Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00437:body:0:p63
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00437
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 171982–174959

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   The NGA is a representative example of a national institution that has remained as originally intended, a public gallery space to showcase the substantial and growing national art collection.

The Royal Australian Mint

 Figure 3.58 The Royal Australian Mint. (Source: GML Heritage 2018)

 The Royal Australian Mint (the Mint) is located on 3.5 hectares of land approximately 4 kilometres southwest of Parliament House in the suburb of Deakin. The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act of 1901 (Cth) ensured that the Government could make laws about currency, coinage and legal tender.22 The Coinage Act 1909 (Cth) set in motion the first steps for Australian coinage.23 The construction of the Mint commenced on the Deakin site in 1962 and was opened by His Royal Highness, Prince Philip in 1965. The Mint was tasked with the production of the first coins of the new decimal currency in 1966 and has since struck 15 billion circulating coins. The Mint holds guided tours for the public including school groups and has a visitor gallery open to the public, with educational programs and displays, interpretation of coinage and a retail shop.24

 The Mint incorporates two buildings, the Former Administration Building and the Process Building, both typical of Twentieth-Century Stripped Classical architecture with symmetrical massing and considered proportions. The buildings are clad in sandstone with white/grey marble clad column-like elements.

 As a national institution, the Mint is distanced from the central parliamentary zone of Canberra. However, it is a good example of a large public institution that has continued in its original purpose.

        Old Parliament House

   Figure 3.59 Old Parliament House. (Source: Museum of Australian Democracy)

   Old Parliament House (OPH) was the seat of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. Located on King George Terrace, OPH is in a prominent location on the land axis and at the base of Capital Hill in the Parliamentary Triangle. Now the venue of the Museum of Australian Democracy, the building is open as a public exhibition, events and educational space.

   The museum aims to advance the national conversation about democracy through engagement, education and outreach.25 The collection includes heritage objects that were used or were part of the Old Parliament House building until parliament's relocation in 1988. The building itself is arguably the most important 'object' in the collection and is included in both the CHL and NHL. Visitor engagement includes programs such as school group tours, public tours, events and activities, and family-oriented exhibitions.26

   The building is of the style referred to as 'Twentieth-Century Stripped Classical' architecture, seen in many other works by Commonwealth Architect John Smith Murdoch. The low, two-storey building employs elements of classical architecture including repetition and order, symmetry and a columned façade.