When was Canberra chosen to be the capital of Australia?

Answer 1

The city of Canberra was built for the purpose of it becoming the national capital of Australia, and land for the Australian Capital Territory (originally Federal Territory of Australia) was purchased from New South Wales for the purpose.

Australia's two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, had been rivals since before the goldrush days. After Federation in 1901, it was therefore decided that the nation's capital should be situated between the two cities. A location was chosen which was 248km from Sydney and 483km from Melbourne.

Section 125 of the Constitution of Australia provided that:

"The seat of Government of the Commonwealth shall be determined by the Parliament, and shall be within territory which shall have been granted to or acquired by the Commonwealth, and shall be vested in and belong to the Commonwealth, and shall be in the State of New South Wales, and be distant not less than one hundred miles from Sydney.

Such territory shall contain an area of not less than one hundred square miles, and such portion thereof as shall consist of Crown lands shall be granted to the Commonwealth without any payment therefore. The Parliament shall sit at Melbourne until it meets at the seat of Government."

Once it was decided that Australia's capital would be neither Melbourne nor Sydney, the Federal Capital Territory was founded, on 1 January 1911, in the Yass-Canberra district. The Yass/Limestone Plains area, where Canberra now stands, had actually been settled as far back as the 1820s.

From 1901 to 1927, the Australian Parliament met in Parliament House, Melbourne, which it borrowed from the parliament of the state of Victoria, which in turn sat in the Exhibition Building. However, Melbourne was never the capital city of Australia.

Answer 2

Known derisively as the "bush capital", Canberra was "opened" as the new capital of Australia by the Duke and Duchess of York on the 9th of May, 1927.

Canberra was built for the purpose of being Australia's capital.

Answer 3

Shortly after Australia's Federation on 1 January 1901, it was decided that the nation's capital should not be either Sydney or Melbourne, but should be situated between the two cities.

Once it was decided that Australia's capital would be neither Melbourne nor Sydney, land for the Australian Capital Territory (originally Federal Territory of Australia) was purchased from New South Wales for the purpose. The Federal Capital Territory was founded, on 1 January 1911, in the Yass-Canberra district. The first survey peg marking the beginning of the development of the city of Canberra was driven in on 20 February 1913. On 9 May 1927, Parliament moved to the new national capital at Canberra, where it met in what is now called Old Parliament House.

Answer 4

Canberra was named the capital city of Australia in 1913.

The Federal Capital Territory (now the Australian Capital Territory) was founded on 1 January 1911 in the Yass-Canberra district. The competition to design Australia's new capital city, Canberra, was won in 1911 by Walter Burley Griffin and the first survey peg marking the beginning of the development of the city of Canberra was driven in on 20 February 1913. On 9 May 1927, Parliament moved to the new national capital at Canberra, where it met in what is now called Old Parliament House.

Answer 5

Melbourne was never officially the capital city of Australia, but it was the temporary seat of power in Australia - a fine line of difference. From 1901 to 1927, the Australian Parliament met in Parliament House, Melbourne, which it borrowed from the parliament of the state of Victoria, which in turn sat in the Exhibition Building.

The competition to design Canberra was won in 1911 by Walter Burley Griffin and the first survey peg marking the beginning of the development of the city of Canberra was driven in on 20 February 1913.