Nicholls, Australian Capital Territory

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nicholls
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Population:

+30,000 (2006 census)

Established:

1994

Postcode:

2913

Property Value:

AUD $489,000 (2006)[1]

LGA:

Gungahlin

Assembly Electorate:

Ginninderra

Federal Division:

Fraser

Suburbs around Nicholls:
Forde	Ngunnawal Amaroo	Gungahlin Town CentreHarrison
Hall Casey	Nicholls	Palmerston
		Crace

Nicholls is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district of Gungahlin. The postcode is 2913. The suburb is named after Sir Douglas Nicholls (1906-1988), a former Governor of South Australia. It was gazetted on October 18, 1991. Streets are named after sportsmen and sportswomen.

It adjoins the suburbs of Kinlyside, Casey, Ngunnawal, Crace and Palmerston. The Gungahlin Pond is located in the east of the suburb, near the southern end of the the Lakes Golf Club.The Lakes Golf Club is now considered to be one of the better course courses in Canberra with over $1m being spent on the course each year over the past few years. A Canberra Nature Park called Percival Hill is located further south.

Some of the largest houses in Nicholls are built against Harcourt Hill in the west. Also in Nicholls is the Senior Site portion of Gold Creek School, Perce Douglas Memorial playing fields, Nicholls Neighbourhood oval, Holy Spirit Primary School and Gold Creek Primary School.

An online private weather station is available in Nicholls.^[1]

1 The Lakes
2 Gold Creek
3 Geology
4 References

[edit] The Lakes

The Lakes is a championship par 72 hole golf course measuring 6,198 metres and was originally designed by Ted Parslow.^[2] The Lakes since 2006 has been transformed and has undergone significant improvements which have been managed by Jamie Dawson who was involved with Ted Parslow's original design concept.^[3] From 1998 to 2003 over $20m was spent constructing the Clubhouse, purpose built undercover corporate facilities including a private bar, toilets and locker rooms.^[4] The clubhouse design was undertaken by Wood Day Architects, and was constructed in 4 stages over a period of 5 years.^[5] The Club is financially supported by the Ainslie Football and Social Club.^[6] The project including the design concepts and construction since 1997 were managed by Mr Kevin Grace, CEO of Ainslie Football and Social Club.

The next phase of development commenced in 2007 with the planting of thousands of native horticultural species and returning the 66 hectares area back to its natural environment. This golf course is now set amongst a native botanical garden and natural waterways which has seen an abundant return of native fauna. Over each of the past few years more than $1 million has been spent on the Lakes Golf course with the creation of paths, stonework, gardens, thousands of plantings, irrigation and tee blocks.

The Lakes golf course setting is picturesque and is located amongst lakes.^[7] The waterways provide a water source for maintaining the golf course with no potable water being used on the course. The Lakes Golf course is an eco sustainable development using as little water as possible since it also located well below the 100 year flood line.

The Lakes golf course is located in Nicholls and can be easily accessed from the Gungahlin Drive extension being the main route into the Gungahlin district.^[8]

The Lakes offers online member facilities providing interactive facilities for members to book tee times, and check competition results online , receive emails and a host of other information. Before arriving at the course a player can get some tips on how to play the course photos of its layout which is sure to help.^[9]

[edit] Gold Creek

Although the suburb of Nicholls is fairly new, the area around the Gold Creek Village dates from much earlier. This has the Gold Creek golf course which is now privately owned, as well as Cockington Green, a collection of miniature models and gardens that was opened on 3 November 1979. There is also the National Dinosaur Museum, Australian Reptile Centre and the George Harcourt Inn. Federation Square has a number of smaller shops.

Ginninderra Village is also at Gold Creek, which is one of the earliest settlements in Canberra, having being built in 1883, with Canberra's first school.

[edit] Geology

Harcourt Hill is made up from Hawkins Volcanics mostly cream rhyolite. But in the south and west there are two patches of green-grey dacite and quartz andesite. A fault forms the south east boundary of the Hawkins Volcanics. A porphyry outdrops through most of the center of Nicholls, this is green grey dacitic intrusive, with white feldspar phenocrysts. Over to the east side of the suburb there is Canberra Formation slatey shale and mudstone, then State Circle Shale, then micaceous Black Mountain Sandstone making up Percival Hill. An anticline forms the ridge of Percival Hill, with an overturned syncline on the western slopes. In the north east side of Nicholls the corner Vee shaped outcrop of tuff comes in from Ngunnawal, and also the base of the crook shaped ashstone outcrop.^[10]