Garema Place has a rich history in Canberra's development and over the next several years it will transform even further. It became a city street in 1952 and was transformed into a pedestrian plaza by the mid-1960s. Today, it's known for its beloved shops, restaurants, cafes, and as a popular spot for community events, including protests, festivals, and public gatherings.
The area's upgrade will feature accessible single-level paving, improved landscaping, better lighting, and enhanced pedestrian flow, creating a pleasant, versatile space for everyday activities and special events.
Let's explore the upcoming design features planned for the 'living room' of Canberra's City Centre.
Artist’s impression of the Garema Place upgrade. View looking east from East Row/Mort Street into Garema Place past King O’Malley’s.
A key part of the Garema Place upgrade is creating a single-level, accessible space. By removing steps and uneven surfaces, it will be easier for everyone to move around, especially those with mobility or vision impairments.
About 20% of the new paving for the Garema Place upgrade will be permeable, which means some water can pass through into the soil below. This sustainable solution reduces runoff, prevents flooding, and allows trees access to rainwater. It also mitigates the urban heat island effect by cooling the surface and reflecting more sunlight, making the area more comfortable during hot weather.
New trees will contribute to an additional 7% in shade cover in the area, taking the total shaded area of Garema Place to over 30%.
The combination of permeable paving, planted garden beds, and increased shade cover will help keep Garema Place cool in during the summer months to create a pleasant area to spend time in.
New paving outside Landspeed Records
There are currently no garden beds in Garema Place, but more than 15 new garden beds will be installed as part of the upgrade.
These new garden beds will cover an area of about 790m2, which is about 13% of the total project area and larger than the size of two tennis courts.
More than 5,000 plants will be added, 66% of which will be natives. The diverse mix features lush local plants like tree ferns, cycads, and waterferns, alongside popular species such as dianellas, lomandras, native violets, kangaroo paw, yellow buttons, alpine mint bush, and fan flowers.
Five new trees will also be planted, including Jeffersred Maple and Little Spotty Eucalyptus.
New garden beds in Garema Place will be like those planted as part of our City Walk upgrade completed in 2020.
Garema Place has long been a location for beloved public art. The Garema Place upgrade will feature several new and refreshed artworks.
The upgrade design includes space for a sculpture of Stasia Dabrowski OAM, known as the Soup Kitchen Lady. From 1982 to 2018, Stasia ran a mobile soup kitchen at Garema Place, feeding thousands of vulnerable Canberrans. A team lead by artist Louise Skačej will create the sculpture to honour her decades of selfless service.
The Cushion (Matthew Harding, 2001) and a new base, including Marion Halligan’s poem ‘this Place’ will be reinstalled in a new location, under the trees near Landspeed Records. The Cushion will be returned to a reimagined wedge plinth which has been designed by local artists, Ferro Forma.
Artist’s impression of the new ‘wedge’ plinth designed by Ferro Forma.
Big Swoop may return to Garema Place, but it depends on how people move around and how many businesses seek to install new outdoor dining. After the upgrade is complete, we will assess the best location in Civic for Big Swoop.
As a popular dining location, a simple and clear toolkit titled 'Places to Dine' has been developed to support the Garema Place upgrade. It encourages businesses who operate outdoor dining to design high-quality experiences for locals and visitors to the area.
This toolkit outlines the spaces available for outdoor dining to help businesses plan their layouts, step-by-step guidance on how to apply for outdoor dining permits, suggestions for furniture, as well as guidelines to ensure that pathways remain clear and convenient for people passing by.
Excerpt from Places to Dine – Outdoor Dining Toolkit for Garema Place outlining zones for dining and pedestrians.
The Garema Place upgrade is underway and there is plenty to look forward to. New paving is being laid in the areas directly outside shopfronts. Once the paving is complete, the upgrade will really start to take shape with new seating, lighting, trees and garden beds.
Keep up-to-date and read more about the upgrade on the project page.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.
