It was the year that King Charles and Queen Camilla made a whirlwind visit to the country’s capital, a local alpaca became a global superstar just for sneezing, an ACT election was held, Cold Chisel rocked Canberra’s socks off during their 50th anniversary tour, and a $14 million sculpture was unveiled at the National Gallery of Australia.
Many milestones were celebrated including both Manuka Oval and Mount Stromlo Observatory turning 100.
CD takes a look back at the year that was 2024 through the lens of stories.
January
Tackling food insecurity: OzHarvest Canberra: As more local residents struggle to put food on the table due to rising costs and mortgage stress, food assistance charity OzHarvest Canberra has had a record busy year: it rescued nearly 543,000 kg of food from landfill, and delivered almost 1.1 million free meals, or nearly 21,000 per week – including the 10 millionth meal since it began in 2008.
Police investigate Summernats brawl after video emerges: Police investigated after video emerged of an apparent brawl between security guards and attendees at Summernats.
Experience FLIGHT: Drone SkyShow & Night Markets: A 200-metre-wide eagle brought to life by 600 drones, soared above Lake Burley Griffin in a first-of-its-kind spectacle during FLIGHT: Drone SkyShow and Night Markets.
Canberra author celebrates first day of school in new book: Throughout our lives, we get to have many first moments like our first kiss, our first pay check and our first heartbreak. Young children across the country are approaching a big one, the first day of school. Canberra author Rhiân Williams captures the milestone in the picture book Surprise at the End of Onkaparinga Lane.
February
Lifeline Canberra Bookfair to break fundraising records for suicide prevention: Three times a year, Lifeline Canberra’s bookfairs raise much-needed money for their 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis support hotline (13 11 14) – “a service that can cater to absolutely anyone for any conceivable human crisis, any time of day or night, at any age,” CEO Carrie-Ann Leeson says.
ACT’s Afghan-Australian women empowered through education: In Canberra, Afghan-Australian women relish the chance to study and work, and they hope to change the world and improve the lot of their sisters in Afghanistan.
Canberra’s ANU gives swift response to Tay Tay: In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, Taylor Swift is in Australia this week. Whether or not you’re a ‘Swifty’, this is a major deal and as you read this, a PhD student from the ANU is presenting a paper at the “Swiftposium” in Melbourne – an academic conference devoted to Taylor Swift.
Matt Moran to open two sister venues in Canberra CBD: It was announced that
renowned Australian chef and restaurateur Matt Moran would open sister venues, Compa and &Sando, in Canberra’s CBD in April.
March
Hannah Andrevski named 2024 Canberra Citizen of the Year: Looking out for the children of our region, Hannah Andrevski, the dedicated founder and CEO of Roundabout Canberra, was recognised as the 2024 Canberra Citizen of the Year.
Canberra film to snatch industry limelight: Combine Edgar Wright’s style (Shaun of the Dead), 20th-century horror tales, a dance number and a touch of the supernatural, and you get Snatchers. The Canberra production that started filming in April with the hopes to draw more interest and attention to the talented creatives in the region.
Canberra beauty competes for Miss Universe title: Already a princess to her friends and family, local Canberra beauty Sadia Nabila had hopes to take the crown at the Miss Universe Australia (MUA) competition. Securing her spot as an ACT state finalist, Sadia was one step closer to making this dream a reality.
From Canberra to the NBA, Alex Toohey is on the road to his dream: First hearing the call of the court as a young boy watching his older brother shoot hoops in the backyard, Canberra’s Alex Toohey knew he wanted to play basketball.
April
ACT Chief Minister seeks stadium co-funding amid location dispute: Chief Minister Andrew Barr asked the Prime Minister to co-fund the proposed new stadium in Bruce; but opposition leader Elizabeth Lee urged the PM not to tie any federal funding commitment to any specific location, given the election was barely six months away.
Canberra mum climbs great heights for those facing medical mountains: Going up against some of Australia’s tallest climbs, Canberra mum Belinda Lee put in the hard yards for people facing even bigger mountains, a diagnosis of Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.
Sex and the city of Canberra: There’s a lot of love in Canberra – perhaps too much given the “bonk ban” introduced in 2018 (preventing MPs from having sexual relationships with their staff) – and a new tour called Love in the Capital is about to steam things up.
Going for gold, Queanbeyan’s Monique Suraci heads to the Olympics: Every four years people from every stretch of the globe come together to watch highly trained and skilled athletes compete for the title of being the best in the world. At the top of her game, Queanbeyan’s Monique Suraci represented Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
May
In a galaxy far, far away, there was a Canberra Jedi: May the fourth is special at Canberra Daily because we have a bona fide Jedi in our office – art director Phoebe Yiamkiati – and not only has she wielded a lightsaber in a Star Wars film, heartthrob actor Ewan McGregor called her “gorgeous”. True story.
From the moon to the NMA, Mr Squiggle makes the trip of a lifetime: After 65 years of travelling through space, our hearts and television screens, Mr Squiggle and his lovable friends have landed at their final destination, the National Museum of Australia.
Need for speed: Meet Canberra’s young go-kart champion: Many of us grow up not quite sure of what we want to do or what our place in the world is – but not Lazarus Añonuevo. He was just four years old when he decided what path he wanted to take in life.
Canberra ranked second best city in the world for quality of life: Canberra is the second-best city in the world for quality of life, according to the latest report by the Oxford Economics Global Cities.
June
Without a kennel to rest their head, ACT housing crisis hits dogs: Groceries, interest rates – everything seems to be going up, and it is getting harder to make ends meet. So, what does that mean for the members of the family who can’t bring in an income?
Tales from Telstra Tower high-life: News that Telstra Tower is re-opening has caused a flurry of excitement and no-one’s more excited than former elevator operators Sharon Dodds and her bestie Tracy, who worked at the grand opening in 1980.
Piano man a Canberra treasure: Billy Joel’s hit Piano Man could easily be about 74-year-old Stuart Warner, who’s tinkled the ivories at Hyatt Hotel Canberra for 35 years, as well as stints at Canberra Casino, various Embassies, the Canberra Centre and private parties.
Deaf dancers hear music with their hearts and sole: Canberra’s only dance class for deaf people has smashed the stereotypical construct that you need music to dance – music comes from within.
July
Manuka Oval scores a century: Manuka Oval has come a long way since it was an open grassy field – Blandfordia Recreation Reserve (an exciting name) – beside Spring Creek in 1924, but today it’s all grown up and sown with turf, celebrating its 100th birthday.
CIT CEO Cover’s conduct was corrupt: Integrity Commission: Two years after the ACT Integrity Commission began its investigation, and despite an attempt to suppress the release of its report, CIT chief executive officer Leanne Cover was found guilty of serious and corrupt conduct.
The business of Canberra-bashing: Canberra bashing is a favourite national past-time but a couple of entrepreneurial Canberrans with a good sense of humour have turned the criticism into cash.
Canberra cries over Spilt Milk cancellation: Canberra music-lovers will miss out on yet another music festival following the sudden cancellation of Spilt Milk, which was scheduled for this November. It follows the recent cancellation of Groovin’ the Moo at EPIC last April. Spilt Milk plans to return in 2025.
August
Smith’s Alternative moves up in the world: Smith’s Alternative went next level – expanding upstairs, doubling its performance space and bar area, and delicately hoisting a baby grand piano to great heights.
Narrabundah’s ‘love island’ attracts rare white peahen: An extremely rare white peahen (Charmaine) has joined Narrabundah’s famous peacock colony, while a loner peacock (Andrew) has settled in at Mugga Lane Tip, where Narrabundah’s peacocks are thought to have originated 30 years ago.
Wedge-tailed eagle ‘Reggie” joins Canberra paragliding club: Next time you’re stewing in peak-hour traffic, look up because you might spot a smug paraglider soaring alongside a wedge-tailed eagle named Reggie.
Discovering Ancient Egypt at NMA, an exhibition for the history books: Since December 2023, the National Museum of Australia has been taking visitors on a journey spanning 3,000 years through one of the world’s most fascinating cultures. The blockbuster Discovering Ancient Egypt has proved to be a hit and has surpassed all visitor records for a single show with close to 200,000 people experiencing the wonders since it opened.
September
CAN GIVE DAY brings community together to help Canberra’s patients: Entering a medical facility, whether it be for an emergency, scheduled surgery or ongoing care, can be an anxiety-inducing experience. Working to ease the nervousness of clinical encounters is the Canberra Hospital Foundation (CHF). CHF’s annual flagship fundraiser event CAN GIVE DAY returned on 26 September.
The Mint is making cents of a cashless world: The Royal Australian Mint could one day transform into a museum as coin production steadily declines – 110 million coins in 2022-23 compared to 238 million in 2002-03. However, in an increasingly cashless society, the Mint is adapting to remain relevant.
A newbies guide to Canberra’s arts and culture scene: Growing up in Melbourne, I had everything arts and culture related at my fingertips. When I moved to Canberra in mid-September 2024, people may have assumed it was for a political journalist role. However, it was to write lifestyle (and news/community) content for CW/CD.
Canberra author strikes gold with debut children’s book: A Canberra author won an award that he didn’t even know he was nominated for with his debut children’s book.
October
ACT election: Will reign continue, or is fresh start on the horizon? If a week is a long time in politics, three decades is an eternity.
Thousands gather at Australian War Memorial for royal visit: About 4,000 people gathered at the Australian War Memorial on 21 October to catch a glimpse of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Later that day, Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe disrupted a parliamentary reception for Charles and Camilla by telling the monarch he is not her king.
Canberra home to Australia’s oldest gay and lesbian Tennis Club: With Braddon’s same-sex pedestrian traffic lights and rainbow-painted roundabout, it’s hard to believe that homosexuality was ever illegal in the ACT, but it was for the story’s author, Georgia Curry.
To infinity and beyond for Australia’s first female astronaut: From a young age, Katherine Bennell-Pegg just knew she wanted to be an astronaut.
November
Sky full of stars: Stromlo celebrates century: The Mount Stromlo Observatory has stood tall in Canberra for 100 years.
Australian ‘art royalty’ brings gallery entrance to life: Three years to manufacture, 60,000 hours and 200 people brought Canberra’s spectacular shiny new centrepiece to life.
‘Huge, brilliant and noisy form’: Cold Chisel praises ACT crowd: Nine thousand people made it loud and clear that adding Canberra to Cold Chisel’s 50th-anniversary tour was the right choice.
2025 ACT Australian of the Year doing it for the kids: Megan Gilmour doesn’t know who nominated her, but the 2025 ACT Australian of the Year is grateful it puts a spotlight on children who miss school when they’re sick.
December
A very merry ‘Hephner the Alpaca’ Christmas: Forget Santa. Why not have your Christmas photograph taken with the “local” alpaca that sneezed on King Charles?
Residents and businesses petition to keep post office open: Hundreds of people signed a petition to keep Red Hill Post Office open.
Canberra band wins ARIA Award for debut album: Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers were inspired to form in 2015 after watching the School of Rock movie at a sleepover. Now the Canberra band is the owner of a shiny and pointy 2024 Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist ARIA Award for their debut album I Love You.
Political cartoonist of the year asks for ‘recount’: Megan Herbert humbly asked for a recount when she received the call that she’d won the 2024 Political Cartoonist of the Year award.
