Capital history in the news
Remembrance Day and the Australian War Memorial
Remembrance Day 2019 ceremonies held across Australia | Australians have marked Remembrance Day, with outgoing Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson using the occasion to also pay tribute to the Australians "dealing with and facing this enormous fire tragedy." Around 2,000 people attended the ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, which was opened by Able Seaman Braidon Newman playing the didgeridoo.
Pigeon steals poppies to make its home at the Australian War Memorial | The Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial has become home to a pigeon which has stolen poppies from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to make its nest. Article highlights that animals, including pigeons, have played important roles in war for centuries so a pigeon in the Hall of Memory can be accommodated.
Moving Australia's wartime memorials into the digital age | Article about the Australian War Memorial’s Places of Pride digital register of war memorials. One year old the project is hitting its stride, with some 7000 war memorials already marked on its website and more photos being uploaded regularly by enthusiastic contributors.
Other news
Canberra's oldest businesses revealed | Canberra’s Business Chamber has found the oldest businesses in Canberra including two shoe shops that have been operating for more than 90 years. The Business Chamber which itself is celebrating its 87th birthday said the oldest businesses were Cusacks (1925), the Canberra Burns Club (1924), the Canberra Times (1926), Redpath shoe shop (1922), Frawleys shoe shop (1927), YWCA (1929) and Radio 2CA (1931).
John Farnham Olivia Newton John Savage garden sound archive | Each year a panel selects 10 recordings from a list of public nominations to add to the National Film and Sound Archive's (NFSA) Sounds of Australia archive, which started in 2007. This year You're The One That I Want by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden, and Up There, Cazaly by The Two-Man Band all feature on the list.
Police raids on journalists not new | 50 years ago Inspector Allan Watt led nine Commonwealth Police in a raid on the Deakin home of journalist Max Newton who published newsletters which aggressively attacked the protectionist economic policies of the Liberal-Country Party Coalition Government assisted by a constant stream of leaks from government departments.
Acknowledgement: The image above was inspired by the Australian War Memorial’s nesting pigeon. It is one of a series of photos taken by Nott, H., Argus, Pix Photos, Planet News, Reuters Ltd, Sport & General Press Agency, & Topical Press in 1940 showing the training and use of pigeons by the British during World War Two. The image comes from the State Library of Victoria and is out of copyright. See acknowledgement page for full details.
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