ANZAC Parade, Canberra

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"ANZAC Parade" redirects here. For other uses, see Anzac Parade (disambiguation).
ANZAC Parade
Australian Capital Territory
Anzac Parade Canberra 2014-09-16.jpg
Looking down Anzac Parade from the Australian War Memorial
General information
Type Road
Major junctions
Northeast end Limestone Avenue / Fairbairn Avenue, Australian War Memorial
  Constitution Avenue
Southwest end Parkes Way, Lake Burley Griffin
Location(s)
Major suburbs Campbell, Reid


ANZAC Parade, a significant road and thoroughfare in the Australian capital Canberra, is used for ceremonial occasions and is the site of many major military memorials.

Named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of World War I, ANZAC Parade joins Gallipoli Reach of Lake Burley Griffin in the south and the Australian War Memorial to the north, is on the main axis between Parliament House and Mount Ainslie, and is the bisector of Constitution Avenue that forms the side of the Parliamentary Triangle between Civic and Russell Hill.

The Parade is flanked by Eucalyptus trees on gently sloping banks either side of the three-lane, one-way roads centred by a wide parade ground topped with granulated rock (similar to scoria) with planted boxes of a low bush called Hebe. The Eucalypts are Australian; and the Hebe comes from New Zealand. The Parade is also flanked by the streets of Anzac Park West and Anzac Park East on either side of Anzac Park.

On ANZAC Day, 25 April and other ceremonial occasions the Parade and adjoining streets may be blocked off to provide a parade route for formed groups of armed services personnel and veterans to proceed either along the central parade route or the flanking roads. Removable concrete kerbs to facilitate marching along the central parade route are at the cross streets, Parkes Way, Constitution Avenue, Currong Street/Blamey Crescent, and Limestone Avenue/Fairbairn Avenue.

Memorial interpretation[edit]

ANZAC Parade - Memorials (north to south)
Limestone Avenue (roundabout) Fairbairn Avenue
Parade
space for memorial space for memorial
space for memorial space for memorial
Constitution Avenue
ANZAC Park West offices
ANZAC Park East offices
Parkes Way (fountain) Parkes Way
(Space for Memorial) (Lake Edge)
Lake Burley Griffin

In the manner of interpretation of museum displays, the memorials are accompanied by several forms of signage to assist the passer-by. Each memorial has various plaques or foundation stones that were laid at the time of unveiling. Additionally, interpretative signage in a common format has been provided by the Government of Australia adjacent to each memorial that gives succinct information about the nature and/or the site of the people or group or events leading to the establishment of the memorial.

Situation and history[edit]

The Parade separates the residential suburbs of Campbell and Reid. The naming is significant:

ANZAC Parade in 1964

At the corner of ANZAC Parade and Constitution Avenue is the historic St John the Baptist Anglican Church, consecrated by the Bishop of Australia, William Broughton, on 12 March 1845, some 80 years before the site of the national capital was decided. Fortuitously, the alignment of the church was such that it seems to have been designed to fit the alignment the adjoining roads, ordained in the plans by Walter Burley Griffin.

Lighting[edit]

The street lighting was updated and officially opened on 26 March 2001 by the Prime Minister of Australia, Hon. John Howard MP. The design is intended to be efficient and thus reduce energy consumption and thus air pollution while also reducing skyglow, light pollution / photopollution. The original lighting was designed to be a symbolic "honour guard" and was opened by then Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, on ANZAC Day 25 April 1965.

Heritage listing[edit]

On ANZAC Day 25 April 2006 Federal Environment and Heritage Minister Ian Campbell announced that ANZAC Parade along with the Australian War Memorial would be added to the National Heritage List.

See also[edit]

Australian Roads portal

External links[edit]

Route map: Bing