91-691: Tuggeranong Parkway is an 11-kilometre-long (6.8 mi) major highway in Canberra , Australia. Often referred to as "The Parkway" by locals, Tuggeranong Parkway links Civic to the southern Canberra metro district of Tuggeranong , and is a bypass road to the Woden Valley - Weston Creek district of Canberra. It also links to the Glenloch Interchange , where roads such as Caswell Drive connect to Belconnen . The Tuggeranong Parkway starts at Glenloch Interchange , continuing southwest from
182-571: A Skywhale family , an event marked by Skywhale-themed pastries and beer produced by local companies as well as an art pop song entitled "We are the Skywhales". In 2014, Canberra was named the best city to live in the world by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development , and was named the third best city to visit in the world by Lonely Planet in 2017. Canberra covers an area of 814.2 km (314.4 sq mi) and
273-597: A dairy on the site in 1832, now regarded as the oldest standing European building in Canberra, followed by the imposing stone house that is now the officers' mess of the Royal Military College, Duntroon . The Campbells sponsored settlement by other farmer families to work their land, such as the Southwells of " Weetangera ". Other notable early colonists included Henry Donnison, who established
364-755: A mountain range in southeast Australia . The range comprises an interim Australian bioregion , and is the highest mountain range in Australia. The range straddles the borders of eastern Victoria , southeastern New South Wales , and the Australian Capital Territory . It contains Australia's only peaks exceeding 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in elevation, and is the only bioregion on the Australian mainland in which deep snow falls annually . The range comprises an area of 1,232,981 ha (3,046,760 acres). The Australian Alps are part of
455-542: A Royal Commission in 1916 ruled his authority had been usurped by certain officials and his original plan was reinstated. Griffin's relationship with the Australian authorities was strained and a lack of funding meant that by the time he was fired in 1920, little work had been done. By this time, Griffin had revised his plan, overseen the earthworks of major avenues and established the Glenloch Cork Plantation. The Commonwealth government purchased
546-510: A bushfire. Statewide, the fires burned out over 400,000 hectares and destroyed 2,029 properties. Within the Australian Alps, the roughly 120 active alpine huts mostly date back to the early cattlemen's days, early skiing huts, and early research and surveying huts. Many of these have remained in use by fly fishers (seasonal), hikers , and skiing groups throughout the year. Most of these huts are maintained by volunteers through
637-655: A cultural or historical context. Unlike the high mountain ranges found in places like the Rockies (highest peak 4,401 m (14,439 ft)), the European Alps (highest peak 4,808 m (15,774 ft)) or the Himalayas (highest peak 8,848 m (29,029 ft)), the Australian Alps were not formed by two continental plates colliding and pushing up the Earth's rocky mantle to form jagged, rocky peaks. Instead,
728-567: A few days earlier. Planned development of the city slowed significantly during the depression of the 1930s and during World War II. Some projects planned for that time, including Roman Catholic and Anglican cathedrals, were never completed. (Nevertheless, in 1973 the Roman Catholic parish church of St. Christopher was remodelled into St. Christopher's Cathedral, Manuka , serving the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. It
819-435: A grid. Griffin's proposal had an abundance of geometric patterns, including concentric hexagonal and octagonal streets emanating from several radii. However, the outer areas of the city, built later, are not laid out geometrically. Lake Burley Griffin was deliberately designed so that the orientation of the components was related to various topographical landmarks in Canberra. The lakes stretch from east to west and divided
910-631: A long dispute over whether Sydney or Melbourne should be the national capital, a compromise was reached: the new capital would be built in New South Wales , so long as it was at least 100 mi (160 km) from Sydney. The capital city was founded and formally named as Canberra in 1913. A plan by the American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected after an international design contest, and construction commenced in 1913. Unusual among Australian cities, it
1001-526: A means of reproduction, and fire events are an interwoven and an essential part of the ecology of the continent. In some eucalypt and banksia species, for example, fire causes seed pods to open, allowing them to germinate. Fire also encourages the growth of new grassland plants. Other species have adapted to recover quickly from fire. Nevertheless, damage to surrounding human habitations and native fauna can be extensive and occasionally catastrophic. The 2003 Canberra bushfires severely affected almost 70% of
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#17327807797151092-405: A village and its disorganised collection of buildings was deemed ugly. Canberra was often derisively described as "several suburbs in search of a city". Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies regarded the state of the national capital as an embarrassment. Over time his attitude changed from one of contempt to that of championing its development. He fired two ministers charged with the development of
1183-866: A water drainage basin , with much of the range's eastern slopes having its runoff diverted artificially into the Murray River and its tributary the Murrumbidgee River through the civil engineering project of the Snowy Mountains Scheme . The range's natural ecology is protected by large national parks , in particular the Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales and the adjoining Alpine National Park in Victoria. These are managed cooperatively as
1274-552: A week. This event coincided with a heatwave across south-eastern Australia during which the temperature in Canberra reached 108.5 degrees Fahrenheit (42.5 Celsius) on 11 January. On Friday, 13 January, the Black Friday bushfires caused 71 deaths in Victoria and Wells accompanied the Governor-General on his tour of areas threatened by fires. Immediately after the end of the war, Canberra was criticised for resembling
1365-510: Is 4 lanes wide, has a speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) and is divided variously by a concrete wall or large median strip planted with trees. Four speed cameras were installed on the road in July 2007 to enforce the 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) speed limit. They are at the Cotter Road and Hindmarsh Drive interchanges, monitoring both directions of traffic. The road
1456-400: Is an entirely planned city . The Griffins' plan featured geometric motifs and was centred on axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks such as Black Mountain , Mount Ainslie , Capital Hill and City Hill . Canberra's mountainous location makes it the only mainland Australian city where snow-capped mountains can be seen in winter, although snow in the city itself is uncommon. As
1547-581: Is common in the winter months. Snow is rare in the CBD (central business district) due to being on the leeward (eastern) side of the dividing range, but the surrounding areas get annual snowfall through winter and often the snow-capped Brindabella Range can be seen from the CBD. The last significant snowfall in the city centre was in 1968. Canberra is often affected by foehn winds, especially in winter and spring , evident by its anomalously warm maxima relative to altitude. The highest recorded maximum temperature
1638-459: Is found at Thredbo and Australia's biggest resort, Perisher is now found. The State of Victoria is the one with the largest number of skiing areas in Australia. Mount Bogong , with its peak at 1986 m above sea level, is the highest peak in Victoria. The surrounding Bogong High Plains is one of the largest areas of snow country in Australia. It includes the leading resorts of Falls Creek and Mount Hotham . Recreational and practical skiing
1729-660: Is located near the Brindabella Ranges (part of the Australian Alps ), approximately 150 km (93 mi) inland from Australia's east coast . It has an elevation of approximately 580 m (1,900 ft) AHD ; the highest point is Mount Majura at 888 m (2,913 ft). Other low mountains include Mount Taylor 855 m (2,805 ft), Mount Ainslie 843 m (2,766 ft), Mount Mugga Mugga 812 m (2,664 ft) and Black Mountain 812 m (2,664 ft). The native forest in
1820-464: Is lower and the average income higher; tertiary education levels are higher, while the population is younger. At the 2016 Census, 32% of Canberra's inhabitants were reported as having been born overseas. Canberra's design is influenced by the garden city movement and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation. Its design can be viewed from its highest point at the Telstra Tower and
1911-549: Is served with domestic and international flights at Canberra Airport , while interstate train and coach services depart from Canberra railway station and the Jolimont Centre respectively. City Interchange and Alinga Street station form the main hub of Canberra's bus and light rail transport network. The word "Canberra" is derived from the Ngunnawal language of a local Ngunnawal or Ngambri clan who resided in
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#17327807797152002-450: Is the capital city of Australia . Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest Australian city overall . The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory at the northern tip of the Australian Alps , the country's highest mountain range. As of June 2023, Canberra's estimated population
2093-730: Is the only cathedral in Canberra. ) From 1920 to 1957, three bodies — successively the Federal Capital Advisory Committee , the Federal Capital Commission , and the National Capital Planning and Development Committee — continued to plan the further expansion of Canberra in the absence of Griffin. However, they were only advisory and development decisions were made without consulting them, which increased inefficiency. The largest event in Canberra up to World War II
2184-414: The 2019/2020 bushfires . On 1 January 2020, Canberra had the worst air quality of any major city in the world, with an AQI of 7700 (USAQI 949). Canberra is a planned city and the inner-city area was originally designed by Walter Burley Griffin , a major 20th-century American architect. Within the central area of the city near Lake Burley Griffin, major roads follow a wheel-and-spoke pattern rather than
2275-1242: The Australian National University , the Royal Australian Mint , the Australian Institute of Sport , the National Gallery , the National Museum and the National Library . The city is home to many important institutions of the Australian Defence Force including the Royal Military College Duntroon and the Australian Defence Force Academy . It hosts all foreign embassies in Australia as well as regional headquarters of many international organisations, not-for-profit groups, lobbying groups and professional associations. Canberra has been ranked among
2366-611: The Great Dividing Range , the series of mountain and hill ranges and tablelands that runs about 3,000 km (1,900 mi) from northern Queensland , through New South Wales, and into the northern part of Victoria. This chain of highlands divides the drainage of the rivers that flow to the east into the Pacific Ocean from those that flow west into the drainage of the Murray–Darling Basin (and thence to
2457-637: The Kosciuszko Huts Association and the local National Parks and Wildlife Service. Some of the more noteworthy huts include Moscow Villa Hut , Valentine Hut, Seaman's Hut , and Mawsons Hut. In recent years many huts have been lost through lack of maintenance and bush fire, as occurred with the Pretty Plain Hut and Mount Franklin Chalet , which were destroyed by the Canberra bushfires of 2003. The Australian Alps are
2548-745: The Murrumbidgee north-west of Canberra, which in turn flows north-west toward the New South Wales town of Yass. The Queanbeyan River joins the Molonglo River at Oaks Estate just within the ACT. A number of creeks, including Jerrabomberra and Yarralumla Creeks, flow into the Molonglo and Murrumbidgee. Two of these creeks, the Ginninderra and Tuggeranong, have similarly been dammed to form Lakes Ginninderra and Tuggeranong . Until recently
2639-768: The Southern Ocean ) or into inland waters, such as Lake Eyre , which lie below sea level, or else evaporate rapidly. The Australian Alps consist of two biogeographic sub regions: the Snowy Mountains , including the Brindabella Range , located in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory; and the Victorian Alps , located in Victoria. The latter region is also known as the "High Country", particularly within
2730-702: The Yarralumla estate—now the site of the official residence of the Governor-General of Australia—in 1827, and John Palmer who employed Duncan Macfarlane to form the Jerrabomberra property in 1828. A year later, John MacPherson established the Springbank estate, becoming the first British owner-occupier in the region. The Anglican church of St John the Baptist , in the suburb of Reid,
2821-488: The districts of Woden Valley and Belconnen commenced in the mid and late 1960s respectively, followed by the district of Tuggeranong in the mid 1970s. Many of the new suburbs were named after Australian politicians such as Barton , Deakin , Reid , Braddon , Curtin , Chifley and Parkes . On 9 May 1988, a larger and permanent Parliament House was opened on Capital Hill as part of Australia's bicentenary celebrations. The Commonwealth Parliament moved there from
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2912-542: The 100th anniversary of the naming of Canberra. On 11 March 2014, the last day of the centennial year, the Canberra Centenary Column was unveiled in City Hill . Other works included The Skywhale , a hot air balloon designed by the sculptor Patricia Piccinini , and StellrScope by visual media artist Eleanor Gates-Stuart. On 7 February 2021, The Skywhale was joined by Skywhalepapa to create
3003-623: The ACT's first government, led by the Chief Minister Rosemary Follett , who made history as Australia's first female head of government. The 1990s also saw urban development begin in the district of Gungahlin in the far north of the ACT. Parts of Canberra were engulfed by bushfires on 18 January 2003 that killed four people, injured 435 and destroyed more than 500 homes as well as the major research telescopes of Australian National University's Mount Stromlo Observatory . Throughout 2013, several events celebrated
3094-597: The Alps, such as the European rabbit, deer, house mice, red foxes, dogs, cats, horses, and pigs. Among this wide variety of different species of wildlife, there are different habitat requirements for each of the mentioned species, regardless of whether it is native or introduced. In addition to rock outcrops and decaying logs, there is often vegetation that provides food and shelter or a combination of these factors. Consequently, topography, soil type, and temperature determine
3185-673: The Australian Alps National Parks by agencies of the Australian government and the state governments of this region. The Australian Alps also contain the only skiing areas of mainland Australia. Along with the town of Cabramurra, New South Wales , these are practically the only permanent settlements in the area. Several medium-sized towns can be found in the valleys below the foothills, such as Jindabyne, New South Wales , Corryong, Victoria , and Mount Beauty . The Australian Alps are not as high or as steep as
3276-451: The Australian Alps consist of a high plateau, with significantly softer rolling hills spread across a long, wide plateau that was lifted thousands of feet up by the movement of magma when Gondwana began to break up between 130 and 160 million years ago. The highest peak in the Australian Alps is Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 metres (7,310 ft)). Formation of the Australian Alps was largely complete by around 100 million years ago, but during
3367-693: The Australian Capital Territory's pasture, forests (pine plantations), and nature parks. After burning for a week through the Brindabella Ranges above Canberra, the fires entered the suburbs of the city on 18 January 2003. Four people died and more than 500 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. The Victorian Black Saturday bushfires were particularly intense in parts of the Victorian High Country and destroyed several towns, including Kinglake and Marysville . The fires killed 173 people, Australia's highest-ever loss of life from
3458-701: The Canberra area include the Ngunnawal , Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples. Other groups claiming a connection to the land include the Ngarigo (who also lived directly to the south) and the Ngambri-Guumaal. Neighbouring groups include the Wandandian to the east, the Walgulu also to the south, Gandangara people to the north and Wiradjuri to the north-west. The first British settlers into the Canberra area described two clans of Ngunnawal people resident to
3549-411: The Canberra region was almost wholly eucalypt species and provided a resource for fuel and domestic purposes. By the early 1960s, logging had depleted the eucalypt, and concern about water quality led to the forests being closed. Interest in forestry began in 1915 with trials of a number of species including Pinus radiata on the slopes of Mount Stromlo. Since then, plantations have been expanded, with
3640-612: The European Alps, New Zealand's Southern Alps , or the Andes Mountains , and most of their peaks can be reached without using mountaineering equipment. Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish live in the Australian Alps. There are approximately 40 native mammals, 200 bird species, 30 reptile species, 15 amphibians, 14 native fish species, and a wide variety of invertebrates. Additionally, many non-native, feral species have been introduced to
3731-479: The Molonglo River had a history of sometimes calamitous floods; the area was a flood plain prior to the filling of Lake Burley Griffin. Under the Köppen-Geiger classification , Canberra has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ). In January, the warmest month, the average high is approximately 29 °C (84 °F); in July, the coldest month, the average high drops to approximately 12 °C (54 °F). Frost
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3822-727: The Ngunnawal elder Don Bell, have speculated upon possible meanings of "Canberra" over the years. These include "meeting place", "woman's breasts" and "the hollow between a woman's breasts". Alternative proposals for the name of the city during its planning included Austral, Australville, Aurora, Captain Cook, Caucus City, Cookaburra, Dampier, Eden, Eucalypta, Flinders, Gonebroke, Home, Hopetoun, Kangaremu, Myola, Meladneyperbane, New Era, Olympus, Paradise, Shakespeare, Sydmelperadbrisho, Swindleville, The National City, Union City, Unison, Wattleton, Wheatwoolgold, Yass-Canberra. The first peoples of
3913-639: The Provisional Parliament House, now known as Old Parliament House. In December 1988, the Australian Capital Territory was granted full self-government by the Commonwealth Parliament, a step proposed as early as 1965. Following the first election on 4 March 1989, a 17-member Legislative Assembly sat at temporary offices at 1 Constitution Avenue, Civic, on 11 May 1989. Permanent premises were opened on London Circuit in 1994. The Australian Labor Party formed
4004-400: The area 21,000 years previously. Still today, Ngunnawal men into the present conduct ceremony on the banks of the river, Murrumbidgee River. They travel upstream as they receive their Totems and corresponding responsibilities for land management. 'Murrum' means 'Pathway' and Bidgee means 'Boss'. The submerged limestone caves beneath Lake Burley Griffin contained Aboriginal rock art, some of
4095-494: The area and were referred to by the early British colonists as either the Canberry , Kanberri or Nganbra tribe. Joshua John Moore , the first European land-owner in the region, named his grant "Canberry" in 1823 after these people. "Canberry Creek" and "Canberry" first appeared on regional maps from 1830, while the derivative name "Canberra" started to appear from around 1857. Numerous local commentators, including
4186-677: The benefit of reducing erosion in the Cotter catchment, and the forests are also popular recreation areas. The urban environs of the city of Canberra straddle the Ginninderra plain , Molonglo plain , the Limestone plain, and the Tuggeranong plain (Isabella's Plain). The Molonglo River which flows across the Molonglo plain has been dammed to form the national capital's iconic feature Lake Burley Griffin . The Molonglo then flows into
4277-538: The board advised that it could not support the Griffins' plan in its entirety and suggested an alternative plan of its own devising. This plan ostensibly incorporated the best features of the three place-getting designs as well as of a fourth design by H. Caswell, R.C.G. Coulter and W. Scott-Griffiths of Sydney, the rights to which it had purchased. It was this composite plan that was endorsed by Parliament and given formal approval by O'Malley on 10 January 1913. However, it
4368-430: The city for poor performance. Menzies remained in office for over a decade and in that time the development of the capital sped up rapidly. The population grew by more than 50 per cent in every five-year period from 1955 to 1975. Several Government departments, together with public servants, were moved to Canberra from Melbourne following the war. Government housing projects were undertaken to accommodate
4459-552: The city in two; a land axis perpendicular to the central basin stretches from Capital Hill —the eventual location of the new Parliament House on a mound on the southern side—north northeast across the central basin to the northern banks along Anzac Parade to the Australian War Memorial . This was designed so that looking from Capital Hill, the War Memorial stood directly at the foot of Mount Ainslie . At
4550-439: The city's growing population. The National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) formed in 1957 with executive powers and ended four decades of disputes over the shape and design of Lake Burley Griffin — the centrepiece of Griffin's design — and construction was completed in 1964 after four years of work. The completion of the lake finally laid the platform for the development of Griffin's Parliamentary Triangle . Since
4641-707: The environment and animals in the mountain range. Due to their mostly hot, dry climate, bushfires in Australia occur frequently, particularly in the well-forested areas of the Australian Alps. The Alps, particularly on the Victorian side of the border (known as the Victorian Alps), are periodically subject to major bushfires and have been almost entirely burnt through by bushfires on various occasions, notably; Black Thursday in 1851 , Black Friday (1939) , and during fires in 2003 and 2006-07 . Certain native flora in Australia have evolved to rely on bushfires as
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#17327807797154732-415: The growth of a boy into a man. In October 1820, Charles Throsby led the first British expedition to the area. Four other expeditions occurred between 1820 and 1823 with the first accurate map being produced by explorer Mark John Currie in June 1823. By this stage the area had become known as the Limestone Plains. British settlement of the area probably dates from late 1823, when a sheep station
4823-450: The idea to the frozen hills around the town. The first and longest-surviving ski club in the world, the Kiandra Snow Shoe Club , is believed to have been formed at Kiandra in that year. Steeper slopes and more reliable snows lie further to the south, and in the 20th century the focus of recreational skiing in New South Wales shifted southward, to mountains in and around the Kosciuszko Main Range region, where Australia's best vertical drop
4914-522: The initial construction of the lake, various buildings of national importance have been constructed on its shores. The newly built Australian National University was expanded and sculptures as well as monuments were built. A new National Library was constructed within the Parliamentary Triangle, followed by the High Court and the National Gallery . Suburbs in Canberra Central (often referred to as North Canberra and South Canberra ) were further developed in the 1950s and urban development in
5005-411: The main region in which skiing in Australia takes place (although skiing is also possible in Tasmania ). Skiable terrain stretches through large areas of territory from June to October. New South Wales is home to Australia's highest snow country, oldest ski fields, and largest resort. Recreational skiing in Australia began around 1861 at Kiandra , New South Wales, when Norwegian gold miners introduced
5096-409: The mountain range during the summer to avoid high temperatures and lack of larval food resources. The moth is a food source for many species living within the region, such as the endangered mountain pygmy possum . However, the moth has also been a biovector of arsenic , transporting it from lowland feeding sites over long distances into the mountains, leading to the bioaccumulation of the element in
5187-422: The mountains. The area is generally sheltered from a westerly wind, though strong northwesterlies can develop. A cool, vigorous afternoon easterly change, colloquially referred to as a 'sea-breeze' or the 'Braidwood Butcher', is common during the summer months and often exceeds 40 km/h in the city. Canberra is also less humid than the nearby coastal areas. Canberra was severely affected by smoke haze during
5278-400: The national capital started during debates over federation in the late 19th century. Following a long dispute over whether Sydney or Melbourne should be the national capital, a compromise was reached: the new capital would be built in New South Wales, so long as it was at least 100 mi (160 km) from Sydney, with Melbourne to be the temporary seat of government while the new capital
5369-443: The next interchange with Cotter Road . Following this interchange the parkway begins to climb Oakey Hill , crossing over Heysen Street during the ascent. After peaking high on the hill, it then begins to descend toward the Hindmarsh Drive interchange. The parkway then continues a slow descent toward its terminus at the Sulwood Drive intersection. The roadway itself continues southwards as Drakeford Drive . The Tuggeranong Parkway
5460-415: The north. In the south, it runs onto Drakeford Drive as it enters Kambah . Original plans for the Parkway had it continuing down the route of Kambah Pool Road and crossing the Murrumbidgee River over Red Rocks Gorge, to connect suburbs on the west side of the River. Due to the environmental sensitivity of the Murrumbidgee River corridor, especially the Red Rocks Gorge, this plan was cancelled, along with
5551-406: The northern side of the city, was designated the municipal axis. The municipal axis became the location of Constitution Avenue , which links City Hill in Civic Centre and both Market Centre and the Defence precinct on Russell Hill. Commonwealth Avenue and Kings Avenue were to run from the southern side from Capital Hill to City Hill and Market Centre on the north respectively, and they formed
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#17327807797155642-430: The only sites in the region. Galambary (Black Mountain) is an important Aboriginal meeting and business site, predominantly for men's business. According to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, Mt Ainslie is primarily for place of women's business. Black Mountain and Mount Ainslie are referred to as women's breasts. Galambary was also used by Ngunnawal people as an initiation site, with the mountain itself said to represent
5733-410: The past 90 million years, a number of minor uplift episodes have occurred, with occasional eruptions of basalt lava from small volcanoes, which has flowed across the landscape and down some of the valleys, filling in the low-lying areas to form the flat landscapes of these high plains. During the Pleistocene ice age, commencing around 2 million years ago, when ice caps formed on many high ranges around
5824-475: The pastoral property of Yarralumla in 1913 to provide an official residence for the Governor-General of Australia in the new capital. Renovations began in 1925 to enlarge and modernise the property. In 1927, the property was officially dubbed Government House. On 9 May that year, the Commonwealth parliament moved to Canberra with the opening of the Provisional Parliament House . The Prime Minister Stanley Bruce had officially taken up residence in The Lodge
5915-402: The planned suburbs on the western side of the River. Partially limited-access Partially controlled-access roadway under construction Canberra Canberra ( / ˈ k æ n b ər ə / KAN -bər-ə )
6006-430: The region. Around 1825 James Ainslie , working on behalf of the wealthy merchant Robert Campbell , arrived to establish a sheep station. He was guided to the region by a local Aboriginal girl who showed him the fine lands of her Pialligo clan. The area then became the property of Campbell and it was initially named Pialligo before Campbell changed it to the Scottish title of Duntroon . Campbell and his family built
6097-428: The required territory as they did not accept the site. In 1906, the New South Wales Government finally agreed to cede sufficient land provided that it was in the Yass-Canberra region as this site was closer to Sydney. Newspaper proprietor John Gale circulated a pamphlet titled 'Dalgety or Canberra: Which?' advocating Canberra to every member of the Commonwealth's seven state and federal parliaments. By many accounts, it
6188-401: The roadway that forms Caswell Drive . After a short distance the parkway encounters its first interchange, which crosses over a spur of Lady Denman Drive. This spur provides access to the National Arboretum . The next few kilometres of roadway continue past the National Arboretum and through pine plantations while veering southwards, before crossing over the Molonglo River just to the north of
6279-407: The seat of the Government of Australia , Canberra is home to many important institutions of the federal government, national monuments and museums. These include Parliament House , Government House , the High Court building and the headquarters of numerous government agencies. It is the location of many social and cultural institutions of national significance such as the Australian War Memorial ,
6370-414: The side of the majority of the board with the design by Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin of Chicago , Illinois , United States , being declared the winner. Second was Eliel Saarinen of Finland and third was Alfred Agache of Brazil but resident in Paris, France. O'Malley then appointed a six-member board to advise him on the implementation of the winning design. On 25 November 1912,
6461-408: The southwestern end of the land axis was Bimberi Peak , the highest mountain in the ACT, approximately 52 km (32 mi) south west of Canberra. The straight edge of the circular segment that formed the central basin of Lake Burley Griffin was perpendicular to the land axis and designated the water axis, and it extended northwest towards Black Mountain . A line parallel to the water axis, on
6552-788: The summit of Mount Ainslie. Other notable features include the National Arboretum , born out of the 2003 Canberra bushfires , and Lake Burley Griffin , named for Walter Burley Griffin. Highlights in the annual calendar of cultural events include Floriade , the largest flower festival in the Southern Hemisphere, the Enlighten Festival , Skyfire , the National Multicultural Festival and Summernats . Canberra's main sporting venues are Canberra Stadium and Manuka Oval . The city
6643-451: The type of vegetation in an area and how animal populations are distributed. The Australian Alps have been classified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area . The range's montane forests and woodlands support large breeding populations of flame robins and pilotbirds . The bogong moth seasonally migrates long distances towards and from the Australian Alps and gregariously aestivates in caves and other sites throughout
6734-664: The vicinity. The Canberry or Nganbra clan lived mostly around Sullivan's Creek and had ceremonial grounds at the base of Galambary ( Black Mountain ), while the Pialligo clan had land around what is now Canberra Airport . The people living here carefully managed and cultivated the land with fire and farmed yams and hunted for food. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the region includes inhabited rock shelters, rock paintings and engravings, burial places, camps and quarry sites as well as stone tools and arrangements. Artefacts suggests early human activity occurred at some point in
6825-481: The war ended. The urban areas of Canberra are organised into a hierarchy of districts, town centres, group centres, local suburbs as well as other industrial areas and villages. There are seven residential districts, each of which is divided into smaller suburbs, and most of which have a town centre which is the focus of commercial and social activities. The districts were settled in the following chronological order: Australian Alps The Australian Alps are
6916-467: The west by the Brindabellas which create a strong rain shadow in Canberra's valleys. Canberra gets 100.4 clear days annually. Annual rainfall is the third lowest of the capital cities (after Adelaide and Hobart ) and is spread fairly evenly over the seasons, with late spring bringing the highest rainfall. Thunderstorms occur mostly between October and April, owing to the effect of summer and
7007-680: The western and eastern edges of the central basin. The area enclosed by the three avenues was known as the Parliamentary Triangle , and formed the centrepiece of Griffin's work. The Griffins assigned spiritual values to Mount Ainslie, Black Mountain, and Red Hill and originally planned to cover each of these in flowers. That way each hill would be covered with a single, primary colour which represented its spiritual value. This part of their plan never came to fruition, as World War I slowed construction and planning disputes led to Griffin's dismissal by Prime Minister Billy Hughes after
7098-458: The wife of Governor-General Lord Denman , announced that the city would be named "Canberra" at a ceremony at Kurrajong Hill, which has since become Capital Hill and the site of the present Parliament House . Canberra Day is a public holiday observed in the ACT on the second Monday in March to celebrate the founding of Canberra. After the ceremony, bureaucratic disputes hindered Griffin's work;
7189-483: The world's best cities to live in and visit. Although the Commonwealth Government remains the largest single employer in Canberra, it is no longer the majority employer. Other major industries have developed in the city, including in health care, professional services, education and training, retail, accommodation and food, and construction. Compared to the national averages, the unemployment rate
7280-414: The world, as well as at the poles, small glaciers were formed on the very highest parts of the Australian Alps, mostly in the vicinity of Mount Kosciuszko. Whilst no glaciers remain today, evidence of their past presence can be found in the numerous tarns and cirques found in that region, such as Club Lake, Blue Lake, and Hedley Tarn. The Australian Alps are important for conservation , recreation , and as
7371-412: Was 44.0 °C (111.2 °F) on 4 January 2020. Winter 2011 was Canberra's warmest winter on record, approximately 2 °C (4 °F) above the average temperature. The lowest recorded minimum temperature was −10.0 °C (14.0 °F) on the morning of 11 July 1971. Light snow falls only once in every few years, and is usually not widespread and quickly dissipates. Canberra is protected from
7462-422: Was 466,566. The area chosen for the capital had been inhabited by Aboriginal Australians for up to 21,000 years, by groups including the Ngunnawal and Ngambri . European settlement commenced in the first half of the 19th century, as evidenced by surviving landmarks such as St John's Anglican Church and Blundells Cottage . On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies of Australia was achieved. Following
7553-720: Was boycotted by the Royal Institute of British Architects , the Institution of Civil Engineers and their affiliated bodies throughout the British Empire because the Minister for Home Affairs King O'Malley insisted that the final decision was for him to make rather than an expert in city planning. A total of 137 valid entries were received. O'Malley appointed a three-member board to advise him but they could not reach unanimity. On 24 May 1911, O'Malley came down on
7644-545: Was built to educate local settlers children, including the Blundell children who lived in nearby Blundell's Cottage . As the European presence increased, the Indigenous population dwindled largely due to the destruction of their society, dislocation from their lands and from introduced diseases such as influenza , smallpox , alcoholism and measles . The district's change from a rural area in New South Wales to
7735-455: Was built. A survey was conducted across several sites in New South Wales with Bombala , southern Monaro , Orange , Yass , Albury , Tamworth , Armidale , Tumut and Dalgety all discussed. Dalgety was chosen by the federal parliament and it passed the Seat of Government Act 1904 confirming Dalgety as the site of the nation's capital. However, the New South Wales government refused to cede
7826-422: Was consecrated in 1845 and is now the oldest surviving public building in the city. St John's churchyard contains the earliest graves in the district. It has been described as a "sanctuary in the city", remaining a small English village-style church even as the capital grew around it. Canberra's first school, St John's School (now a museum), was situated next to the church and opened in the same year of 1845. It
7917-558: Was decisive in the selection of Canberra as the site in 1908 as was a result of survey work done by the government surveyor Charles Scrivener . The NSW government ceded the district to the federal government in 1911 and the Federal Capital Territory was established. An international design competition was launched by the Department of Home Affairs on 30 April 1911, closing on 31 January 1912. The competition
8008-514: Was formed on what is now the Acton Peninsula by James Cowan, the head stockman employed by Joshua John Moore . Moore had received a land grant in the region in 1823 and formally applied to purchase the site on 16 December 1826. He named the property "Canberry". On 30 April 1827, Moore was told by letter that he could retain possession of 1,000 acres (405 ha) at Canberry. Other colonists soon followed Moore's example to take up land in
8099-487: Was involved in the Canberra bushfires of 2003 in which the fires came up to the edge of the road. In parts, space has been set aside for duplication of the road (to eight lanes) if future needs require it. An example can be seen in the dual road cuttings behind the suburb of Weston. The Tuggeranong Parkway also connects to the Gungahlin Drive Extension , which connects to Belconnen and Gungahlin in
8190-562: Was the 24th Meeting of ANZAAS in January 1939. The Canberra Times described it as "a signal event ... in the history of this, the world's youngest capital city". The city's accommodation was not nearly sufficient to house the 1,250 delegates and a tent city had to be set up on the banks of the Molonglo River. One of the prominent speakers was H. G. Wells , who was a guest of the Governor-General Lord Gowrie for
8281-512: Was the Griffin plan which was ultimately proceeded with. In 1913, Walter Burley Griffin was appointed Federal Capital Director of Design and Construction and construction began. On 23 February, King O'Malley drove the first peg in the construction of the future capital city. In 1912, the government invited suggestions from the public as to the name of the future city. Almost 750 names were suggested. At midday on 12 March 1913, Lady Denman ,
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