Why is Canberra the capital of Australia?
Canberra became Australia's capital as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne. The site was chosen in 1908, and Parliament moved there from Melbourne in 1927.
When the colonies federated in 1901, both Sydney and Melbourne wanted to be the national capital. The Constitution settled the argument: the capital had to be in New South Wales but at least 100 miles (about 160 km) from Sydney. Melbourne served as the temporary seat of government until the new city was ready.
An international design competition in 1912 was won by American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin. Their plan placed the city around a central lake and a land axis pointing to the surrounding hills. The name Canberra was announced in 1913 and is often linked to a local Aboriginal word for a meeting place.
A planned city
Parliament first sat in Canberra in 1927 in a provisional building, now Old Parliament House. Today the city is home to the federal Parliament, the High Court and many national institutions. Read more on our capital of Australia page.
Did You Know?
Lake Burley Griffin, at the heart of the city, was only filled in 1964, decades after the design was chosen.