The Australian Capital Territory covers 2,358 sq km and is landlocked within the mountainous country of southeastern New South Wales. Canberra and its surrounding suburbs are in the northeast of the territory, while the Namadgi National Park occupies the whole southwestern area. The territory has a population of more than 300,000.
History
In 1901 the Commonwealth of Australia was established and the constitution detailed that:
'The Seat of Government of the Commonwealth shall be determined by the Parliament and shall be within territory granted to the Commonwealth. It shall be within 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.'
The selection of a site for the new nation's capital was not to be easy. In the meantime, until a site was found, the Commonwealth’s Parliament sat in Melbourne. Over the next decade, the search for a site took place. Forty districts were proposed, 23 of these inspected and the choice narrowed to Albury, Bathurst, Bombala, Lake George, Lyndhurst, Tumut, Dalgety and Yass-Canberra.
On 1 January 1911 the Federal Capital Territory of 910 square miles came into existence. In 1915 an area at Jervis Bay was added; but despite speculation about development of 'Pacific City' as a seaport for Canberra, it remained the naval base HMAS Creswell for the new Royal Australian Navy.
A site for the national capital was chosen within the territory and in 1911 an international competition for a city plan was launched, attracting 137 entries. First prize was awarded to American landscape architect Walter Burley Griffin from Chicago. Griffin's aim was to obtain unity by applying the natural advantages of the landform to the civic necessities. Dominating Griffin's plan is a central artificial lake and a 'parliamentary triangle' in which the most important national buildings are located. The surrounding residential areas have a geometric street pattern, circular and radial in shape, all fitting well into the general topography.
The Commonwealth parliament met in Canberra for the first time during 1927 and in 1938 the territory was renamed the Australian Capital Territory.
Three years later, an advisory council was established to administer the territory. In 1974 this became an elected Legislative Assembly that advised the Department of the Capital Territory. In 1988 the ACT (Self-Government) Act established a Legislative Assembly with full powers to make laws for the Australian Capital Territory.
Figure 45 - Australian Capital Territory (Source: Wilkins Tourist Maps)
