Time lord and Tardis in residence in ACT

This all came about when Territory Energy electrician Shaun O'Connor, a long-time fan of the doctor since becoming hooked on the series while growing up in Canberra during the 1970s, surprised his wife Tanya by installing a replica of the world's most famous police call box in the front yard of their home while she was away visiting her mum.

''We've been married for 15 years and I've suddenly discovered he likes Dr Who,'' she said. ''I came back from mum's to find we had a Tardis in the garden.''

Tanya, who has only recently been conscripted as a Dr Who enthusiast, confessed that until February she had not known what a Tardis was.

''I'd heard Shaun call a friend's handbag the Tardis (its apparently bigger inside than outside) but I didn't know what it meant.''

She does now. Since its overnight advent in the tiny village, the ACT's latest time machine* has proved a hit with visitors and locals alike.

''We'd get 10 or 20 people calling by [to take photographs] a weekend,'' Shaun said. ''It wasn't meant to be a tourist attraction, just a point of interest in the garden instead of a wagon wheel or piece of farm machinery.

''So far its been featured in wedding photographs and even police like it [because of the police connection].''

As replicas go, the Hall Tardis is as close to the real deal as it is possible to get.

''It is built off an original set of plans for a British police call box,'' Shaun said. ''I was able to track them down in Tasmania.

''A friend of mine, Anthony Parsons, is a carpenter and he built it to specification. It took two men working eight hours a day for two weeks - about 160 hours.''

While we're not sure if Shaun's toolbox includes a sonic screwdriver, the family does have their very own K-9.

Henry, a very dignified Airedale Terrier, arrived on the scene just under two years ago.

He, like the Tardis, has proved a huge hit with the couple's three children who are aged 10, eight and six.

The Hall Tardis has its own ''Doctor in residence'', a life-size cut-out of the Tom Baker doctor Tanya was able to buy in Canberra.

The Tom Baker time lord is Shaun's favourite. He remembers watching him every night at 6pm. There wasn't much choice for a kid in Canberra back in the early 1970s; it was either Doctor Who on the ABC or something newsy on the Channel Seven affiliate.

* The ACT's other time machine is the 1981 DeLorean, complete with flux capacitor, owned by Canberra science fiction and classic car enthusiast Callum Bowen.

Hall's Tardis was a day-maker for Canberra Doctor Who fans, Roland and Bev Inman, when they tied the knot on August 31. The couple, who met on January 3 and were instantly and mutually smitten, decided on a Doctor Who theme for the nuptials early on and were delighted to learn of the Hall Tardis.

Roland chose to get married in the character of Tom Baker's classic, scarf-wearing fourth doctor and wore the appropriate costume to the church.

Bev, who chose a more traditional style of dress, entered the future as herself. She applauded Roland's fashion choice: ''He is a lookalike [to Baker] and so very much more handsome, too.''

Other Doctor Who touches included a Tardis on the cake and a mini-Tardis lock-up safe for the rings. ''The Tardis opened from the top, played the theme song and flashed lights,'' she recalled.

After the ceremony it was off to Hall where the pictures were taken with the Tardis before a quick layover at the Wood Duck Inn. ''We gatecrashed an American's 40th birthday party and the proprietor invited us to have pictures taken behind the bar.''

A highlight of the reception was the performance of the Doctor Who theme by local cover band No Idea.

''By the time we were set to leave it was after 11pm. We had started the day at 9am and rested our heads at our hideaway accommodation 11.58pm,'' Bev said. ''Almost 15 hours of amazing memories!''