ABC Canberra is hosting its first open day in a decade, where listeners and viewers can meet their favourite presenters and even get a photo in front of the newly-installed Insiders set.
Dubbed the ABC Canberra Open House, the community event will be held next weekend, on Saturday, August 26, from 8.30am to 3pm, at the ABC HQ on the corner of Northbourne Avenue and Wakefield Avenue in Dickson.
Insiders host David Speers will be there, as will photographer Mike Bowers, who fronts the popular Talking Pictures segment on the Sunday morning program.
Canberra's ABC TV news presenters James Glenday and Adrienne Francis will also be on hand for the open day.
Visitors will be able on the day to take tours of the news studio.
There'll also be a radio broadcast in the carpark from 8.30am featuring all the Canberra presenters - Emma Bickley, Graham "Willow" Williams, Adam Shirley, Lish Fejer, Georgia Stynes and Anna Vidot.
People can even ask Willow their gardening questions in person.
There'll also be an ABC Kids area with fun activities, a sausage sizzle and ABC merchandise to give away.
The National Museum of Australia has also loaned an old ABC Outside Broadcast van for the day.
News Breakfast hosts Michael Rowland and Lisa Millar are also attending, as are presenters Greg Jennett and Dan Bourchier.
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There will be plenty of new things to see.
The Insiders program moved from Melbourne to Canberra this year - allowing David Speers to also return to the national capital after a three-year stint in Melbourne.
The Insiders set is at the Northbourne Avenue studios, while Speers is based at Parliament House, heading down to Dickson every Sunday morning to film the program.
Insiders moved to Canberra after 21 years in Melbourne.
"It's been great," Speers said. "It feels like a comfortable home when you're on set."
Speers said the set was moved bit by bit from Melbourne and reassembled in Canberra, the show about federal politics naturally moving to the national capital to be closer to the seat of power.
He says nothing beats being in Parliament House, to be close to the action, soaking up the vibe, engaging in incidental conversations and understanding how the stories of the day are really unfolding.
"Being based here is something I love," he said.
Speers originally moved to Canberra in 1999 and is glad to have returned after his three years in Melbourne.
"There's just so much I love about living in Canberra," he said.
"There's the mountains, the ease of living here - even the weather."
Meanwhile, ABC Canberra editor Julie Doyle is looking forward to hosting their first big open day in a decade.
"Obviously we have guests and visitors in all the time. We haven't done something of this scale, though," she said.
"Post-COVID, the ABC decided to reinstate the Open House program around the country. Brisbane and Melbourne held their events earlier this year."
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