Federation: Focus on Canberra

The new nation needed a new capital and after much debate and competition the site was decided upon.

In 1908, the Commonwealth Parliament passed the Seat of Government Act 1908, designating the Yass-Queanbeyan area for Australia's Capital Territory.

In 1911 the new Federal Capital Territory on the Limestone Plans came under Commonwealth control.

In 1913 the name of the new capital was declared to be Canberra and the first sod was turned.

The Library holds a wide collection of material in different formats relating to the creation and development of the new seat of government.

photo of Lady Denman at the Canberra naming ceremony

Naming of Canberra by Lady Denman, Australian Capital Territory, 1913, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-141443090

Printed works

A selection of the many printed works on the history of Canberra includes:

A history of Canberra / Nicholas Brown
The bush capital: how Australia chose Canberra to be its federal city / Roger Pegrum

In our reference collection

You can find the following useful resources in our Main Reading Room. No catalogue request is required.

Canberra 1820 - 1913 / Lyall Gillespie
RF 994.71 G478
Canberra 1913 - 1953 / Jim Gibbney
RF 994.7104 G439
Canberra 1954 - 1980 / Eric Sparke
RF 994.71 S736
The long view : a history of Canberra, Australia's National Capital / Lionel Wigmore
RF 994.7 WIG

Federal Capital design competition

In 1911 an international competition was held to find a designer for the new capital city. Key resources include:

In print:

Canberra 1912. Plans and planners of the Australian Capital Competition. SCRF 711.4099471 R425 (Includes a list of all competitors with biographical details.)

Online:

Over 130 submissions were received. In addition to the plans submitted by Walter Burley Griffin the Library also holds entries submitted by other competitors including Eliel Saarinen and Alfred Agache.

Walter Burley Griffin, Canberra Federal Capital of Australia preliminary plan, 1914, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-230041959

Walter Burley Griffin

Portrait of Walter Burley Griffin ca. 1915, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-150278703

Walter Burley Griffin (1876-1937) architect, landscape architect and designer of Canberra. He won the international competition to design the new federal capital of Australia in 1912.

In our collections

Our Griffin and early Canberra collection page contains further information on maps, pictures, oral histories, manuscripts and published material held at the Library.