Service availability

Access Canberra Service Centres

Access Canberra Service Centres including the Dickson, Mitchell and Hume specialist centres will be closed between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Opening hours around these dates will vary.

• The Belconnen, Gungahlin, Woden, Tuggeranong Service Centres and the Dickson Specialised Centre will close 5 pm, Tuesday 23 December 2025 and will reopen 9 am, Monday 5 January 2026.
• The Hume Motor Vehicle Inspection Station will close 2 pm, Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will reopen 8 am, Monday 5 January 2026. Hume will be open for vehicle inspections only, by appointment.
• The Mitchell Specialised Centre (Land, Planning and Building Services) is closed for an extended period due to planned renovations and is closed until 27 February 2026. Please visit the Access Canberra website for most online transactions or book an appointment ahead of time Book an appointment - Access Canberra.
• Driver Licences assessments will not be undertaken during Service Centre closures.
• Please note Access Canberra Service Centres experience high customer demand during January. To save you time, most transactions are available online, or you can book a Service Centre appointment ahead of time.

The Access Canberra Contact Centre (Tel: 13 22 81) will have reduced hours over the Christmas shutdown period. On public holidays including Christmas Day our Contact Centre will be closed; however, calls will still be answered by an after-hours service provider for the reporting of urgent public safety issues like road maintenance, fallen trees, dog attacks or injured wildlife and environment protection.

Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect

Child and Youth Protection Services is responsible for the care and protection of children and young people at risk of abuse or neglect in the ACT.

Call: 1300 556 729 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

Online: Report child abuse or neglect (online form)

For further information visit the ACT Government website.

Courts and ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT)

The Courts building counter will close from 4:30pm on Tuesday 23 December 2025 and will reopen at 9:00am on Monday 5 January 2026.

The ACAT counter will close from noon on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will reopen on 9:00am on Monday 5 January 2026.

Duty Court will be running every day except Thursday 25 December 2025 and Sunday 28 December 2025.

The Justices of the Peace service at the courts building will cease operating on Thursday 18 December 2025, and restart on Monday 12 January 2026.

Community Services

Emergency Food Relief

There are a number of service providers providing emergency food relief across the ACT.

To find out more details on what will be operating, when and where, please visit the Volunteering ACT website.

• Volunteering ACT

Disability and carers support

If you are seeking disability supports, please contact the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) on 1800 800 110.

If you are a carer and require emergency respite, please contact the Carer Gateway, open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, on 1800 422 737.

Child and Family Centres

The Child and Family Centres are closed from 5 pm Wednesday 24 December until 9 am Friday 2 January 2025.

Families can contact our intake service between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday on:

• Gungahlin Child and Family Centre: (02) 6207 0120
• Tuggeranong Child and Family Centre: (02) 6207 8228
• West Belconnen Child and Family Centre: (02) 6205 2904

Child Development Service

The Child Development Service is closed from 5:00pm on Wednesday 24 December until 8:30am Friday 2 January. Child Development Services can be contacted on 6205 1277 for general enquiries or Intake on 6207 8884.

Bimberi Youth Justice Centre

There are no changes to Bimberi’s visit schedule or open hours during the Festive/New Year shut down period. Approved visitors will be able to access the Centre in accordance with our policy and procedures.

Domestic Animal Services (DAS) Shelter

The Domestic Animal Services office and shelter will be closed to the public from 5pm Wednesday 24 December 2025 until 9am Friday 2 January 2026.

During this time, access to the shelter is by appointment only.

Rangers will be responding to calls as normal over the Christmas and new year period.

Please contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81 if you require assistance from a Ranger.

Please email animalcontrol@act.gov.au for non-urgent enquiries.

For more information visit Domestic Animal Services - City Services (act.gov.au).

Domestic and family violence services available during Festive shutdown

Domestic Violence Crisis Service provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week crisis intervention, legal advocacy, safety planning and referrals.

• 6280 0900 (ACT service - 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year - crisis line)
• Domestic Violence Crisis Service

Canberra Rape Crisis Centre is available from 7 am to 11 pm, 7 days a week for anyone impacted by sexual violence.

• 6247 2525
• crcc.org.au

1800RESPECT is a national support service that provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week support to all people impacted by sexual, domestic or family violence.

• 1800 737 732
• 1800respect.org.au/

Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia is a national support service that provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week support to all people impacted by sexual, domestic or family violence.

• 1800 211 028 (Sexual Assault Counselling Australia)
• Our services | Full Stop Australia

Mensline Australia is a telephone and online counselling service offering support for Australian men anywhere, anytime.

• 1300 78 99 78 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
• Mensline Australia

Kids Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all people from 5 to 25 years of age for any reason.

• 1800 55 1800
• kidshelpline.com.au/

Translating and Interpreting Service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year for the cost of a local call for any person or organisation in Australia who needs an interpreter.

• 131 450 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
• Translating and Interpreting Service

Health Centres and Hospitals

Walk-In-Centres are open from 7:30am to 10:00pm, 7-days a week, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

ACT Emergency Departments at Canberra Hospital and North Canberra Hospital will operate as normal over the festive and New Year period.

You can find more information on health service operating hours here: www.canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au.

Housing

Emergency Housing

The ACT Government’s Central Intake Service FIRST Canberra (formally Onelink) provides information and connections for support services in the ACT, including services for families and young people, and services for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

First Canberra’s hours of operation will change during Festive/New Year shutdown - please check the Salvation Army website for latest details.

Phone: 1800 647 831
Email: actcis@salvationarmy.org.au
Website: Frontline intake and referral for support and triage (FIRST) Canberra | The Salvation Army Australia

Housing ACT provides social housing and specialist homelessness funding to meet the needs and circumstances of low income and disadvantaged people.

Phone: 1800 950 255

Housing ACT is closed from 3 pm Wednesday 24 December until 9 am Friday 2 January 2025.

Visit us

Visit us at Nature Conservation House, 135 Emu Bank Belconnen

Email us

Email us at Housing.CustomerService@act.gov.au.

Write to us

Housing ACT
Locked Bag 3000
Belconnen DC ACT 2617

Housing Maintenance

Housing ACT tenants can contact the Programmed FM Call Centre for housing maintenance issues during the break.

The Programmed FM Call Centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Phone: 62071500
Email: 62071500@act.gov.au (non-urgent requests)
SMS: 0438 100 500 (non-urgent requests)

Libraries ACT

• Please visit Libraries ACT website for more information  about Summer Operating arrangements.
  You can also contact Libraries ACT by email emailing library.customerinfo@act.gov.au or by calling (02) 6205 9000 Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm.
• Libraries ACT will be closing all library branches (including the Customer Information Centre) from 5:30pm, Tuesday 23 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026 (inclusive) in line with ACT Government shut-down period dates.
• Return library chutes will be closed during this period, and the community is asked not to leave items at branches during this period.
• Home Library Services will cease between 22 December 2025 and 5 January 2026. Loans which fall due within this closure period have already been extended out to 13 January 2026.
• The Library ACT Customer Information Centre will not be in operation between 24 December 2025 and 2 January 2026; however, the community can contact Access Canberra during this period on 13 22 81 for general assistance and guidance.
• Library branches will return to Summer Operating Hours on Monday 5 January 2026.
• Summer operating hours are:
• From Monday 1 December 2025 until Sunday 1 February 2026:
  • Dickson, Gungahlin, and Woden branches will operate -
    • 10am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday
    • 10am to 4pm Saturday
  • Civic and Erindale branches will operate -
    • 10am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday
  • Belconnen, Kingston, Kippax and Tuggeranong branches will operate -
    • 10am to 5:30pm Tuesday to Friday
    • 10am to 4:00pm Saturday
  • ACT Heritage Library will operate -
    • 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday
  • There will be no late-night operating hours.
  • Return chutes at all public libraries will remain open on non-operational days.

Parks and Nature Reserves

For parks and nature reserve opening hours please visit the Parks ACT website: https://www.parks.act.gov.au/contact-us.

Googong Foreshores, Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve including the Visitor Centre, and the Namadgi National Park Visitor Centre will be closed on Christmas Day.

ACT NoWaste

Bin collections

Bin collections scheduled for Festive Day, Thursday 25 December 2025, will be rescheduled to Saturday 27 December 2025.

Impacted suburbs are:
Aranda, Bruce, Dunlop South (South of Ginninderra Drive), Evatt, Florey, Giralang, Hawker, Higgins, Holt, Kaleen, Latham, Lawson, Lyneham North (North of Ginninderra Drive), MacGregor, Macnamara, McKellar, Page, Scullin, Strathnairn, Weetangera.

All other collection days, including Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, will be collected as per normal.

Mugga Lane and Mitchell Resource Management Centres

The Mugga Lane and Mitchell Resource Management Centres will be closed on Festive Day, Thursday 25 December 2025.

The Recycling Drop Off Centres located in Belconnen, Mitchell, Gungahlin, Phillip and Tuggeranong are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including Festive Day, and accept steel and aluminium cans, paper, cardboard and rigid plastic containers.

Residents are reminded to correctly dispose of hazardous waste like batteries and gas bottles, which can cause fires if placed in household bins.

Residents can visit www.act.gov.au/recyclopaedia to find locations to safely dispose of batteries, gas bottles and a range of other common items.

ACT Container Deposit Scheme

All ACT CDS depots will be open from 8:30am - 6:00pm, every day except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For more information visit Home - ACT Container Deposit Scheme.