Who can forget the wild scenes in 2017 when Icon Water beat NSW for the title of best-tasting tap water?
Sam Bracken, a shift operator at Icon Water, even did a "shoey" - drinking some great-tasting ACT water from his boot - during the awards night in Canberra all those years ago.
Nearly a decade on, the ACT's water is being put to the test, again.
Water suppliers in NSW and the ACT have been invited to submit a sample of their finest drop to the Water Industry Operations Association of Australia.
The NSW/ACT title will be judged and the award presented in Newcastle on Thursday, September 10.
The water will be assessed on the best taste, colour, clarity and odour.
The Canberra 2026 vintage has benefited from exceptionally favourable catchment conditions, with a mild summer and winter.
Icon Water is looking forward to participating in the competition.
"This year we're taking a four-litre sample of treated drinking water from our Mount Stromlo Water Treatment Plant. We'll deliver it directly to the Water Industry Operations Association (WIOA) conference in Newcastle ahead of judging," a spokesperson said.
"We're proud of the quality of Canberra's drinking water, which benefits from the excellent source water in our catchments and the treatment processes at Mount Stromlo.
"The Canberra 2026 vintage has benefited from exceptionally favourable catchment conditions, with a mild summer and winter. We've also seen strong vegetation growth across our catchments, which helps protect source water quality by reducing runoff and erosion.
"That's why we're really excited to be part of the Best Tasting Tap Water competition. It's a great opportunity to showcase Canberra's drinking water.
"We won the competition in 2017 with water from our Mount Stromlo Water Treatment Plant and, while we're pleased to be back in the running in 2026, we know the competition will be strong. Water utilities across Australia work hard to deliver high-quality drinking water to their communities, and we expect this year's field will feature some outstanding entries.
"As to whether a victory would be celebrated with another shoey, we'll leave that decision to our representative on the day. As we saw in 2017, sometimes excitement in the moment just takes over!"
The water-tasting grand final will be held in South Australia on September 24.
Googong's popular KiteFest will once again fill the skies with colour on Sunday, Father's Day, September 6.
The free event, at Rockley Oval, invites families from across Canberra, Queanbeyan and surrounding areas to enjoy a fun-filled day.
An impressive lineup of giant inflatable kites will be featured throughout the day, accompanied by feature flying demonstrations. Visitors are encouraged to bring along a favourite kite, purchase one on the day or simply stretch out on the grass and enjoy the colourful spectacle.
Aside from the kite displays, the event will feature live music, performances by students from Empire Performing Arts Dance School, and face painting. A range of food vendors will also be on site, serving everything from gourmet burgers and street food to sweet baked treats.
KiteFest is on this Sunday, Father's Day, from 11am to 2pm at Rockley Oval, 15 Rockley Parade, Googong
The logo for the ACT's newest public school, Whitlam School in the Molonglo Valley, has been revealed as a multicoloured, patterned "W" inspired by drawings from students in the inaugural school cohort.
The ACT government said the logo was designed in consultation with the family of former prime minister Gough Whitlam, the Whitlam School executive and the wider Whitlam community.
Whitlam School is enrolling students from preschool to year 2 for the 2027 school year, with an eventual capacity of up to 780 students across all year levels.
We hear the first Pints and Produce at Capital Brewing Co. in the Dairy Road precinct last Sunday was a "roaring success".
Capital Brewing Co. and Alpha Fresh have teamed up for Pints and Produce, a new weekly Sunday session.
Running from 12pm to 4pm every Sunday at Capital's Fyshwick Taproom in Dairy Road, the pop-up will turn the usual weekend grocery run into an afternoon out, where Canberrans can settle in for a beer, grab a burger, listen to live acoustic music and stock the fridge for the week ahead, all in the one place.
At the centre of Pints and Produce is the $40 Alpha Box. Customers grab a box and fill it with as much of Alpha Fresh's seasonal fruit and vegetables as they can manage. There's only one rule: the lid must close.
The Lifeline Canberra Book Fair is at Exhibition Park in Canberra this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 4 to 6.
Explore thousands of pre-loved books, vinyl, games, puzzles and more, all while supporting Lifeline Canberra's crisis support services. Whether you're searching for a rare find, a new bedtime read or simply enjoying the book-loving atmosphere, there's something for everyone.
The fair is open 9am to 6pm on Friday, 9am to 5pm on Saturday and 9am to 4pm on Sunday. Family Day is on Saturday from 10am to 1pm.
Entry is by gold coin donation. There are also tap-and-go facilities.
Want to sing along with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in Grease or see Sam Neill back up on the big screen?
The National Film and Sound Archive has you covered.
The sing-a-long to Grease will be on Saturday, September 12, at 7pm when the 1978 classic is screened as part of the Spring Film Series.
Also in the series is Sam Neill in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm with Nicole Kidman on Thursday, September 17, at 7pm.
The full program and tickets for the Spring Film Series is at www.nfsa.gov.au/whats-on/spring-26-film-series
