Canberra

Canberra is a city in a park with golden autumn leaves, glorious spring blooms, and bright blue skies. Hidden beneath the leafy surrounds is a thriving modern city. Explore Canberra’s many national attractions, which hold and share the treasures of our nation. Celebrate Australia’s sporting achievements, explore its political history, and reflect on stories of bravery. See the Nation through the eyes of its artists, and experience Australian character through sound and film and engaging exhibitions.

Canberra was started in 1913 and in the middle of the city is Lake Burley Griffin. This lake was created especially for the city. There was a competition to design the new capital of Australia and was won by an architect from Chicago in the United States of America. His name was Walter Burley Griffin. Griffin designed his triangular town as a garden town, so its size expanded over a big area. But as Canberra grew larger and larger, the lake was no longer in the middle of the town, but the people who are in charge of planning the city make sure Canberra is as close to Griffin's original plan as possible.

Before Canberra was founded, Australia’s two most important cities, Sydney and Melbourne, were arguing which city should be the capital of the continent. First Melbourne was elected the capital, but in 1908 there was a vote. The outcome was an area of 2 400 square kilometers was given to the country by New South Wales to build Canberra in. This was the place, 300 kilometers away from Sydney and with a distance of 650 kilometers to Melbourne, where a few years later Canberra was built.

Canberra is Australia's capital and only major inland city. The population grew from 50,000 in 1960 to 100,000 in 1967 and has soared to more than 300,000 today. People imagine it being full of politicians, bureaucrats - and not much else. But this is not the case. When you go there you will find beautiful galleries and museums clustered around a lake and deep-set in bushland. One of only two capital cities in the world that have been built to a premeditated design, Canberra is rather eerily symmetrical. Canberra and its surrounding suburbs are in the northeast of the territory, while the Namadgi National Park occupies the whole southwestern area.

On the northern side of Lake Burley Griffin, are the shops, businesses, university and suburbs such as Reid, Braddon, Turner and Acton. Parliamentary and other administrative buildings are located to the south of the lake, surrounded by suburbs such as Parkes, Barton, Forrest, Deakin and Yarralumla (home to the prime minister). Canberra is also surrounded by the additional towns of Woden, Belconnen and Tuggeranong.

For attractions and sightseeing, visit Attractions Australia.

View Larger Map