A GROWING CITY

COMMONWEALTH BRICKWORKS

The Yarralumla Brickworks – also known as the Commonwealth Brickworks– was one of the earliest construction projects in Canberra and the city’s first major industrial manufacturing facility. Opened in 1913, it operated almost continuously until its closure in 1976. The bricks were made from clay quarried on site, the colour of which created their nickname 'Canberra Reds'.

These bricks were used to build many of Canberra's early buildings – from humble cottages to hotels and even the Provisional Parliament House. The brickworks even produced the bricks to build itself. Tens of millions of ‘Canberra Reds’ were produced over its lifetime, and they remain a sought-after building material for renovators.   

The legacy of the brickworks and the people who worked there can be seen all over the city in the buildings – large and small – that dot the landscape.

Once decommissioned, the Brickworks had a second life as an antiques market and a creative space for artisans and artists. It has recently been approved for new urban development.  

CANBERRA STEAM LAUNDRY

The young city’s burgeoning commercial industry received a boost in July 1926 when the Canberra Steam Laundry opened its doors. The small industrial premises were built in Ainslie (now part of Braddon), and initially employed 13 people. It boasted the most modern machinery available; staff were paid above award wages and, unusually for that time, they shared in the profits. It was described by one reporter as ‘a business with a soul’ and was seen by many as a sign of progress and great things to come for the capital.

Within 10 years it employed a staff of 39 (mostly women) and was servicing hotels, restaurants and private homes in Canberra, Queanbeyan, and areas as far away as Griffith. It later had over 20 depots around the region – a testament to its scale and success which mirrored the city’s development and population growth.

The laundry remained in business for almost 50 years, until increasing competition and the rise of in-home washing machines saw it finally close its doors in the mid-1970s. 

NOM CHONG CO. PTY LTD

Shoong Foon Nom Chong migrated to Australia from China in the 1860s and ran a successful store serving the goldfields of Mongarlowe, later opening two stores in Braidwood. Together with Quong Tart he founded the Oriental Bank, which had branches in Araluen and Braidwood.

In the 1920s and ‘30s the Nom Chong family diversified into trucking and owned one of the first service stations in Braidwood. The family had a fleet of three trucks which ran between Braidwood, the south coast of New South Wales and Sydney. They were an extremely entrepreneurial Chinese-Australian family who worked hard to create an extensive set of business interests.

One of Shoong Foon’s sons, William Nom Chong, established a large market garden business in Goulburn. William’s son, Lionel Nom Chong, owned several businesses in the district and resided in Canberra until his death in 2001. Their long-term business association with the region – nearly a century, from the 1860s to the 1950s – is an important story of Chinese migration in the region. 

GRIFFIN CENTRE

The creation of the Griffin Centre (formerly at 19 Bunda Street in the city) was one of a suite of cultural objectives proposed by the Commonwealth Government’s Committee on Cultural Development in the early 1960s. It was designed to be a base for small cultural societies and over the course of the organisation’s 55-year history it has been home to a multitude of community groups. These ranged from Canberra’s first Aboriginal health centre, to stamp collectors, the ACT Nudist Club, a cross-country ski association, the ACT Federal Police, the Canberra Unidentified Flying Objects Research Society, and a soup kitchen.

It was a place that was many things to many people – a home, a refuge, a workplace, a space to create, rehearse, relax, to learn and communicate, and always to be welcomed.

The symbol of a griffin – a fierce and compassionate creature made of disparate parts – watched over the centre, guarding Canberra’s cultural heart and the people within.

In 2005 the centre was relocated to Genge Street where it continues to provide space for Canberra’s diverse population to meet, celebrate and grow.