Canberra History

Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Australian Capital Territory and other Australian topics.

What can I do in Canberra at night?

Canberra History

Did you know that Australia's capital city was founded in a sheep paddock? Well, many Aussies will tell you that Canberra, the city that houses the nation's capital, was set as far away from civilisation as possible, but the truth is the site was a compromise between competing cities Melbourne and Sydney.

The site of Canberra was settled by Europeans from around 1824, but in 1908 the sparsely populated area was chosen to be the capital of Australia. The American architects Marion Mahony Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin won an international competition for the design of the new city. Construction began in 1913 but was interrupted by World War I (1914-1918). Only in 1927 was the national parliament moved here from Melbourne, which had been its temporary seat since 1901. Canberra´s population grew rapidly following World War II (1939-1945).

Canberra is now the home to the federal government and international embassies to Australia.

   

Comments

Nobody has commented on this tip yet. Be the first.



Name:


URL: (optional)


Comment:


Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Australian Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!


Guru Spotlight
Carma Spence-Pothitt