Old Parliament House

After visiting the new Parliament House, we then drove and parked beside the old Parliament House.   And then we sat in our camper van and ate lunch in the sunshine.

The parking here is brilliant, plentiful and free.    We parked in a huge car park under the new Parliament House, where there was parking for high vehicles, as well as cars.    And then there were car parks running alongside the old Parliament House.    Great.   We were impressed.

The old Parliament House is now fully open so that you can view all the offices and inner chambers.    It is also a museum of democracy.   

We visited the old Parliament House in 1982 when it was still fully operational.   The building is still impressive.

Walter standing on the steps, looking very important.    Waiting for someone?

The front entrance and hall, much smaller than the one in the new building but very comfortable.    Walter still waiting to  meet someone important!

 The Representatives Chamber.    So much smaller.   But very cosy!    Especially the extra soft benches.    No wonder the Ministers fell asleep.     Walter is still waiting!   On the Ministers to return?

 ~Sir Robert Menzies (and ?) conferring over an important document.

 Walter settling into the Prime Minister's office.   He is still waiting to meet someone important!

 The view towards the War Memorial with the Aboriginal protest tents (not visible in this picture) and signs in the foreground.    The protests were established in 1972, in response to the Government's refusal to recognise land rights.

The offices and chambers were very small in the old Parliament House, opened in 1929, and people must have been really squashed in, so a new Parliament House was badly needed.