Canberra, Australia is a unique city in the heart of the Australian Capital Territory. It is the only completely landlocked city on the continent (unless you count Alice Springs and I’m not). Canberra is also a planned city; American architects Marion and Walter Griffin won an international competition. Finally, the government picked Canberra as the capital in 1908 because no one wanted to choose between Sydney and Melbourne (I wouldn’t want to either!). But what else is unique about Canberra? Read on..
Canberra, Australia
Canberra lies about 280km southwest of Sydney and 660km northeast of Melbourne. While it houses the majority of government buildings, many of them have consulate offices in the other state capitals. If you’re familiar with Washington DC or Brasilia, Brazil, Canberra is very similar. It is based on the garden city movement, although the Great Depression impacted the growth of the city. It wasn’t until after World War II that Canberra began to prosper.
History of Canberra
Although European settlement here began in the 1820s, Aboriginals have been here for 21,000 years. Archaeological sites and culturally important sites litter the area, like they do across much of eastern Australia.
When the city was planned, even the lake was designed. In fact, the lake’s orientation aligns the major monuments with the natural landscape. The city is a spoke and wheel concept rather than the grid system of most modern American cities. You can see this in the vector image above.
Spending time in Canberra, Australia
While each major city has its own museums (often the state museums), Canberra has all of the national galleries. Its relatively easy to visit several museums in a half day because they are close together. The Parliament building is open to the public too; it is free and guided tours are available (also free).
The best attraction in Canberra is the Australian War Memorial. This poignant memorial commemorates the ANZAC troops that lost their lives in all conflicts since 1885. The list is chilling, and so are the various galleries. Every day at 4:55pm the memorial hosts a tribute to fallen soldiers – highly recommended if you’re there in the afternoon!
Canberra is a small city (population 800,000+). I suggest spending two nights here. With one full day, you’ll have time to see the major sites and relax in luxury at one of the five star hotels in town. None are Virtuoso, but with the inclusion of private tours, my Virtuoso network can make sure that your time in Canberra is just as prestigious as the rest of your Australia trip!
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If you’re considering Australia, please get in touch with me! This is one of my favourite countries, and I truly believe that my personal experience here can only add value to what I create for you.
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