AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY The Australian Capital Territory, designed by Walter Burley Griffin, was as established as the Capital of Australia in 1908 as a result of the Sydney-Melbourne debate for who would get to be capital city. In all fairness, Canberra went up halfway between the two as the Australian Capital Territory – The ACT. Canberra is home to the extravagant Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, several types of museums, science centres & so much more!

Sources of Destination Information For cultural knowledge: For general information (accommodation, tourist attractions etc): For current/recent & updated information: For further detailed information:

Man-Made Tourist Attractions Parliament House Situated on Capital Hill, designed by Romaldo Gieurgola in 1988 costing $1.1 billion. It was constructed into the top of the hill in order to preserve the shape of the hill. The Parliament House is home to numerous pieces of Australian art & craft. Tours of the House run on non-sitting days every half hour. The House of Representatives is situated on the East side of the building, with The Senate on the west.

The National Gallery of Australia The National Gallery of Australia is located to the South of Lake Burley Griffin & hosts a wide range of art, including drawings, furniture, paintings, sculptures & much more from Australia, Asia, Europe & America. It is open daily from 10.00am – 5.00pm with free admission. While visual art is the main focus of the Gallery, other key learning areas that can be discussed in relation to works of art include English, studies of society and environment, Aboriginal studies, Asian studies, technology, civics and citizenship, health and languages other than English. Gallery educators are available to assist teachers plan visits to meet specific themes or curriculum needs. The Collection Study Room (CSR) provides public access to works of art from the National Gallery that are not currently on display. Admission is free. The National Gallery provides a range of services for visitors with special needs, such as accessibility, listening devices & Braille.

History Evidence shows that the Ngunnawal people have occupied the land for more than years, proven by rock paintings in Namadgi Park & archaeological evidence found at Birrigai Rock. The first European settler in the district was Joshua John Moore in 1824 who took up a stock station called ‘Canberry’. In 1901 the NSW Government commissioned three possibilities for Australian Capital City & decided in 1908 on the Yass-Canberra option. In 1911, Walter Burley Griffin of Chicago won the competition to organise a city plan. The Australian Government took hold of 2357 square km of land from NSW as a location for the new capital city, 307km north-east of Sydney & 655km south-west of Melbourne. In 1913, Canberra became the official name for the area, and a ceremony was held which involved the laying of a foundation stone on Capital Hill. Today, the majority of the population of the ACT live & work in Canberra.

Floriade You can enjoy lunchtime concerts, street performers, the ‘Lotus Lounge’, the ‘Patting Paddock’, the giant 35m Ferris wheel & wander through the countless amounts of garden beds displaying brilliant flowers in full bloom. There are also special garden beds in the designs of clouds, ocean waves, a giant chess board, an eye. The biggest flower festival in Australia, Floriade celebrates Spring in a big way in Commonwealth Park. This year Floriade promises over 1 million blooms & a wide variety of entertainment.