A Guide for New Googonians.

2021 3 Welcome to Googong!

4 Googong Display Village

5 Your local shops

5 Public transport

6 Schools and childcare

7 Integrated Water Cycle System

8 Our event calendar

9 Community garden

10 Stay in the loop!

11 Googong’s local sports teams

12 Everything you need

13 Googong’s parks and open spaces

14 Googong and Foreshore

16 Googonian wildlife

18 Streets, parks and playgrounds

19 Let’s speak Googonian Welcome to Googong!

As Googong’s community manager, it’s my job to help you get settled here in Googong. I’ll help you get to know your fellow Googonians and introduce you to the town’s many community groups. I live in Googong too, by the way, Hi there, so you can be sure I’m passionate about our wonderful community and my name’s beautiful town. A good place for new residents to start is the Googonian Gazette – our Sam. quarterly newsletter that provides you with an update on the township and advice on community matters, events and opportunities. So be sure to keep your contact and email details current with me to ensure you receive your copy. We also host residents-only events which you will be notified of via email.

So, if you’re a newly minted Googonian, I’d love to hear from you! I work from the Googong Sales Office on Courtney Street Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 3pm. So feel free to call 1300 446 646 for a chat, or to organise a time to meet in person. Alternatively, you can email me at [email protected]

3 Googong Display Village

The display village hours are • Ideal Building Solutions With 19 11am-4pm Saturday to Wednesday • JD Homes unless otherwise noted below. homes to • McDonald Jones Homes • Achieve Homes (two display homes) explore the (two display homes) • Thrive Homes Googong • APA Homes • Rawson Homes Display • BBS Homes (two display homes – open 7 days) Village is the • BLD Homes • Vogue Construction • Burbank There are 15 builders who make up largest in (two display homes – open 7 days) the Googong Builders Guild and all the region. • DJ Homes offer a large range of house and land packages for sale. There is no • Dixon Homes obligation to build with any of these (open weekends only) builders, but they are a great place • Exceed Homes to start looking. • G.J. Gardner Homes

4 Your local shops.

Most of the five neighbourhoods that make up the township of Googong will have a local shopping centre.

Googong North Village Centre construction and will eventually opened in the town’s first feature the town’s major shopping, neighbourhood with an IGA entertainment and wellness supermarket, liquor store, precinct. The towncentre is Gorman & Co. pub, cafe, hair salon, proposed to include two major beautician, Our Place Childcare, shopping supermarkets as well as Domino’s Pizza, Club Lime gym, retail shops, cafes, restaurants, GP clinic, physiotherapy, dentist, a Community Centre, fire station, vet, pathology services, discount library, secondary school, and pharmacy, a real estate agent and more. It’s an exciting new direction a Community Centre. for the township which will provide Googong’s second neighbourhood, employment, entertainment and Googong Central, is under major shopping opportunities to Public transport.

QCity Transit provides public and school chartered bus services from Googong. There are local links to ensure you can access your desired destination in and .

For further information please visit qcitytransit.com.au or contact the traveller information line on 02 6299 3722. 5 support the growing town. Schools and childcare.

Googong Town Centre in Googong By the time the town Central. NSW Government have is complete, Googong will confirmed that the public primary school will be open for students for be home to two secondary Term 1 2023. and two primary schools. We’re also providing early childhood education and day care options for the township. The Anglican School Our town’s first school – The Anglican Googong has an early learning School Googong – welcomed its first facility for children aged from three students in 2015, and since then years through to Pre-School age. has grown to around 400 students Further information can be found by from ELC (Pre-School) to Year 10. visiting: googongschool.nsw.edu.au/ Eventually, the school will teach ourschool/early-learning-centre. children from Early Learning all the way up to Year 12. The first Year 12 Our Place Early Learning opened cohort will graduate in 2023. in 2018 at Googong North Village Centre. This facility provides long day The Anglican School Googong is care options for children from birth co-educational and open entry, and to five years of age. For details, email has already welcomed students from [email protected] or across Googong’s catchment areas, phone (02) 6299 2510. You can also including Queanbeyan, follow them on Facebook. Jerrabomberra and Canberra. There are a number of home- For further details visit the school’s based childcare providers in the website at GoogongSchool.nsw. township. Contact Communities@ edu.au, or email the school directly Work – commsatwork.org and/or ([email protected]) Queanbeyan Family Day Care – with any questions. You can also qprc.nsw.gov.au/Services/ follow them on Facebook. FamilyDay-Care for details. We’ve gifted two school sites within If you’re a parent of a very little Googong township to the NSW one, join other local parents for the Government – the first for a public pram walking groups and playgroup primary school and the second site that meet every week. Our for a public secondary school. The Community Manager, Sam, can primary school site is located adjacent fill you in on the details. Email her to the Village Centre in Googong at [email protected] North and the public secondary school is located adjacent to the

6 Integrated Water Cycle System.

Following several years of testing and commissioning, the Googong Integrated Water Cycle system commenced reticulation of recycled flow direction Potable water source water within the township from 1 December 2020. Potable storage Recycled Recycled water is used for watering storage Excess recycled water discharged Recycled Googong’s public open spaces, as to Queanbeyan River storage well as delivering recycled water back to every home in Googong for RECYCLED NON-POTABLE non-potable uses such as watering POTABLE gardens and flushing toilets, WATER RECYCLING using the ‘purple pipe’ network. PLANT Landscape irrigation

Excess water meets stringent Potable water used only for internal potable water uses (shower, taps, basins, environmental guidelines for kitchen uses) discharge to waterways. The recycled water complies with the Australian Roof runoff collected in tanks Guidelines for Water Recycling.

Googong’s Integrated Water Cycle

Recycled water and rainwater (IWC) system was recognised with for non-potable residential uses, plus irrigation of public a Federal Government Grant of open spaces $5.1 million for its innovative WASTE WATER approach to water efficiency and Water efficient appliances urban design. Googong Township Pty to reduce water demand Ltd (a joint venture with Peet Limited and Mirvac) has invested a further $133 million into the state-of-the-art Green Building Council of Excellence in Concept Design, and infrastructure, which has been gifted awarding Googong their first 5 Excellence in Southern NSW Regions to council to own and operate. Star Green Star – Communities and ACT Development in 2011. rating in the ACT/NSW region. In The system will reduce potable The reticulation of recycled water at 2020 Googong was awarded the water use at Googong by about Googong is the culmination of almost prestigious UDIA NSW Award for 60% and recycle over half of two decades of visioning, planning Best Masterplanned Community, Googong’s wastewater. Googong and implementation. We are pleased and Excellence in Regional will be so water efficient, its 18,000 to have partnered with QPRC in the Developments, as well as being residents will use less water than delivery of this significant piece awarded the Property Council of just 6,500 residents in an average of infrastructure and applaud the Australia’s ACT Development of the Australian community. residents who have recognised the Year Award. Googong’s innovative Innovation and sustainability have sustainable lifestyle and community approach to urban design was underpinned the vision for Googong, benefits that the township of recognised from the foundation years which was recognised by the Googong provides. winning the UDIA NSW awards for 7 Our event calendar.

Events at Googong seem to be hitting the right note, not just with our residents, but with Googong’s events are great opportunities for you to introduce the wider your family and friends to community the township. Googfest, our free Googonian music in the festival, is held every year at Rockley Oval on the first Saturday in the first Canberra school term. Then there’s Boogong, our frightening-and-free Halloween region. event which falls on the Saturday closest to Halloween in October.

Be sure to also check out our other regular events, such as our kite-flying day Kitefest (on Fathers’ day) and the Googong Rural Fire Service Open Day (October). Our Googong township Facebook page is another great way to stay informed about happenings in the town.

While these are free public events, we also have exclusive resident-only activities and events too, like our residents cocktail party, GooGala, our Mothers’ Day Pamper Party, and more. So it’s important to keep your contact details current with our Community Manager, Samantha. You can email her at [email protected] 8 Community garden.

Googong’s first community garden is located on Helen Circuit, adjacent to Montgomery Rise.

The Googong Community Garden If you want to be a part of the Googong is managed by the community. Community Garden, jump online and join the Googong Community Garden The garden features plots for Facebook page. Googonians, including a special area for our little Googonians to plant Not on Facebook? and play. Then just email the co-coordinator at There’s a BBQ and picnic area for [email protected] our community gardeners to meet and there has been keen interest for swap meets to share produce, seeds and conversations between like- minded gardeners.

9 Stay in the loop!

If you’re on social media, there are a few groups you might like to join.

The Googonian Gazette We’re also on Instagram Our residents newsletter, Googonian The Googonian Gazette, is printed Gazette Tag your images of life at Googong quarterly. A copy can be picked from THE GOOGONG COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 25 – AUGUST 2020 with #GoGoogonian – we’d love to see

LUCY the Googong IGA Supermarket, Gorman & Co SUGERMAN what you’ve been up to. BINGO PLAYED or it is emailed to our database and TRIVIA GOOGONG and more GIGS available on our website. If you have Googong's New Entry something you’d like to include in AQUATOTS Sculpture GET THE KIDS SUMMER one of our issues (or if you’d like to SWIM READY update your details so you receive an email copy), contact our Community Manager, Samantha, at [email protected].

Facebook groups

Googong township provides updates and health and wellbeing activities. on the town’s progress from the A great way to stay connected with developer, as well as advice on events your fellow neighbours. and activities of interest to residents and the region. The Dogonians page includes events and activities for our four-legged The Googong Residents Association friends. The Googong Notice Board is a great way to get involved with focuses on community events. the community and have your say on issues affecting residents. Googong Mumma’s Exercise Group, Googong Mums and Bubs, and Jerra/ The Googong Playgroup meets weekly Googong Pram Walking and Exercise and offers many different activities for Group are must-follows for any Follow us children. It’s a great way to connect Googonian parents. with other Googonian families and googong_township offer social connections for children The Googong Community Garden and their families. keeps the green thumbs in the Like us community active. The Googong Seniors group fosters googongtownship connection through social and Googong Buy Swap Sell is a must for cultural events, adult learning, any bargain hunter or de-clutterer.

10 Googong’s local sports teams.

The Googong Hogs Aussie Rules Club Googong is based at Googong’s Rockley Oval.

is already The Googong Hogs Netball Club also plays in the region. To find out more home to a about the clubs, home games and number of more, visit googonghogs.com.au Tigers Junior AFL teams play at local sports Rockley Oval. Visit www.tigersclub. teams. com.au for more information. Googong Monaro Panthers Football Club (soccer) have games for boys and girls U5-U18 as well as men’s and women’s games. There are also day time programs for 3-4 year olds. Their home ground is Duncan Fields. Visit monaropanthers.com.au for more information.

Queanbeyan Junior Cricket plays at Googong’s Rockley Oval – details can be found at queanbeyancricket.com/ site/juniors

Off the field, you’ll also find swimming and aerobics lessons in Club Googong; walking groups; a choir; martial arts groups; yoga; boot camps; a dance school; tennis school; craft groups; seniors group; and there are more activities and groups being formed every week.

11 Everything you need.

• A purpose-built water and What’s planned for We want to sewerage system that delivers the future? recycled water to every home for As development of Googong make sure toilet flushing and garden watering, continues, you can look forward to: as well as providing irrigation for Googong is parks and open spaces. • A local shopping village in each neighbourhood. a great place • Eight local playgrounds are currently open, including an all- • Googong’s Town Centre will to live. abilities playground. be located in our second So, in addition to the all the local • Three bike pump tracks. neighbourhood, Googong Central, streets and utility services you’d and include at least one major • Two tennis courts. expect, we’re spending an additional supermarket, retail shops, $283 million to increase Googong’s • Six netball courts. businesses, cafés, restaurants, amenity. a library, community centre, fire • A swim school with a 25m indoor station and a proposed public pool and outdoor kids splash-deck. What’s in our first secondary school. neighbourhood? • Rockley Oval and Duncan Fields already host cricket, Aussie Rules, • NSW Government have announced You can enjoy all of these amenities soccer and cricket games. that work will commence on right now. Googong’s public primary school • Two dog parks for four-legged in 2021, and open for students in • The Anglican School Googong residents and their two-legged Term 1 2023. accepts students from Early owners to enjoy. Learning to Year 10, and will grow • Recreational facilities including • Gas, fibre to the home and mobile each year till the school eventually eleven playing fields, ten tennis phone coverage make cutting-edge extends to Year 12 in 2023. courts, a regional playground, tech and modern convenience par skatepark, pump track, thirteen • Upgraded local approach roads for the course in Googong. neighbourhood and local parks, to benefit both Googong and the • Established network of walking an indoor pool and sports centre, Queanbeyan region were completed paths, cycleways and bush tracks. and a network of over 15km of in 2020, including duplication of Old walkways, and bike paths and Cooma Road, and the extension of • Googong North Village Centre bush trails. the Edwin land Parkway. Additional includes an IGA supermarket, liquor store, Gorman & Co. pub, a café, roadworks are planned for the • Ecological waterways and ponds. intersection of Lanyon Drive and hair salon, beautician, ‘Our Place’ the Monaro Highway, streamlining childcare, Domino’s Pizza, Club • Habitats for protected native connectivity between Googong, Lime gym, GP clinic, physiotherapy, species. Queanbeyan and the ACT region. dentist, vet, pathology services, • 196 hectares of gardens and discount pharmacy, a real estate open space, including 45 hectares agent, and a community centre in Googong Common. that is managed by Queanbeyan- Palerang Regional Council. 12 Googong’s parks and open space.

The largest park in Googong – Parks for people, parks Eventually, Googong Common – is a 45-hectare for pooches. parkland and ecologically restored 23% of chain of ponds that will meander The parklands at Googong will also provide you with a place for sport and through the heart of the town, acting active recreation, as well as quiet Googong as Googong’s ‘green lungs’. places where you can simply enjoy will be In developing the parklands, we will the nature around you. be revegetating degraded areas with We’ve already opened two separate dedicated to native species. Native grassland will dog parks for our four-legged be protected, along with habitats for parklands friends, with a dog park adjacent to other threatened species. A good Rockley Oval, and another adjacent example of this can be seen in the and open to Duncan Fields that includes a regeneration taking place in the area large pond. spaces – around Montgomery Creek. Currently, there are three playing that’s almost fields, eight playgrounds (including an all-abilities playground), two as much tennis courts, six netball courts, and a pump track ready for you to space as in enjoy. But ultimately, the town will boast eleven playing fields, ten tennis Centennial courts, six netball courts, a regional playground, skate park, pump track, Park in thirteen local parks, and indoor pool and sports centre, and over 15km of . walkways, bike paths and bush trails.

13 and Foreshores.

Just a short drive down the road from Googong, you’ll find the dam and surrounding conservation area.

If you’re into fishing, hiking, trail The area is also an important refuge running or mountain biking, you’ll for native plants and animals. Keep fall in love with this beautiful an eye out for the incredible wedge- You can delve into the history of the place. It’s been described as one tailed eagles that circle the skies of the country’s best inland fishing historic London Bridge Homestead over the Foreshores. locations. And whether you’re on and London Bridge Arch, a natural foot or on a mountain bike, you’ll find Googong Dam is a water catchment limestone arch formed by Burra trails of varying difficulty and length, area for the ACT region’s water Creek over thousands of years. so you can enjoy a day out in this supply. , who own and stunning natural setting, whatever manage the dam, allow public access your fitness level. To discover more, to the water and foreshores for grab a copy of the Googong Dam recreation, but there are restrictions Trails brochure from our Sales Office to this access. It is important that on Courtney Street. residents respect these restrictions The dam foreshores is also a dream so that this beautiful asset continues location for a picnic, with designated to be available for us all. See the BBQ areas overlooking the scenery chart on page following for what is of the dam and surrounding bush. and isn’t permitted. 14 Dogs are not permitted in the Dam and Foreshores area, and swimming, wading and petrol powered boats are not allowed in the water catchment (Googong Dam). Fishing, kayaking, sail boating and other activities like biking, walking and x are permitted.

While you can’t swim in Googong Dam itself, in warmer weather you can swim at nearby Cascades or White Rocks Reserve, in the Queanbeyan River just below the dam.

Maintaining the quality of the water in the reservoir is paramount, and Googonians will be asked to respect these rules whilst visiting to ensure the protection of the water supply and the surrounding natural environment, and to ensure that public access is maintained.

Opening times:

The northern end of the dam is open 8am-8pm during daylight saving months; and 8am-6pm during non-daylight saving months.

The southern end of the dam closes an hour earlier: 8am–7pm during daylight saving months and 8am–5pm during non-daylight saving months.

It is an offense to visit the area The following MUST be observed by all visitors: outside of these times, even on foot.

Please note: Gates are closed during periods of high fire danger.

For more information:

Visit the Ranger Station on Googong Road or phone the rangers on 02 6207 2779.

15 Googonian wildlife.

As a Googonian, you’ll regularly see and interact with native species given the wonderful natural surroundings of Googong.

Planting local native species is a Pink-tailed Worm-lizard great way of encouraging native During planning for Googong, a large animals, especially birds, into your population of this vulnerable species yard. You can contact the rangers at was found living in the eastern part Googong Foreshores for information of the town site. on suitable plant varieties on 02 6207 2779. These little guys — that look like snakes, but aren’t — are threatened You might notice a family of Wedge- by habitat loss and modification (i.e. tailed Eagles that soar above the removal or disturbance of bush rock, town and nest just inside the eastern fertilizing leading to dominance Conservation Area. While on the of exotic pasture grasses, weed top of Nangi Pimble a species of encroachment and heavy grazing), Casurina have been planted to so as a town and as a community, Native animals that you might see in support a community of vunerable we’re doing our bit to protect them. the Googong area include kangaroos, Glossy Black Cockatoos. wombats, possums, gliders, lizards, We have established a 52Ha fenced snakes, turtles, insects, spiders and Conservation Area along the eastern a myriad of birds. boundary and established a $1 million fund to create a sanctuary on a 30Ha site to the south-eastern boundary. 16 The Pink-tailed Worm-lizard is about our achievements to identify harmless. If you think you have and protect this species, which could encountered one or are unsure, be devastated by the impact of pet please call the Googong Rangers cats that roam. on 02 6207 2779. Cat runs are an excellent way to keep A Googonian cat your cat healthy and happy, and the is an indoor cat area’s wildlife safe from harm. We ask that Googonian cat owners keep Googong is surrounded by rural their cats indoors at all times. properties, conservation areas and protected nature parks. This poses *On average, each roaming pet cat kills 186 several unique risks to local cats, reptiles, birds and mammals per year, most of them native to Australia. Studies that used and risks to the natural environment, cat video tracking collars or scat analysis that cat owners should be aware of. (checking what’s in the cat’s poo) have established many pet cats kill animals without Cats are prohibited on public land bringing them home. Keeping your cat securely which is zoned for ‘environmental Foreshores, a refuge for native contained 24 hours a day is the only way to conservation’. This includes the wildlife, roaming cats are likely to kill prevent it from killing wildlife. parkland adjacent to the Googong native fauna, particularly birds and The Canberra Times: One cat, one year, 110 native animals: lock up your pet, it’s a Foreshores, as well as the Pink lizards, within both Googong and the killing machine, 14 May 2020. Tailed Worm-lizard Conservation Foreshores. Area. Local Rangers have warned us Googong Township, in association Injured wildlife that if they find cats in these areas, with The Molonglo Conservation they are likely to be controlled (shot, If injured or orphaned wildlife are Group, have established extensive captured or poisoned through fox found within Googong Foreshores, conservation areas to the eastern baiting). Additionally, cats roaming you should alert the rangers at the and south eastern boundaries of onto neighbouring private properties ranger station on Googong Road. the town for the protection of the face danger of being controlled by If injured or orphaned wildlife are Pink-tailed Worm Lizard. You might the landowners (shot or baited). found outside of the Foreshores, notice high fences which define the you should call Wildcare on Cats are known to have a disastrous boundaries of these areas. This rare 02 6299 1966. impact upon native fauna.* Given the lizard is listed as ‘vulnerable’ in proximity of Googong to the Googong Australia. We are enormously excited

17 Streets, parks and playgrounds.

• Lovegrove Park is one of two The streets exceptions to the Indigenous naming strategy. It was named after Troy and parks Lovegrove who was seven years old when he died from Acquired of Googong Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Troy’s story is told in the North have documentary “A Kid Called Troy”. Troy dedicated his short life to been named raising AIDS awareness and understanding. Troy’s father Vince to reflect the • Yerradhang Nguru, in the also wrote a book about his family’s Aboriginal language of the experiences. heritage of Ngunawal people, means • Aprasia Park is named after ‘Gumtree Camp’. It was a place the area. one of its ‘residents’, the Pink- to rest and stop for a while tailed Worm-lizard (Aprasia under the shade of a gumtree. parapulchella) mentioned earlier The names include a mix of gender, Yerradhang Nguru is the name in this booklet. A population of age and social status: property of the park on Aprasia Avenue these tiny creatures lives in a owners are recognised alongside (recognisable by it’s distinctive Conservation Area east of the park. farriers, housemaids and drovers; gumnut climbing structures), children, including young infants are which is sometimes know as • Rockley Oval is named after a form remembered; and the women and Gumnut Park. It includes BBQ of women’s cricket that was played men who farmed, taught, traded, lived facilities, ping pong tables, iconic in the late 1800s; and the streets and worked in this region have streets and challenging play equipment, around the oval are named after and sculptural seating. named after them. the women, coaches and even ball runners who played the sport • Munnagai Woggabaliri (Ngunawal A number of Googong’s parks and locally and who represented the for ‘Come Play’) is the playground places of significance have been region competitively. located within the Montgomery named by the traditional custodians of Rise area. • Duncan Fields is named after the the land, the Ngunawal and Ngambri. Duncan family (David, Nellie and • Bunburung Thina (meaning small David Coupar Duncan) who operated Examples include: lizard track) is the name of the bakeries in the area from the 1930’s walking trail that will eventually • Nangi Pimble is the highest point until 1980. They also contributed runs through Googong Common. on the Googong site, adjacent to to many charities and were heavily It recognises the vunerable Pink- Old Cooma Road. It means involved in the Park Cycle Club and Tailed Worm Lizard that has been ‘See District’. In times of Aboriginal the Tigers Football Club. discovered along the eastern edge preoccupation, hills such as this of the township. We have created For the stories behind the names provided a vantage point to not only a Conservation Area for the of Googong’s streets, check out see who was approaching but also to species here, and are establishing http://googong.net/handy- identify other hill tops and pathways a Sanctuary on the south-eastern information/helpful-links-for-new- in which to traverse the country. boundary. residents.php 18 Let’s speak Googongian.

Kayakable Any amount of water capable of holding your kayak (see Googong Dam).

Googercise Physical activity performed at Beltana Park, Googong Dam, Club Googong and in the natural parkland surrounding Googong.

Neighbover A common ritual in which Googonians invite the people next door around for dinner.

Enporched Kicking back on the porch on a Saturday afternoon with a glass of wine, a good book, and absolutely no intention of moving for the next several hours.

The Googenheim The fridge door, after being decked out with your kids’ latest paintings from school.

Technogoogs Googong residents who enjoy the fast internet speeds of the township’s fibre to the home network.

Googojoy A unit used to measure happiness. Measurements amongst Googong residents are off the charts. E.g. After a day spent fishing at the dam, Gavin’s mood climbed by approximately 470 googojoys.

Googongalicious Used to describe food or wine prepared during a Googonian social gathering.

The Googong Off Switch A day spent playing in Googong’s parks and outdoor spaces – your kids will be out like a light come bedtime.

Noogonians Residents new to the township, still wide-eyed and smiling all the time (though to be fair, that doesn’t tend to go away).

Googong Fun-gineers Our landscape team who are also responsible for our playgrounds and parks.

Free-range kids Googonian children who enjoy the wide outdoors and friendly neighborhoods of the township.

19 A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN MIRVAC AND PEET