Haig Park, Heritage-listed park in Braddon, Australia
Haig Park is a public park in the Canberra suburbs of Braddon and Turner, lying on both sides of Northbourne Avenue between Mount Ainslie and Black Mountain. It consists of fourteen rows of trees planted as a windbreak and shelterbelt, mostly exotic species. The park is listed on the ACT Heritage Register and was designated a public park in 1987.
Haig Park was laid out in 1921, when Charles Weston, Canberra's first Superintendent of Parks and Gardens, planted over 7,000 trees, mostly exotic species, as a windbreak and shelterbelt. It was designated a public park in 1987, classified by the National Trust, and listed on the ACT Heritage Register. The ACT Government prepared a master plan for the park in 2012.
The park's name honours Earl Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Forces in the First World War. Its fourteen rows of trees were planted as a windbreak and shelterbelt, a function still visible in the dense parallel lines of planting along Northbourne Avenue.
The park is easy to walk through and offers different routes depending on what you prefer, from short loops to longer walks through the trees. It is a good idea to visit in early morning or late afternoon when the paths are quieter.
The fourteen rows were planted as a windbreak and shelterbelt, not as a park; the land was only designated a public park in 1987, and the National Trust has since classified it. It is also listed on the ACT Heritage Register, and the ACT Government prepared a master plan for it in 2012.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,391 contributors worldwide.