Flynn, Australian Capital Territory

Schools

Flynn Primary School and Preschool are located in the centre of the suburb. Flynn Primary School and Preschool were opened in February 1974, and the primary school was closed in 2006 under the Government of the Australian Capital Territory's controversial mass school closures program. The preschool is still open. The school's community appealed the closure in the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, raising $50,000 demanded by the ACT Government as security of costs to proceed. Despite running for two years, the appeal was never heard in court. In March 2009, the appeal was dismissed by consent when the ACT Government threatened to apply for further costs.

Children living in Flynn attend schools in Neighbouring suburbs:

• Melba Copland Secondary School
• St Francis Xavier College (Canberra)
• Copland College
• St Thomas Aquinas Primary School
• Brindabella Christian College
• St Monica's Primary School, Evatt
• Fraser Primary school
• Latham Primary school
• Mt Rogers Primary school

Heritage

Flynn Primary School and Preschool were one of only four school complexes designed by award-winning architect Enrico Taglietti, and is considered to be a good example of his dramatic application of twentieth century organic architecture. The Primary School was the first fully open-plan school in the ACT. The grounds also contain a National Memorial to the Royal Flying Doctors' Reverend John Flynn and a separate memorial to George Simpson. Taglietti called the school one of his most important works.

An application for heritage listing of the Flynn Primary School and grounds, Flynn Preschool and George Simpson Park was lodged in December 2007 by the John Flynn Community Group. The complex met the threshold for listing on the Australian Capital Territory Heritage Register, leading to a commitment from the ACT Government to retain the building and grounds and protect their heritage value. In early 2010, however, the ACT Heritage Council rejected the application. Two Flynn community groups and Taglietti joined to appeal this decision in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal. On 18 February 2011, the Tribunal upheld the ACT Heritage Council's decision to not list Flynn Primary School. In December 2012, an appeal was lodged before the ACT Supreme Court.

Governance

For the purposes of Australian federal elections for the House of Representatives, Flynn is in the Division of Fenner.

For the purposes of Australian Capital Territory elections for the ACT Legislative Assembly, Flynn is in the Ginninderra electorate.

Geology

The southwest of Flynn is dominated by Deakin Volcanics purple rhyodacite. Grey rhyodacitic tuff forms a stipe of rocks in the south with green grey and purple rhyodacite in the south corner. The Deakin Fault passes in the north west direction separating the Deakin Volcanics on the south west from the Hawkins Volcanics on the north east side. The fault lowered on the south west. Hawkins Volcanics Green grey dacite and quartz andesite occur in the north of Flynn. This is intruded by a band of Glebe Farm Adamellite.

References

References

1. "Suburb Name search results". ACT Environment and Sustainable Development.
2. "Flynn (ACT 2615) Suburb Information | allhomes".
3. (17 August 2007). "Fresh hope for closed Flynn Primary School". ABC online.
4. "Hansard 17 November 2009 page 5129".
5. [http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/act/content/2006/s2586858.htm Stateline Report – Back to Flynn School] ''[[Stateline (TV program). Stateline]]'' 29 May 2009
6. Letter from Chief Minister Jon Stanhope 4 September 2009
7. 'Parents happy Flynn site will stay in public hands', 17 October 2009 page 11 Canberra Times
8. [https://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/opinion/editorial/general/flynn-battlers-lock-horns-with-heritage-council/2446183.aspx Opinion – 'battlers' lock horns with heritage council] ''[[Canberra Times]]'' 7 February 2012
9. (8 February 2016). "Profile of the electoral division of Fenner (ACT)". [[Australian Electoral Commission]].
10. (5 July 2012). "Electorates 2012 election". ACT Electoral Commission.
11. Henderson G A M and Matveev G, Geology of Canberra, Queanbeyan and Environs 1:50000 1980.