Yarralumla Forestry precinct

The Australian Forestry School was one of few institutions established by the Commonwealth and reflects the importance they placed on producing professional foresters. This is a side view of the school opened in November 1927 (above), with the front view below left. Westridge House (below centre) is now in private hands. During the 2016 Heritage Festival there was an open day in the precinct enabling tour groups to inspect the buildings (below right).

There are five Canberra Tracks signs placed around the Australian Forestry School, a Commonwealth heritage-listed area.

Enjoy a stroll starting at the beautiful main school building designed in a Stripped Classical Style. A wander to your right will take you to Westridge House, built for the principal of the Australian Forestry School. The architect of this stunning building, Harold Desbrowe Annear, also designed other residences in Eaglemont, Melbourne that reflected this arts and crafts style.

Returning to the former school, you can discover even more about the museum buildings history with a short walk down the left side. Continue past the tennis courts to learn about the Radiata Pine cutting trials, aimed at improving trees from cuttings. You can find the fifth sign opposite the oval at Forestry House. Forestry House was made the temporary home of many forestry students who travelled from all over the world, providing 42 single bedrooms for them to stay onsite.

As you return to the starting point of this track, make sure you try out the Canberra Tracks Augmented Reality App. When the app is opened and held over the image on the first sign, it will trigger a 360˚ experience of the magnificent domed octagonal hall which features beautiful wood panelling with timbers donated from Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.