ACT Government

The first tree has now been planted as a part of the Light Rail Stage 2A project. 🌳

Light Rail Stage 2A, extending the light rail network from the city to Commonwealth Park, is set to transform our city into an urban forest. 🌳

As part of the project, 160 extra trees will be planted along the route from the new Alinga Street stop to the Commonwealth Park stop. The new trees are in addition to the 106 trees planted as part of the Raising London Circuit project.

Some of the new tree varieties include:
🌲 Zelkova ‘green vase’
🌲 London Plane Trees
🌲 Himalayan Cedars
🌲 Yarralumla Chinese Elms
🌲 Pin Oaks
🌲 Tulip Trees

Canberra Metro Construction recently led members of the Light Rail to Woden Community Reference Group on a tour of the Yarralumla Nursery to see the trees. They reinforce the unique character of our city and create a lush and welcoming environment for years to come.

Increased tree canopy cover will provide more shade, reduce surface temperatures of the urban heat island, provide refuge for birds and other wildlife, and create more useable public spaces.

🔍 Learn more: https://bit.ly/4l9kxzz

E-scooters and e-bikes offer Canberrans a convenient option for short trips around the ACT.

Lime officially launched its shared e-scooter and e-bike service in April, giving Canberrans more active travel options. But just like driving a car or riding a motorcycle, road rules apply when riding an e-scooter or e-bike.

Whether you’re riding a shared device or your own e-scooter or e-bike, it’s important to understand the rules and ride responsibly to help keep everyone safe.

🛴 Know where you can scoot: E-scooters may be used on footpaths, shared paths or nature strips and may only be used on roads or bicycle lanes where there is no available footpath, shared path or nature strip.
🚲 Know where you can ride: E-bikes may use shared paths and on road bike lanes and have the same rights to travel on roads as unpowered bicycles.
⛑️ Wear a helmet: All shared e-scooters and e-bikes come with a helmet.
🚴 One person per device: You must not carry any passengers.
📵 Mobile phones: Don’t use your phone while operating a shared device.
⬅️ Give way: You must give way to other pedestrians and keep to the left. It is the responsibility of all users to share the footpath and road and be mindful of other users.
⚠️ Park sensibly: Park your shared device off the main path and away from stairs, ramps, light rail stops, bus stops and entry or exit ways.
🚫 Don't drive under the influence: Riding under the influence of drugs or alcohol is dangerous and illegal.

Sharing the road is everyone’s responsibility.

📰 Find out more: https://bit.ly/4vvQBDk

Winter has well and truly arrived in the ACT's parks and reserves! How many of these cold weather safety tips do you know?

📱 Before you set out for our parks, always check for alerts and closures at https://bit.ly/3xARcb3
🚗 When heading into the mountains, drive a well-maintained 4WD vehicle with a full tank of fuel and use chains when required in snowy conditions.
🗺️ Do your research and don’t take walks beyond your ability.
🧣 Dress in warm, layered clothing and pack the essentials including food and water.
🛰️ Carry a GPS, personal locator beacon, map and first aid kit.
🚧 Take care on roads, and follow all signage and alternate routes provided.
🧑‍ Tell someone where you're going, when you're likely to get back and when to call ACT Policing if they don't hear from you.
🚨 Road, park/reserve and campground closures may occur at short notice. Please check alerts before setting out.

Do you have old household items sitting around that can’t go in your kerbside bins?

You may not know, but there are ways to dispose of these free of charge, even if they are large.

Learn more about the free services you can take advantage of, to declutter your home and save money in the process: https://bit.ly/4vHVp7R

The new Gungahlin Community Centre is opening and you're invited to come and take a look inside. 🎉

Join us on Saturday 4 July to explore the space, meet local groups and see what the centre has to offer.

There will be:
✨ Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony
✨ Activities and demonstrations from local artists and community groups
✨ Free face painting
✨ Live music
✨ Cultural performances
✨ Tours of the centre
✨ Coffee and food vendors on site.

The Open Day offers a great chance to experience the centre firsthand and see how it can be used for community activities, events and programs.

📅 Saturday 4 July
🕚 10am to 1pm
📍 Gungahlin Community Centre, corner of Efkarpidis Street and Gungahlin Place

The Gungahlin Community Centre will be open for business from Monday 6 July.

When you visit one of our Access Canberra walk in service centres, they have a range of accessibility options available.

Whether it's simply that you need a bit of extra time and support or you need help in your language, they are here to help you.💙

Wheelchair access: All service centres are accessible via ramps or flat surfaces.

Quiet hour: Every Wednesday from 10am to 11am, with dimmed lighting, reduced noise, and silent phones to support neurodivergent visitors.

Hidden disabilities support: Access Canberra is part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program. All staff are trained, and visitors can wear a sunflower lanyard or pin to indicate they may need extra time or assistance.

Free Auslan interpreting: Available via Convo Australia's video service, visitors can scan the QR code at the service centre to access.

Language support: Staff wear language badges to show which languages they speak, helping visitors find the right support more easily.

Bookable appointments: Available Monday to Friday. Book online or by calling Access Canberra.

Visual story guide: View a step-by-step visual story of what to expect when visiting a service centre, great for easing nerves or anxiety before your visit.

🔎 Learn more: https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/contact-us/accessibility-at-walk-in-service-centres

Construction of Light Rail Stage 2A is progressing with stops and track work well underway.

As Canberra continues to grow, investment in modern public transport infrastructure will play an increasingly important role in helping people move efficiently. It will also support urban renewal and contribute to a more liveable city.

The work currently underway is a significant step in delivering the extension of light rail from the city to Commonwealth Park.

In July, cable installation, signal foundations and conduit installation will take place along sections of the light rail corridor from Gungahlin Place to Alinga Street. Paving and pram ramp works will also occur at the Alinga Street stop.

To carry out this work safely, there will be temporary lane, road and pedestrian path closures. There will be no light rail services operating on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July.

🚧 What’s happening?

🚊For light rail users 🚌
• Buses will replace all light rail services from the first service on Saturday 4 July to the last service on Sunday 5 July.
• Rail replacement buses, operated by CDC Canberra, will operate in both directions between Alinga Street and Gungahlin Place, at the same or better frequency of timetabled light rail services.

ℹ️ Details of exact pick up and drop off locations will be available on the Transport Canberra website:
https://www.transport.act.gov.au/

🚗 For road users and pedestrians 🚶
From 1am Saturday 4 July until 5am Monday 6 July:
• Northbourne Avenue northbound will be reduced to two lanes between Alinga Street and Rudd Street.
• Northbourne Avenue southbound will be reduced to one lane between Cooyong Street and Vernon Circle.
• Northbourne Avenue southbound, between Bunda Street and Alinga Street, will be closed between 1am and 5am on Sunday 5 July and 1am and 5am on Monday 6 July.
• A soft closure will be in place from Cooyong Street, with some local access permitted under traffic control.

The overnight road closures will not impact rail replacement buses as they will occur outside of rail operation hours.

With significant light rail work and other major infrastructure projects happening in the city centre, it’s best to plan your journey in advance and allow more travel time.

ℹ️ For more information:
www.act.gov.au/builtforcbr/travel-impacts

Did you know there are 31 legal graffiti practice walls across Canberra?

These spaces are open for everyone to use and do not require a permit 📝

Whether you’re an experienced artist or just starting out, these walls are the perfect canvas to showcase your creativity.

This includes the iconic Woden drains. which happen to be the longest legal graffiti site in the Southern Hemisphere! 🌏

These spots help keep our city vibrant while reducing illegal graffiti. 🎨

📰 Find out more: https://www.cityservices.act.gov.au/public-land/public-spaces-and-facilities/graffiti/legal-graffiti-practice-walls

The ACT Government’s missing middle housing reforms are now approved and will begin on 1 July 2026.

Updated planning rules will allow more housing choice in established suburbs, including duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, terrace homes and low-rise apartments.

Changes to planning laws will also make it easier to deliver these homes, with simpler processes and lower barriers for development.

To support these reforms, the ACT Government is:
• Introducing a time limited 50% reduction in the Lease Variation Charge to help lower development costs, and
• Developing a Canberra House Pattern Book of pre-approved missing middle housing designs to make building easier, faster and more affordable.

This is an important step toward delivering 30,000 new homes by 2030 and supporting well located housing across Canberra.

💻 Learn more: https://bit.ly/4uCJ4kr

Take the guesswork out of going electric with a personalised plan for your home.

The Make Your Next Choice Electric tool helps Canberra households to:
• Build a personalised timeline for replacing gas appliances
• Understand the upfront costs of electric upgrades
• See estimated annual energy cost savings from going electric.

The tool also showcases the latest energy efficient electric heating, hot water and cooking appliances, independently reviewed through consumer advocacy group CHOICE.

Upgrade when the time is right; the best time to go electric is when appliances break or reach end of life.

Making the switch can future proof your home ahead of the ACT’s energy transition from fossil fuel gas – and may save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on energy costs each year.

👉 Start your journey to an all electric home: https://energy.act.gov.au/