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The Nation's Capital

The Australian Capital Territory was established in 1911 and, in 1913, the capital was officially named Canberra. The design of Canberra was decided following an international competition, with the winning design belonging to Walter Burley Griffin of Chicago.

Burley Griffin’s design located Capital Hill as the centre of Canberra, and symbolically, the nation. This symbolism was expressed in his street pattern around Capital Hill with concentric roads representing the concentration of power and energy at the nation’s heart. The links between the Federal and State governments are represented by wide, tree-lined avenues radiating from Capital Hill. The plan named and aligned each avenue a state capital.