Notable features of the city are In early 2003, wildfires caused extensive damage to Canberra and its suburbs, where some 500 homes were destroyed and several people died. Melbourne is sometimes referred to as the “cultural capital” of Australia, but alas, it is not home the nation’s government.

Darwin, Northern Territory.







If you are like most, however, you may be wondering why Canberra was chosen as Australia’s capital in the first place? In reality, Sydney and Melbourne were never seriously considered.

In simple physical terms, the age of much of the continent is certainly impressive—most of the rocks providing the foundation of Australian landforms were formed during Australia is the last of lands only in the sense that it was the last continent, apart from Antarctica, to be The American-style concept of a national “frontier” moving outward along a line of settlement is also inappropriate.



New Badges: September Slider, Purple Parrot Prose, and Border Hoarder These names might highlight an attribute people are fond of, or they may reflect something the city is famous for. Sydney would go from a colonial outpost to a major cultural and economic center. Immediately thereafter, the Australian Capital Territory was formed from a part of New South Wales, in an effort to provide a location for the new federal capital of Canberra.



Around that same time, in 1851, gold was discovered in Australia. By 1836 the name had evolved to Canberra. Map of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.The Australian Parliament House (top) and the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House (bottom), Canberra, Austl.Legislative Assembly building for the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Australia.Old Parliament House (centre background) from the steps of the Australian National War Memorial, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.This article was most recently revised and updated by So what is the capital of Australia then?



Eventually, New South Wales would be established as a penal colony.


If you’re not well-versed in geography, you might be inclined to say that the capital of Australia is either Sydney or Melbourne. Next time you visit Australia, be sure to add Canberra to your list! With a rich history and lots of charm and cultural appeal, Canberra certainly has a lot to offer. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Uluru/Ayers Rock, Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park, southwestern Northern Territory, central Australia.Dove Lake in Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park, Tasmania, Australia.The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.


Well, one popular rumor is that many of Australia’s politicians thought both of those cities would be too hot in the summers. The city has well-developed infrastructure regarding buildings which are used for conferences both local and international, transport systems as well as academic institutions like the University of CanberraAll maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2020 worldatlas.com

By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. These Indigenous peoples lived mainly as hunter gatherers, but their population would decline after European contact, primarily due to disease but also because new settlements disrupted patterns of land use and movement.

It is a , attracting visitors who come to see all the many cultural organizations and landmarks.