Commonwealth Park, Park in central Canberra, Australia
Commonwealth Park is a large public park in central Canberra, situated along the northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin. It features open lawns, planted garden beds, paved paths for walking and cycling, small ponds, and a stage area known as Stage 88 used for outdoor performances.
Commonwealth Park was developed as part of Canberra's planned layout when the city was built as Australia's capital, intended to give residents a central green space near the lake. It gained further attention in 1975 when an arts festival called Australia 75, held during Gough Whitlam's government, used the park as a venue for public art installations.
Commonwealth Park is best known for hosting Floriade, Australia's largest spring flower festival, held every year over about four weeks. During that time, the garden beds fill with tulips and daffodils, and the park also hosts concerts, markets, and workshops.
The park is free to enter at any time and has barbecue areas, picnic tables, and public toilets on site. Paths are paved and accessible for visitors with reduced mobility, making it easy to move around even with a pram or wheelchair.
Somewhere beneath Commonwealth Park lies a buried artwork called "Earthwork" by artist Bert Flugelman, made of shiny aluminium tetrahedrons placed underground in 1975 without a recorded exact location. No one knows precisely where it is, which means visitors walking through the park are unknowingly passing over a hidden sculpture.
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