Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Australian Parliament House

Posted by James Turnbull, Sunday, 24th July 2005

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Built into the side of Capital Hill, Canberra is Australia’s Parliament house. During construction more that 100,000 truckloads of earth was moved, although much of it was put back on top of many of the offices. In the centre of the building you can see the 81m tall flagpole.

I think this building was designed with Google Sightseeing in mind as it’s much more interesting from above than it is from the ground. (Wikipedia page)

Thanks: Keith T, Bradley Rex, Mark, camson, woowoowoo (again!), Craig Smith, Scott Collis & Martin Vivian

11 Responses to 'Australian Parliament House'

  1. XF says:

    What’s this water-thing at the north? Seems like an artificial geyser. It can’t be natural…

  2. Simon says:

    That’s the Captain Cook Memorial (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Burley_Griffin#Captain_Cook_Memorial).

  3. woowoowoo says:

    Simon is right - the fountain is a Canberra fixture, but the URL is stuffed. try this

    oh, and what do you guys mean _again_ !?! yes, I’ll admit it, I’m a google map tragic! no life.

  4. Jaridon says:

    National Museum of Australia, Canberra located about 1 mile away NNW of the Parliament House. Looks pretty trippy from above.

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    http://www.eryptick.net/oz2001/national-museum-of-australia-011027.jpg

    —————————————————————–

    The land where the museum is located used to be the Royal Canberra Hospital, demolished in 1997.

    Royal Canberra Hospital implosion: On 13 July 1997, the Royal Canberra Hospital was demolished by a planned implosion. A 1kg fragment of steel expelled during the implosion killed a spectator who was 430 metres away from the hospital among a watching crowd of over 30,000. The project director was the government-owned enterprise Totalcare (TCL), the project manager/contract superintendent was Project Co-ordination (PCAPL), the demolition contractor was City & Country Demolitions (CCD), and the explosives sub-contractor was Controlled Blasting Services (CBS). The CBS explosives sub-contractor and shot-firer, Rodney McCracken, was committed for trial for manslaughter by gross negligence in December 1999, and the CCD demolition contractor, Tony Fenwick, was committed for trial in February 2000 for being knowingly concerned in the commission of that offence by Rodney McCracken.[i] (source: http://www.siliconrose.com.au/Articles/CaseStudies.htm)

    PHOTO URL: http://www.arta.com.au/actmaps/canberra11.html

  5. Nightbringer says:

    Actually, the wiki picture shows the old Parliament House in the foreground (white complex directly NE) of the current Parliament House. Current Parliament House is quite nifty at ground level, from inside, rolling around on the roof lawn, and from way overhead.

  6. Bob says:

    Only one post on 2 days !
    Holydays ? Another job ? Come on guys !

  7. Cyrris says:

    I remember running down one of the big grass hills on Parliament House back on a sixth grade excursion almost 10 years ago. My teacher tripped and fell as we were all going down, and rolled the rest of the way.

    I think the building, overall, is pretty good lookin’.

  8. jared says:

    I visited canberra recently and the taxi driver told me that the fountain is the biggest in the world. Australia is in the middle of a huge drought, so they turn off the fountain like every hour or so.

    Its pretty incredible to see firsthand. There’s also a pretty cool Telstra Tower in canberra. If i find it i’ll post it. Its on the top of a huge mountain

  9. dikko says:

    Also note Floraide flower festival to the NE of the water jet

  10. Piper says:

    Jaridon,

    I don’t see how the trial of Rod McCracken had anything to do with google earth or where the hospital once stood. Shut the hell up and get over it.

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