Capital of Australia

Canberra is the capital of Australia. It is located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in southeastern Australia, about 240 km away from Sydney. Canberra, the country’s largest city, lies on the bank of the Molonglo River. It is an entirely planned city. It was built and developed with a specific goal; to serve as the nation’s capital. Canberra earns the title of ‘The Bush Capital’ because it is surrounded by forests, natural reserves, and farmland. Canberra belongs to the Australian Eastern Standard Time zone, whose current offset time in Australia is UTC/GMT +10 hours. Canberra city is also known for the Australia cricket team. 

Canberra was created from the ground up to be a planned city. A design by Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was chosen after an international competition for the city’s design, and the building began in 1913. This city lies at the midpoint of Sydney and Melbourne, which makes it a good living place. Here is a complete overview of the Capital of Australia.

History

The indigenous Ngunnawal people lived in the Canberra region for thousands of years, and the name ‘Canberra’ is thought to be derived from an ancient phrase, Ngunnawal, meaning meeting place. Prime Minister Andrew Fisher laid the foundation stone for Canberra on March 12, 1913. However, construction was halted due to the First World War. Furthermore, the Great Depression of the 1930s slowed Canberra’s expansion. As a result, Canberra didn’t start growing until the second half of the twentieth century. Government House was completed in 1927 in Canberra. It is the Governor-official General’s residence. After that, Canberra was officially known as the capital of Australia.

Time in Australia

There are four different times in Australia. Canberra uses the eastern time zone. This zone has +11 hours of GMT offset during eastern Australian daytime. In Australia, daylight saving time begins on the first Sunday in October each year. Clocks are turned forward for 1 hour, called Spring forward. DST ends up annually on the first Sunday of April. Clocks are turned backward for 1 hour, called Fall Back.

Important Organisation Of Canberra

The Australian government’s seat, Canberra, is home to numerous notable federal government agencies, national monuments, and museums. Parliament House, Government House, the High Court, and the headquarters of various government institutions are all part of this city. The Australian War Memorial, the Australian National University, the Royal Australian Mint, the Australian Institute of Sport, the National Gallery, the National Museum, and the National Library are among Canberra’s numerous social and cultural organizations. It contains all of Australia’s embassies and consulates and the regional offices of numerous international agencies, non-profit organizations, lobbying groups, and professional associations.

Government and Policy

The city of Canberra has neither a local council nor a city government. The Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory serves as both a city council and a territory government for the rest of the Australian Capital Territory. The parliament comprises 25 members elected by a proportional system from five districts. Brindabella, Ginninderra, Kurrajong, Murrumbidgee, and Yerrabi are the five districts that elect members for cabinet. Among them, one becomes the chief minister of the cabinet. Under a contract with the ACT Government, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) provides all constabulary functions in the Capital of Australia comparable to state police agencies. The AFP does so through ACT Policing, its community policing branch.

Culture & Sports

About 50% of Canberra people describe their religion as Christian in the census 2016. English is the prime language of this city. Music and cricket are the most famous things in Canberra. The Canberra Theatre and Playhouse, which holds many major performances and plays, and Llewellyn Hall, a world-class concert hall, are two of the most famous live music and theatre venues in Canberra. Stonefish was a significant annual celebration that was, for several years, one of Canberra’s largest. In 2012, it was shrunk and renamed Stone Day. Various restaurants and nightclubs also provide live entertainment, mainly in the Dickson, Kingston, and city neighborhoods. Manuka Oval, situated in Canberra, is primarily used for Australian cricket. The cricket ground organizes many test matches, local league, and international cricket.