Canberra is the national capital city of Australia. It is situated 124 kilometers (77 miles) from the Pacific Ocean in the
Australian Capital Territory (ACT), an area of 2360 square kilometers (911 square miles) that was chosen by the federal
parliament in 1908 and separated from the surrounding state of New South Wales. The Murrumbidgee River and its tributary the Molonglo run through the ACT, which rises towards the south in ranges forming part of the Snowy Mountains.
A painting of the site of Canberra made in 1913 shows a rolling plain crossed by a river (the Molonglo), with sheep grazing between scattered trees and wooded hills in the background. The only building then visible was the stone church of St. John the Baptist (1841-1845). This view has been changed substantially since the early 1900s.
The site for a new capital was planned in detail before building began. A worldwide competition was held, and the winning plan was sent by the American landscape architect Walter Burley Griffin (1876-1937). It was for a city built round two circles. Capital Hill, south of the Molonglo River, was to be the site for a permanent parliament house and government buildings, while to the north of the river Civic Hill (now City Hill) was to be the site for a city hall. Broad avenues were to spread outwards like the spokes of a wheel to make it easy to reach the surrounding residential areas containing shops and sports grounds by motor car.
Building began in 1913 and the Australian Parliament sat in Melbourne until the opening of the Federal Parliament at Canberra in 1927. now the two parts of the city are separated by Lake Burley Griffin, which has been formed along the course of the Molonglo. Travel to and from the outer residential areas is geared for the motor car and public transport.
The original parliament building was replaced in 1988 by a new Parliament House built int0o Capital Hill. A large stainless steel flagpole, which rises high above the building, is one of Canberra’s most recognizable features. The former building, now known as Old Parliament House, is a museum.
Parliament House is surrounded by such organizations as the
National Gallery of Australia, the High Court of Australia, the National Science and Technology Centre, and the National Library of Australia, which are strung out along the southern side of Lake Burley Griffin. The home of Australia’s prime minister and the embassies of a number of foreign countries are nearby.
On the northern side of the lake are the Australian National University (founded in 1936), the National Film and Sound Archive, the National School of Music, and the headquarters of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organizations (CSIRO).
As well as being a centre of government, education, and research, Canberra is a modern city with a population of about 500,000. There is some light industry and tourism is becoming important. It is also the centre of a region that includes the Snowy Mountains, and the southern tablelands of New South Wales.
Canberra was planned as a city with parks and open spaces, and trees from many countries stand alongside the native eucalyptus and wattle trees. All thrive in the city’s pleasant climate of mild springs and autumns, warm summers, and cool winters but with plenty of sunshine.