Jacka, Australian Capital Territory
Encyclopedia
Jacka is a designated suburb of Gungahlin, Canberra
, the National Capital of Australia
. The suburb was gazetted in April 1991 though an official announcement is yet to be made about the first land release. The suburb is named after Albert Jacka
, the first Australian to be decorated with the Victoria Cross
during the First World War, receiving the medal for his actions during the Gallipoli Campaign. Jacka is located in north Gungahlin
adjacent to the existing suburb of Amaroo
and the future suburbs of Taylor
, Bonner
and Moncrieff
. The suburb is located approximately 4 km from the Gungahlin Town Centre
and 16 km from the centre of Canberra
.
An important feature within the suburb is the Horse Park Wetlands located in the southern central part of the central valley. The Wetlands along with the ‘Horse Park Homestead Complex, Sedgeland and Surrounds’ are now listed on the Register of the National Estate. The Wetland is an important habitat for Latham’s Snipe Gallinargo hardwickii, a small bird that migrates annually from South East Australia to north half a semi-sphere away to the climes of Japan and China. The Wetlands and Homestead have also been nominated for inclusion on the ACT Heritage Register.
period. They are called Canberra Formation and consist of slate
, shale
, and mudstone
with a patch each of dacite
, ashstone
and tuff
.
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...
, the National Capital of 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 suburb was gazetted in April 1991 though an official announcement is yet to be made about the first land release. The suburb is named after Albert Jacka
Albert Jacka
Albert Jacka VC, MC & Bar was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces...
, the first Australian to be decorated with the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
during the First World War, receiving the medal for his actions during the Gallipoli Campaign. Jacka is located in north Gungahlin
Gungahlin
Gungahlin is a name of a district and the northernmost town centre of Canberra, Australia. Gungahlin is situated 10 km north of Canberra's city centre and is one of five satellites of Canberra including Woden, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek and Belconnen. Currently Gungahlin comprises 11 suburbs,...
adjacent to the existing suburb of Amaroo
Amaroo, Australian Capital Territory
Amaroo is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district of Gungahlin and was gazetted on 18 October 1991. Amaroo – which means ‘a beautiful place’ in one of the local Aboriginal dialects. Place names in Amaroo such as Shoalhaven Avenue are named after Australian rivers and lakes. Amaroo is adjacent...
and the future suburbs of Taylor
Taylor, Australian Capital Territory
Taylor is a designated suburb in Gungahlin, Canberra though the first land release is yet to be announced. The suburb is named after magazine publisher Florence Taylor OBE, who was editor of and writer for several Australian building industry journals including the influential 'Building' magazine...
, Bonner
Bonner, Australian Capital Territory
Bonner is a planned suburb in the district of Gungahlin in Canberra. The suburb is named in memory after Senator Neville Bonner, Australia's first Indigenous parliamentarian who served the people of Queensland during the years 1971-1984...
and Moncrieff
Moncrieff, Australian Capital Territory
Moncrieff is a designated suburb of Gungahlin, Canberra, the National Capital of Australia. The name was gazetted in April 1991 though no official announcement has to be made about the first land release. It is named after Gladys Moncrieff, an Australian singer of the 1920-30s musical era who was...
. The suburb is located approximately 4 km from the Gungahlin Town Centre
Gungahlin
Gungahlin is a name of a district and the northernmost town centre of Canberra, Australia. Gungahlin is situated 10 km north of Canberra's city centre and is one of five satellites of Canberra including Woden, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek and Belconnen. Currently Gungahlin comprises 11 suburbs,...
and 16 km from the centre of 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...
.
Future Development
The suburb when finished is expected to accommodate approximately 1500 blocks and contain a variety in housing types including:- Standard residential;
- Medium and higher density residential;
- Compact block housing in the locations identified in the Compact Block Housing for New Estates; and
- “Affordable housing” in accordance with the Affordable Housing Action Plan.
An important feature within the suburb is the Horse Park Wetlands located in the southern central part of the central valley. The Wetlands along with the ‘Horse Park Homestead Complex, Sedgeland and Surrounds’ are now listed on the Register of the National Estate. The Wetland is an important habitat for Latham’s Snipe Gallinargo hardwickii, a small bird that migrates annually from South East Australia to north half a semi-sphere away to the climes of Japan and China. The Wetlands and Homestead have also been nominated for inclusion on the ACT Heritage Register.
Geography
Jacka's concept plan specifies green buffers along creeklines, and the inclusion of bushland parks. Jacka's southern boundary where two creeks drain the suburb into Amaroo is its lowest point 628 meters. The suburb rises 80 metres to 708 meters on its eastern boundary. Mostly the suburb covers a valley floor with a line of three hills in a north west line in the western side.Geology
The rocks of the area are late middle SilurianSilurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
period. They are called Canberra Formation and consist of slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
, shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
, and mudstone
Mudstone
Mudstone is a fine grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Grain size is up to 0.0625 mm with individual grains too small to be distinguished without a microscope. With increased pressure over time the platey clay minerals may become aligned, with the...
with a patch each of dacite
Dacite
Dacite is an igneous, volcanic rock. It has an aphanitic to porphyritic texture and is intermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite. The relative proportions of feldspars and quartz in dacite, and in many other volcanic rocks, are illustrated in the QAPF diagram...
, ashstone
Ashstone
Ashstone is a kind of volcanic rock formed from fine volcanic ash.During an explosive volcanic eruption, fragmentation of the magma can result in the formation of volcanic ash, consisting of sand-sized or smaller particles....
and tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
.