Flynn, Australian Capital Territory

Flynn Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Population	3,549 (2006 census)
Established	gazetted on 9 September 1971
Postcode(s)	2615
District	Belconnen
Federal division(s)	Fraser
Suburbs around Flynn: Fraser Fraser Spence Charnwood Flynn Melba Latham Latham Florey

Flynn is a suburb in the Canberra district of Belconnen the postcode is 2615. The suburb is named after John Flynn, who was a Presbyterian Minister and Missionary who was mainly responsible for the formation of the Australian Inland Mission Aerial Medical service in 1928. Flynn was the forerunner of the Flying Doctor Service in Australia. Streets in Flynn are named after workers in the flying doctor service and the suburb name 'Flynn' was gazetted on 9 September 1971. The median house price for the Flynn suburb (2011) is $475,000.

Flynn is located between Tillyard Drive, Kingsford Smith Drive and Ginninderra Drive and is next to the suburbs of Charnwood, Fraser, Melba, Latham and Spence. Flynn Primary School and Preschool are located in the centre of the suburb.

School

Flynn Primary School and Preschool were opened in February 1974, and the primary school was closed in 2006 under the ACT Government's controversial mass school closures program. The preschool is still open. The school's community appealed the closure in the ACT Supreme Court, 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.

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. Mr Taglietti has 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 ACT 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 Mr Taglietti have joined to appeal this decision in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The Tribunal is yet to hand down its findings.

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.

See also: Geology of the Australian Capital Territory