres (8,000 m²) of land to St John the Baptist Church
in nearby Reid
at the same time.
Glebe House was built in 1871-3 as a rectory for St John's church. It was a two storied house with a single storied veranda made of bricks from nearby swampland clay. The land was used as a farm to support the rector.
Elms, willows, and poplars were planted around the house by the Reverend Pierce Galliard Smith
, who was Rector at St Johns for fifty-one years from 1855-1906. The elms in the park today are descended from his plantings with some survivors from one hundred years ago. Nearly seven hundred trees remain in the park, of which just over five hundred are English elms (Ulmus procera)
. About a hundred are English oaks (Quercus robur)
.
In 1912, when the decision had been made to site Australia's capital here, the land and building were resumed by the Commonwealth Government but was continued to be used as a rectory until a new rectory much closer to the church was built in 1926. From 1926 to early 1928 the Old Rectory at St Johns was leased from the Government by the Anglican religious order of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, or the Kilburn Sisters, to found St Gabriel's school which later became the Canberra Girls' Grammar School
. The school moved into its Deakin
premises on Melbourne Avenue in 1928.
Glebe House then served as a guest house for the next 25 years. By 1954 it was in a poor state of repair and there had been a number of additions that were not in harmony with the original building. The House also stood in the way of plans for the development of the city area. There was some protest at destroying a building associated with Canberra's early history and some discussion about alternate uses such as a residence for the aged. However, the building was sold by the Commonwealth government to the Acton Football Club. The club used the bricks to construct a clubhouse in Franklin Street, Forrest
. A plaque was erected ten years later in Ballumbir Street, Reid, just to the south of St Peter's Lutheran Church, to mark the site of the former building.
(ACT) and the Australian Heritage Commission. Formal landscaping with fences, gates, paths, a rotunda, and a playground was completed in 1989. The park has ten gates, which are named after historic people or places. In the course of the landscaping, further land was excised for the building of the National Convention Centre, a casino
and a hotel (at present, the Crowne Plaza). The present area is about 4.7 hectares, just under one eighth of the original area of the glebe.
In recent years outdoor art exhibitions have been staged in the park, notably during the Canberra Festival.
City Centre, Australian Capital Territory
The central business district of Canberra, Australia's capital city, is officially named City . However it is also referred to as Civic, Civic Centre, City Centre, Canberra City and Canberra ....
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The park is bounded by Coranderrk, Ballumbir, Akuna, and Bunda Streets, and to the south, the National Convention Centre.
History
Glebe Park is a remnant of a hundred acres (40 hectares) of land allocated by Robert Campbell to the Anglican Church in the early 1840s for use as a glebeGlebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
, an area of land whose revenues contribute towards parish expenses. Campbell gave two acres (8,000 m²) of land to St John the Baptist Church
St John the Baptist Church, Reid
St John the Baptist Church is the oldest church in Canberra, Australia, and also the oldest building within Canberra's city precinct. It is sited at the corner of ANZAC Parade and Constitution Avenue in the suburb of Reid.-Construction:...
in nearby Reid
Reid, Australian Capital Territory
Reid is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Located directly next to Canberra City, Reid is one of the oldest suburbs in Canberra....
at the same time.
Glebe House was built in 1871-3 as a rectory for St John's church. It was a two storied house with a single storied veranda made of bricks from nearby swampland clay. The land was used as a farm to support the rector.
Elms, willows, and poplars were planted around the house by the Reverend Pierce Galliard Smith
Pierce Galliard Smith
Pierce Galliard Smith was the rector at St John the Baptist Church, Reid in Canberra, Australia. He was well known for planting trees all over his 2330 square kilometre parish....
, who was Rector at St Johns for fifty-one years from 1855-1906. The elms in the park today are descended from his plantings with some survivors from one hundred years ago. Nearly seven hundred trees remain in the park, of which just over five hundred are English elms (Ulmus procera)
English Elm
Ulmus procera Salisb., the English, Common, or more lately Atinian, Elm was, before the advent of Dutch elm disease, one of the largest and fastest-growing deciduous trees in Europe...
. About a hundred are English oaks (Quercus robur)
Pedunculate Oak
Quercus robur is commonly known as the Pedunculate Oak or English oak. It is native to most of Europe, and to Anatolia to the Caucasus, and also to parts of North Africa.-Taxonomy:Q...
.
In 1912, when the decision had been made to site Australia's capital here, the land and building were resumed by the Commonwealth Government but was continued to be used as a rectory until a new rectory much closer to the church was built in 1926. From 1926 to early 1928 the Old Rectory at St Johns was leased from the Government by the Anglican religious order of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, or the Kilburn Sisters, to found St Gabriel's school which later became the Canberra Girls' Grammar School
Canberra Girls' Grammar School
Canberra Girls' Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for girls, located in Deakin, a suburb of Canberra, the capital of Australia....
. The school moved into its Deakin
Deakin, Australian Capital Territory
Deakin is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Deakin is named after Alfred Deakin, second prime minister of Australia...
premises on Melbourne Avenue in 1928.
Glebe House then served as a guest house for the next 25 years. By 1954 it was in a poor state of repair and there had been a number of additions that were not in harmony with the original building. The House also stood in the way of plans for the development of the city area. There was some protest at destroying a building associated with Canberra's early history and some discussion about alternate uses such as a residence for the aged. However, the building was sold by the Commonwealth government to the Acton Football Club. The club used the bricks to construct a clubhouse in Franklin Street, Forrest
Forrest, Australian Capital Territory
Forrest is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Forrest is named after Sir John Forrest, an explorer, legislator, Federalist, premier of Western Australia, and one of the fathers of the Australian Constitution...
. A plaque was erected ten years later in Ballumbir Street, Reid, just to the south of St Peter's Lutheran Church, to mark the site of the former building.
Recent history
A community campaign to save the trees resulted in a park being proclaimed in 1983 and heritage listing by the National Trust of AustraliaNational Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
(ACT) and the Australian Heritage Commission. Formal landscaping with fences, gates, paths, a rotunda, and a playground was completed in 1989. The park has ten gates, which are named after historic people or places. In the course of the landscaping, further land was excised for the building of the National Convention Centre, a casino
Casino Canberra
Canberra Casino is a casino located in Civic in the central part of the Australian capital city of Canberra. It was the first legal casino to open in the City after the City was given Federal approval to open a casino in the years just prior to Self Government. The Casino is relatively small...
and a hotel (at present, the Crowne Plaza). The present area is about 4.7 hectares, just under one eighth of the original area of the glebe.
Uses
A children's playground has recently been built in the park.In recent years outdoor art exhibitions have been staged in the park, notably during the Canberra Festival.