Young mum pioneers ACT’s first freestanding birth centre 

Canberra is set to have its first freestanding birth centre, thanks to the benevolent efforts of a young Canberra mum-of-three. Late last year, Abbie McMillan-Maher spearheaded the petition to establish a government-funded birth centre that would provide “a home-like environment allowing well Canberran women to give birth safely and supported by known midwives”. With over 500 signatures, Abbie’s petition was successfully tabled by Greens MLA Jo Clay in the ACT Legislative Assembly in February.Continue readingYoung mum pioneers ACT’s first freestanding birth centre 

Multicultural

The 25th anniversary of the National Multicultural Festival proved again that we are all individuals part of the same big, beautiful world. And at the Festival, the bright colours blended together with the different smells wafting through the air, accompanied by loud and powerful sounds of instruments, created an atmosphere of joy.Continue readingMulticultural

Monaro Panthers FC head coach Ian Worthington reveals his team’s progress

Fresh off their first National Premier League (NPL) grand final victory in over 20 years, Monaro Panthers FC are eager to continue their winning ways heading into the 2023 season. Former assistant coach Ian Worthington will take over as head coach after the departure of Frank Cachia at the end of 2022. The Owl’s Dion Stergiopoulos sat down with Ian to discuss the hopes and ambitions for the upcoming season and how things have progressed both on and off the field.Continue readingMonaro Panthers FC head coach Ian Worthington reveals his team’s progress

What’s on in Canberra: 3-5 March, 2023

It’s the first week of autumn but the sun is still shining so why not take advantage of all that there is to do and see in the capital this weekend? Here’s The Owl’s rundown of the Canberra scene for 3-5 March, 2023.Continue readingWhat’s on in Canberra: 3-5 March, 2023

Saying goodbye to what-ifs and hello to goodbyes: Claudia Tétreault-Percy on finding home

When Claudia Tétreault-Percy arrived home in Canberra from Texas in December 2019, she wasn’t planning on staying long. She had a partner to get back to and a life to figure out – and like the rest of us, a global pandemic wasn’t a part of the future she had envisioned.Continue readingSaying goodbye to what-ifs and hello to goodbyes: Claudia Tétreault-Percy on finding home

2023 National Multicultural Festival

After a three-year hiatus thanks to COVID-19, the National Multicultural Festival returned to Canberra in 2023. And The Owl was there!Continue reading2023 National Multicultural Festival

On the Wall

In this episode of Listening to Canberra Voices, host Joey Bishop interviews Duncan Brown, owner of Mountain Strong Climbing Gym, manager of the ACT sport climbing team and a Northface team athlete. Listen along, and learn about the climbing community within Canberra, its recent expansion and consequential boom in diversity, as well as the unique ethical considerations of climbing outdoors on Ngunnawal country.Continue readingOn the Wall

Fearless Women

In this episode of Listening to Canberra Voices, Emily Haynes converses with Glenda Stevens, the CEO of the Canberra based organisation Fearless Women. This episode focuses on the management and internal workings of Fearless Women, as well as discussing the importance of learning to thrive as a woman in Australia’s beautiful capital.Continue readingFearless Women

A night of unicycle hockey

Unicycles and hockey: two things Amy Briggs had never thought about together. But unicycle hockey is a fast-paced game that involves people belting into each other at high speed; and a form of transportation – that she thought – was reserved only for clowns and people who do crazy parkour videos on YouTube.Continue readingA night of unicycle hockey

Today’s solution and tomorrow’s problem

When Matt Dutkiewicz was hospitalised after fighting the 2003 bushfires at Uriarra Crossing, he thought his brother had died trying to save the family home in Duffy. Now, as Matt reflects on his experience of the fires nearly 20 years on, the ACT Government is considering further expansion of the same western edge he saw burn in 2003 to grapple with the unfolding housing crisis in Canberra.Continue readingToday’s solution and tomorrow’s problem