Chances are that the first answer that comes to mind when wondering what the capital of Australia is might be wrong. It is all too easy to think that Sydney is the capital of Australia.
If you are surprised to learn that this is not the case, maybe you will give Melbourne a try. Well, it’s not either! The capital of Australia is Canberra. Now, don’t just keep the answer for your next trivia game with your friends and discover the whole story.
The origin of Australia’s capital
Let’s give you a little background. It is 1901. The Commonwealth Parliament has just been established. Even though the grand opening ceremony was to be held in Melbourne, no city had yet been designated as the capital of Australia.
Obviously, the two major cities of the country, Sydney and Melbourne, started discussing who should be the central Australian hub. However, neither was really an appealing choice.
Since both cities were located on the coast, they were vulnerable to a possible naval attack. Faced with widespread chaos, a radical decision was made to cut to the chase: they would build a new city from the ground up! Australia’s first capital city built from the ground up.
Charles Scrivener was commissioned to choose a site that would host the new town. His instructions: a picturesque, distinctive location with scenic views.
That is how Mr. Scrivener established Canberra as the preferred location. American architects Walter Burley Griffin and his wife, Marion Mahony Griffin, would design the new city.
Thus, Canberra was divided into quarters or neighborhoods based on their functions. One area for administration, another for business, another for trade…
The couple of architects even envisioned future expansions of the city – that’s foresight! The Monlonglo River, meanwhile, was responsible for creating man-made Lake Burley Griffin. One of the must-see sights of the new Australian capital.
Canberra, Australia’s small capital city
But entertaining highlights were not limited to those years in Australia’s new capital city. Every autumn, for example, the distinctive Balloon Festival takes place in Canberra to adorn the sky with amazing and colorful hot air balloons. I guess you could have already guessed what the “Balloon Festival” was all about. But surely you hadn’t imagined it as spectacular as it really is. Enjoy with the picture 😉
And that’s not all! When spring returns, over 500,000 visitors flock straight to Australia’s capital city to admire the sea of flowers surrounding Lake Burley Griffin.
Over a million flowers decorate the city in what is regarded as one of the most important flower festivals in the southern hemisphere: the Floriade. In addition, visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities such as horticultural workshops, live concerts and a variety of entertainment options throughout the days of the Floriade. Not bad, right?
We’re on a roll! Can you even ask for more? Yes, how about a giant slide? Well, in Corin Forest Park, in addition to wild nature, you will find hiking trails and ski slopes – provided you go in winter – with a slide several meters long where even adults can enjoy the ride as if they were children.
This area located south of Canberra is a great option if you plan to spend a couple of days in the area.
And this is the brief history of how Canberra became Australia’s capital city. Although, honestly, we must admit that this title is merely symbolic.
The city has a population of only 350,000 inhabitants and its airport offers very few international routes. Melbourne and, above all, Sydney, are the two cities that attract all the attention from the antipodes.
That said, if you don’t just want to read about Australia and what you really want is to live there, why not start your journey here?
