Etymology | Named after Elizabeth II |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra (Map) |
Coordinates | 35°17′56″S149°08′32″E / 35.29889°S 149.14222°E |
Total islands | 1 |
Highest elevation | 578 m (1896 ft)(approx.) |
Administration | |
Australia | |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 |
Queen Elizabeth II Island, formerly Aspen Island, is an artificial island located within Lake Burley Griffin, in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. It lies within the Parliamentary Triangle.
The island is located on the south-eastern side of the Central Basin of Lake Burley Griffin and is linked by a footbridge to the mainland at Kings Park. The Australian National Carillon is situated on the island, and the footbridge is named after John Douglas Gordon, who played the inaugural recital. [1] Queen Elizabeth II Island is the largest of three islands at the south-eastern end of the Central Basin. The two smaller adjacent islands are unnamed. [2]
The island was originally gazetted as Aspen Island on 21 November 1963, and named after the aspen tree, [3] of which some are classified by botanists in the section Populus , of the poplar genus.
On 1 January 2022, prime minister Scott Morrison announced that Aspen Island would be renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island in June 2022 as part of the Australian celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. [4] The island was renamed on 4 June in a ceremony presided over by the newly elected prime minister Anthony Albanese. [5]
Lake Burley Griffin is an artificial lake in the centre of Canberra, the capital of Australia. It was completed in 1963 after the Molonglo River, which ran between the city centre and Parliamentary Triangle, was dammed. It is named after Walter Burley Griffin, the American architect who won the competition to design the city of Canberra.
Parkes is an inner southern suburb of the Canberra Central district of Canberra, located within the Australian Capital Territory of Australia. Located southeast of the Canberra central business district, Parkes contains the Parliamentary Triangle and many of the national monuments of Australia's capital city.
The National Carillon is a large carillon situated on Queen Elizabeth II Island in Lake Burley Griffin, central Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The carillon is managed and maintained by the National Capital Authority on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia. It has 57 bells, ranging nearly 5 octaves from the 6,108 kg (13,466 lb) bass bell in F# to the 8 kg (18 lb) treble bell in D.
The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was celebrated with large-scale parties and parades throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth throughout 1977, culminating in June with the official "Jubilee Days", held to coincide with the Queen's Official Birthday. The anniversary date itself was commemorated in church services across the land on 6 February 1977, and continued to be for the rest of that month. In March, preparations started for large parties in every major city of the United Kingdom, as well as for smaller ones for countless individual streets throughout the country.
The National Triangle, which is referred to as the Parliamentary Triangle, is the ceremonial precinct of Canberra, containing some of Australia's most significant buildings. The National Triangle is formed by Commonwealth, Kings and Constitution Avenues. Buildings within the National Triangle have been located and designed intentionally for visual effect, and those of national significance are popular tourist attractions.
Kings Park is a park in Canberra, Australia on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin.
The monarchy of Solomon Islands is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Solomon Islands. The current monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Crown of Solomon Islands. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled King of Solomon Islands and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Solomon Islands. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
Australia's National Police Memorial is in the national capital, Canberra, in King's Park on the northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin adjacent to the National Carillon on Aspen Island. It commemorates Australian police who have died on duty.
Spinnaker Island, within Lake Burley Griffin, is located in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. In total there are six islands in the lake, but only three are named.
Springbank Island is an island located on Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Springbank Island is named after a former agricultural property that was partially submerged to create Lake Burley Griffin. An elevated part of the former property now comprises the island.
Scrivener Dam is a concrete gravity dam that impounds the Molonglo River in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The dam creates Lake Burley Griffin, which was established for recreational and ornamental purposes. Named in honour of surveyor Charles Scrivener, the dam was officially inaugurated on 20 September 1963 and the official filling of the lake commemorated on 17 October 1964 by the Prime Minister, Robert Menzies.
The monarchy of Papua New Guinea is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Papua New Guinea. The current Papua New Guinean monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Papua New Guinean Crown. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled King of Papua New Guinea and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Papua New Guinea. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
The history of Lake Burley Griffin, an artificial body of water in Canberra, the capital of Australia, is highly complex. Following its initial design in the 1910s, extensive political disputes occurred until it was finally built in the 1960s.
The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only diamond jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for Queen Victoria.
Hotel Kurrajong Canberra is a heritage-listed hotel located in the Canberra suburb of Barton, Australian Capital Territory, close to Parliament House and national institutions within the Parliamentary Triangle precinct. The Hotel has a strong association with Australia's political history, most notably as the residence of Prime Minister Ben Chifley throughout his parliamentary career, including his term in office from 1945-1949. In 1951, Chifley suffered a fatal heart attack in room 205 at Hotel Kurrajong.
Lyn Fuller is the national carillonist of Australia.
The Ruby Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 1992 marked the 40th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. Contrary to her Silver Jubilee in 1977, it was not regarded as an "official" jubilee. However, the milestone was marked with a number of events and community projects.
The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration in 2022 marking the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was the first time that any monarch in British history celebrated a platinum jubilee, as is the case in the histories of the other Commonwealth realms.
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacons were lit on 2 June 2022 throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and British Overseas Territories and each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.