| Forrest Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
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| Population: | 1,191 (2006 census)[1] | ||||||||||||
| • Density: | 759/km² (1,965.8/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Established: | 1926 | ||||||||||||
| Gazetted: | 20 September 1928 | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 2603 | ||||||||||||
| Area: | 1.57 km² (0.6 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| District: | South Canberra | ||||||||||||
| Assembly Electorate: | Molonglo | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division: | Canberra | ||||||||||||
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Forrest (postcode: 2603) is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Forrest is named after Sir John Forrest, an explorer, legislator, Federalist, premier of Western Australia, and one of the fathers of the Australian Constitution. Streets in Forrest are named after explorers and governors.[2]
Forrest is one of the few suburbs in Canberra built to the original Canberra plans. It contains many circular and geometric patterns in its streets and can be quite confusing to drive in. Forrest was renamed from the earlier suburb Blandfordia (the name of the Christmas Bell) and gazetted as a suburb in 1928. South Blandfordia became part of the new suburb of Griffith at the same time.
The original residents of Forrest were mostly senior public servants who were moved from Melbourne.
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On Census night 2006, Forrest had a population of 1191 people.[1]
Forrest Primary School is situated in Hobart Avenue in Forrest. It caters for students in years P-6. The students wear red and yellow. The school celebrated its fiftieth anniversary on 4 April 2008.
The suburb includes part of the Manuka shopping centre. The suburb also contains a government run primary school.
Forrest together with the northern parts of Deakin and Red Hill (sometimes called "old Deakin" and "old Red Hill"), represent the most prestigious residential area in Canberra. Most of the area is detached dwellings in which a 1600 m2 block would be on the small side, and 2000 m² blocks are not atypical.
The suburb is subject to conservation measures to preserve its character. Important values being preserved in the suburb are:
The remnants of street furniture, that is street signs, fire hydrants and footpath lighting and other elements including kerbs and gutters and examples of brick drains, are valued for their contribution to the aesthetic of a twentieth century 'Garden City' planned subdivision. The furniture is now protected.[3]
These buildings are in the block bounded by Canberra Avenue, Empire Circuit, Manuka Circle and Fitzroy Street. They were completed in 1938 and include a former fire station. The buildings are considered important examples of Australian Early Modern Architecture and illustrate a distinctive comparison with the "Federal Capital Architecture" that dominated in Canberra in the 1920s and 30s.
Mount Painter Volcanics dark grey to green grey dacitic tuff is found in all except the northeast side. There are a few outcrops of sediments in amongst the volcanics containing shale and sandstone. On the northeast a patch of Ordovician Pittman Formation greywacke outcrops along Canberra Avenue. Black Mountain Sandstone is near St Andrew's church in the north north east. Canberra Formation, calcareous shale is found in the north. The Deakin Fault runs from State Circle to Manuka separating the Mount Painter Volcanics from the other sediments.