In celebration of Family History Month, Lanyon Homestead is turning back time with times to:

Connect - with family history and the history of Canberra

Immerse - in traditional crafts, past-times and trades

Engage - with experts and enthusaists who bring the past to life

Events

MUSIC: National Opera in the Drawing Room

📅 Saturday 22 August
⏰ 11am and 1pm
🎫 $90 General Admission (+booking fees)
🍴 Ticket includes a meal, tea and coffee plus a welcome drink

You are cordially invited to Lanyon Homestead this winter to enjoy the sublime voices of the National Opera from the authentic, Victorian drawing room. Guests will be seated in the ornate drawing room, surrounded by authentic Victorian furniture, arts and crafts. The experience will begin with a short introduction to the homestead, followed by a 30-minute performance from the National Opera, performing repertoire from the 18th and 19th Centuries.

WORKSHOP: Beginner Pine-Needle Basketry

📅 Saturday 29 August
⏰ 9am
🎫 $120 General Admission (+booking fees)

In this beginner‑friendly workshop, learn how to transform locally harvested pine needles into a beautiful coiled basket. Guided step by step, you’ll begin by forming a coiled base and learning a simple spiral stitch to shape the walls of your basket. By the end of the session, you’ll have a finished or near‑complete basket, along with the skills and confidence to continue weaving at home.

KIDS EXPERIENCE: A Day On The Farm 

📅 Saturday 29 August
⏰ 10am - 12pm
🎫 $25 General Admission (+booking fees)

Step back into the 1800s and discover what daily life was really like on a remote colonial farm. At Lanyon Homestead, children can roll up their sleeves, don a convict uniform and take on the essential household chores of the past — from butter churning and water carrying to mending and making do.

WORKSHOP: Hand-Dipped Beeswax Candles

📅 Saturday 29 August
⏰ 1pm, 1:30pm. 2pm, 2:30pm
🎫 $10 General Admission (+booking fees)

Step into a centuries‑old craft at Lanyon Homestead and learn how to make your own 100% natural beeswax candle using the traditional method of hand‑dipping. Guided through this slow, rhythmic process, participants will discover how candles were once made for everyday use long before electricity.

WORKSHOP: Traditional Leatherworking

📅 Saturday 29 August
⏰ 2pm
🎫 $70 General Admission (+booking fees)

Discover traditional leatherworking techniques while creating your own leather cuff or leaf‑inspired bookmark, featuring hand embossing and pressed natural leaves. This hands‑on workshop introduces participants to time‑honoured tools and materials, with a strong focus on tactile making and decorative detail. All materials provided.

🍲 Lunch Add On

Warm up at the Lanyon Cafe with a delicious bowl of hearty pumpkin soup! Served with a crusty roll and butter with self-serve toppings including herbs from the Lanyon garden, sour cream and cheese.  Available as an add-on option for programs running on Saturday 29 August. (Please note that the soup will be gluten free and vegan)