Australia's Capital Territory at a Glance
When the states were federated in 1901, Australia's Capital Territory (ACT)
was created by the fathers of the country's constitution. Completely surrounded
by the massive state of New
South Wales, the tiny ACT's area totals only 100 sq. km (40 sq. m). It is
a neutral location made for decision-making, and its capital, Canberra,
is named from an ancient Aboriginal term for "meeting place".
In 1908, American architect Walter Burley Griffin won an international competition
to design the modern city of Canberra, and his vision of a geometrical expanse
filled with green spaces and cultural buildings resulted in the Parliamentary
Triangle, which is located on two axes, both land and water. The man-made Lake
Burley Griffin meanders through part of the space, and dotted among the triangle's
carefully landscaped lawns are the Parliament
House, the Old
Parliament House, the National
Gallery and the National
Library. The nearby town of Kingston
is the proud home of the Canberra
Railway Museum, and the Canberra
Observatory in Dickson
studies the distinct stars of the southern hemisphere.
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