What is Canberra? Prices in stores and local restaurants
The population of the capital is 391 thousand people.
The name of the city comes from an indigenous Aboriginal word and translated into Russian means “meeting place.”
The city is located near the Brindabella mountain range. The Molonglo River flows through the city. The city itself is surrounded on all sides by eucalyptus forests. Canberra is the seat of the Australian government and is home to the Australian Parliament, Supreme Court, government ministries and the Bank of Australia.
Story
The city was founded in 1908, it is only 106 years old.
Before the appearance of the city, indigenous Australian Aborigines lived in this territory. The very territory of the modern city was inhabited 21 thousand years ago.
European settlement of the area of modern Canberra began in 1820. The first permanent settlement arose in 1823 - a sheep farm and an estate were built.
Throughout the nineteenth century, the number of immigrants from Europe (mainly Great Britain) grew steadily.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the question of a new capital of Australia arose. Before this, two Australian cities – Sydney and Melbourne – had been arguing for several years about which of these cities should be the capital. When it became clear that neither side in this dispute would give in, a decision was made to build a new city, which would be given the status of the capital of Australia. This is how Canberra was born.
In 1913, the new city received its modern name.
The government moved to the new capital in 1927.
After the Second World War, Canberra's development accelerated. Today, Canberra is a modern metropolitan city with modern design and excellent planning.
Map
Museums
Let's get to know Canberra better and take a look at its museums.
Blundell Cottage House Museum — tells about the history of the Australian continent, about the living conditions of the first British settlers, their way of life.
Museum "Mugga-Mugga" is another historical museum located in the center of Canberra. It is located in a small stone house, which was built in the nineteenth century (1830). The history of Canberra and Australia is also very comprehensively revealed here.
Calthorpes House– another interesting museum in the Australian capital. The romantic era of the early twentieth century is depicted here: furniture, household items, family photographs.
Deep space communications complex – There is an interesting museum here. A stone from the Moon is kept here, the life of an astronaut at international orbital stations is described, and there are three large antennas for deep space communications.
The highlight of Canberra is dinosaur museum ! There is no such museum anywhere else in the world. There are 23 assembled skeletons of prehistoric dinosaurs, and there are moving dinosaur models. Both adults and children love to come here.
National Capital Exhibition – another interesting museum in Canberra. It tells about outstanding Australians and their achievements, interesting events from the history of Australia.
Canberra Railway Museum – here, in the open air, there is an impressive collection of freight, passenger and commuter trains, as well as locomotives.
Australian War Memorial Museum – here are the halls of the First and Second World Wars, the Hall of Valor, the Hall of Memory and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,
National Art Gallery of Australia - the largest in the country. There are a lot of paintings by Australian artists from different times.
Gallery of wood products "Bungendor" is the next great museum in the Australian capital. There are magnificent wooden crafts and beautiful furniture.
Attractions
Now you can take a walk around Canberra itself.
Vernon Square is the geometric center of Canberra and the central square. More precisely, it is a large roundabout; several streets from the outskirts of the city converge on this intersection. The square itself is lined with a beautiful grove where you can relax and take a walk.
Northbourne Avenue- the main and most green street of the capital. It is a long, beautiful boulevard with trees and flower beds in the middle, starting on the northern outskirts of Canberra and ending in Vernon Square. The most expensive shops, boutiques, central banks, many nightclubs, souvenir shops, and restaurants are located here. It's always full of tourists.
Alley "Parade of Veterans" - another wonderful street in Canberra, similar to Northbourne Avenue in its layout. Along the street (in the center) there is a beautiful eucalyptus grove. This is the venue for various ceremonial events, including those with the participation of the Australian armed forces.
Mount Stromlo Observatory - an astronomical observatory located within Canberra on Mount Stromlo. Powerful telescopes are located here. One day, the observatory opens its doors to everyone who wants to look at distant stars and planets through a powerful telescope.
National Carillon is a belfry in the center of Canberra. The belfry has 53 bells. It is considered one of the largest belfries in the world. There is an organ inside the belfry. The bells ring every 15 minutes.
TV tower on Black Mountain - This is the tallest building in Canberra. The height of the TV tower is 192 meters. There are three observation decks from which you can see the whole of Canberra in full view.
Canberra Theater Center is an open theater venue where theatrical performances are shown. Opened in 1965. There are theater rooms along the perimeter of the stage, and the performances themselves take place in the open air.
Black Mountain Hill - a wonderful natural attraction of the Australian capital. The famous Canberra TV Tower is located on this hill.
Old Parliament House – located in the city center, has the shape of a triangle. Tourists also like to stroll here. By the way, entrance to parliament is completely free; tourists are not allowed there only during parliamentary sessions.
Australian Institute of Sport is an educational institution and one of the largest training bases for Australian athletes. Visitors are invited to try their hand at various types of competitions.
Capital Hill– located in the center of Canberra. It is the seat of government power and houses Parliament, the Supreme Court of Australia and the central bank.
Zoo and aquarium – located in one place and have a common entrance. This is a private establishment, there are many interesting animals from all over the Earth, and the aquarium contains a great variety of fish that live in the waters around the Australian continent.
Lake Burley Griffin – an interesting natural attraction in Canberra. There is a beach here, and the lake itself is surrounded by several cozy parks and squares. This is one of the most favorite holiday destinations for Canberrans.
Albert Hall– This venue in the center of Canberra hosts various entertainment events.
Questacon is Australia's national science centre. The center has seven different galleries, introducing visitors to the latest achievements of Australian science.
Monuments
There are several interesting monuments in Canberra:
— Australian War Memorial;
- monument to the English king George V;
— monument to Albert Einstein;
- memorial to Captain James Cook;
- monument to planet Earth;
- a monument to a sheep;
— a monument to a frog;
— a monument to penguins;
- monument to Icarus;
- monument to Australian submariners.
Religious buildings
Canberra has a sufficient number of churches and other places of worship:
a) Anglican churches:
- Church of St. John;
- Church of All Saints;
b) Orthodox churches:
— Orthodox parish of St. John the Baptist;
c) Catholic churches:
- Catholic Church;
d) Protestant churches:
- Church of God;
— International Church;
— Church “Good Life”;
e) Muslim temples:
- Canberra Cathedral Mosque.
Stations
Canberra has one train station. Passenger services connect the capital with most major cities in Australia. From Canberra you can travel by train to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Brisbane, Darwin.
Parks
Canberra is surrounded on all sides by eucalyptus forests, and the city itself has many parks.
Weston Park– an ideal place for a leisurely relaxation. It is located on a peninsula and is surrounded on all sides by water. There are benches for sitting, lots of exotic flowers, alleys for walking and cycling, and outdoor cafes. There is a working miniature railway for children. There are kangaroos in this park.
National Botanic Garden of Australia – another beautiful corner of nature in Canberra. Five and a half thousand plants from all over the Earth grow in the garden.
Markets
Canberra is full of markets and it is impossible to single out any one in particular. The markets sell exotic vegetables and fruits, as well as other products. Near the markets, as a rule, there are a large number of trade kiosks with consumer goods, newspapers, and books.
Climate
Canberra's climate is subtropical continental. The city is located in the Southern Hemisphere and therefore the calendar seasons do not coincide with the astronomical ones. The astronomical summer in Canberra falls on the calendar winter months - from December to February, and the astronomical winter lasts from June to August. Winter is quite cold with frequent frosts and fogs, and snow often falls. Summer is very hot and usually dry. Residents of the city swim in the Molonglo River and Lake Burley Griffin approximately four months a year - from December to March.
Canberra- capital of Australia. Translated from the Aboriginal language, this word means “meeting place.” The city is located at the foot of the mountains. Canberra is the administrative center of the country, where all the main political structures of Australia are located. Canberra is not located near the sea, unlike other major cities in the country. This led to a quieter and calmer rhythm of his life.
Canberra was founded as a compromise in the struggle between the country's two cultural and economic centers, Sydney and Melbourne, for the title of capital of Australia. The international competition for the best project was won by the American architect Walter Barley Griffin, after whom the artificial lake in the center of Canberra was subsequently named. Everything necessary for a city with metropolitan status was pre-designed and built in the late 20s of the last century.
Now Canberra is a surprisingly elegant city full of fragrant gardens and green parks. It seems that the city is perfectly thought out and harmonious. Canberra is considered a city of order, since it was originally built according to a certain, clearly verified scheme.
The rainforests of Australia come close to the city. As a result, tourists and city residents need very little time to get out into nature. Just two hours' drive from Canberra are Australia's famous beaches, Snowy Mountains and ski resort. There are also more than 30 wineries operating here.
Canberra's population has a high percentage of residents with higher education. It is home to the Australian National Gallery, which houses one of the largest art collections in the southern hemisphere (more than 70 thousand exhibits).
Canberra is considered the “True Nature Capital” because it is surrounded on all sides by the Australian bush and looks like a small town in the middle of vast rural spaces. Not far from Canberra in the Snowy Mountains is Australia's main and only ski resort - Thredbo.
Canberra is a miniature city, which allows you to explore it almost in one day, without staying overnight. Typically, tourists get to know the city while traveling from Melbourne to Sydney.
Canberra belongs to the time zone - UTC+10, in the summer UTC+11. The time difference between Canberra and Moscow is +6 hours.
We also invite you to familiarize yourself with information about other cities in Australia.
Canberra is Australia's largest city located inland rather than on the coast. The city is located in the northern part of the Australian Capital Territory, 280 km southwest of Sydney and 650 km northeast of Melbourne. In 1908, the territory of modern Canberra was chosen as the future capital of the Commonwealth of Australia, which became a compromise between the country's two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, competing for this status. After an international competition for the best design, the future construction, which began in 1913, was based on the plan of Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney Griffin. Canberra's design was based on the concept of a garden city, featuring vast areas of natural vegetation, which is why Australians nicknamed the capital bush capital(translated from English "forest capital"). Although the city's growth and development were hampered by the First World War and the Great Depression, Canberra became a prosperous city after the Second World War.
As the seat of the Australian government, Canberra is home to the Australian Parliament, the Supreme Court and numerous departments and agencies. The city is also home to public and cultural institutions of national significance such as the National Gallery of Australia and the National Museum of Australia. The federal government is the largest contributor to the city's gross product and is the largest employer in Canberra.
Etymology
Word "Canberra" comes from the name of the dialect of the local Ngabri tribe belonging to the Ngunnawal family group, namely from the word "Kanbarra", which can be translated from the ancient Ngunnawal language as "meeting place". The name was apparently used to refer to a corroboree, or ceremonial gathering among the Australian Aborigines, which was held during the seasonal migration of the Ngunnawal tribe and at which cutworm butterflies of the lat. species were eaten. Agrotis infusa, whose migration route also passed through this area every spring.
Geography
Canberra covers an area of 805.6 km² and is located near the Brindabella Mountains. Brindabella Ranges), approximately 150 km off the east coast of Australia. The city is located on a hilly plain at an altitude of 550 to 700 m. The highest point is Mount Majura. Mount Majura, 888 m). Among other hills, the Taylor Mountains stand out. Mt Taylor), Ainsley (eng. Mt Ainslie), Magga-Magga (eng. Mt Mugga Mugga) and Black Mountain (eng. Black Mountain). Canberra is surrounded by forests, which is a mixture of eucalyptus savannas, grasslands, wooded areas, swamps and dry eucalyptus forests.
Question about the capital of Australia
Fundamental changes in life in the area, which began as rural New South Wales and later became the national capital, began with debates over the Federation of Australia in the late 19th century. After much debate about which city should become the capital, Sydney or Melbourne, a compromise was finally reached: the new capital was to be built in the state of New South Wales, provided that it was located no closer than 160 km from Sydney, and Melbourne During the construction of the city it was supposed to become a temporary capital. The Canberra area was chosen in 1908 following surveys by government surveyor Charles Scrivener. Charles Scrivener). The New South Wales Government handed over the Federal Capital Territory (as it subsequently came to be known) to the federal government.
Planning and construction of the future capital
After an international competition for the best design for the future capital, on January 1, 1910, the Australian Department of the Interior selected the design of Walter Burley Griffin. Walter Burley Griffin) and Marion Mahoney Griffin (eng. Marion Mahony Griffin), and already in 1913 Walter Griffin was appointed director of planning and design for the federal capital and construction immediately began. On March 12, 1913, the city was officially given its modern name. Lady Denman did it Lady Denman), wife of the then Governor-General of Australia, Lord Denman. The ceremony took place on Kurrajong Hill. Kurrajong Hill), which later became the site of the Australian Parliament building. Canberra Day is celebrated annually in the city and the Australian Capital Territory on the second Monday in March.
Photo of the new parliament building and the old one (in the foreground).
Unsustainable development of the city
The federal government moved to Canberra on 9 May 1927, the day the country's temporary Parliament House was opened. Prime Minister of Australia, Stanley Bruce Stanley Bruce), officially settled into his residence a few days earlier. Planned development of the city slowed significantly during the Great Depression of the 1930s and during World War II. Some projects, such as the buildings of the Catholic and Anglican cathedrals, were never realized.
Development of Canberra after World War II
The development of the city accelerated after the Second World War, with the capital moving beyond the boundaries of the original development plan. After the war, several ministries and civil servants moved to Canberra from Melbourne. At the same time, with the support of the government, the construction of residential complexes began to provide housing for the growing population of the city. The northern and southern parts of Canberra were developed in the 1950s, the Woden Valley districts. Woden Valley) and Belconnen (eng. Belconnen) - in the mid and late 1960s. In 1963, construction of the artificial Lake Burley Griffin was completed.
The main sectors of the economy are government administration and defense, which employ about 40% of Canberrans (overall contributing 26.1% of the territory's gross domestic product). Employers in the public sector include the Ministries of Defence, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Treasury. Some of the Australian Armed Forces are located in or near the city. The former Fairbairn military base, located next to Canberra International Airport, has been sold to airport operators and now caters for VIP clients.
The city is also home to a number of software manufacturers that serve government agencies: QSP, Tower Software, RuleBurst And The Distillery.
Demography
Trade at the market in the Kingston area.
Canberra's population is relatively young. The average age of the city's residents is 32 years, and only 8.3% of the population are residents over 65 years of age. Between 2001 and 2001, 61.9% of the population moved in or out of Canberra, the second highest mobility rate of any Australian capital city. As of May 2004, 30% of residents aged 15 to 64 in the Australian Capital Territory had completed a bachelor's level of education, higher than the national rate of 19%. Approximately 50% of Canberra's population consider themselves Christian (either Catholic or Anglican), less than 3% practice other religions, and 23% are atheists.
Education
Canberra's largest educational institutions are the Australian National University. Australian National University, ANU ), located in the Acton area. Acton), and the University of Canberra University of Canberra, UC) in the Bruce area Bruce). The Australian National University was founded in 1946 as a research university. Various research activities continue to be carried out there, and according to journals "The Times" And "Shanghai Jiao Tong" The university is one of the best in the world. Both the Australian National University and the University of Canberra have their own campuses not only in Australia, but also abroad. Canberra is also home to the campuses of two religious universities: the Australian Catholic University. Australian Catholic University ) and Charles Sturt University Charles Sturt University).
Other popular games in the city are netball, field hockey, ice hockey and cricket. At the local stadium Manuka Oval play cricket and Australian rules football. The Canberra Marathon is held annually.
The Australian Institute of Sport is located in the Bruce area. Australian Institute of Sport), which is a specialized educational and training institution.
Canberra has a variety of small stadiums, golf courses, skate parks, tennis courts and swimming pool complexes. The city has a wide network of paths for cyclists. Water sports are widely available.
Infrastructure
Healthcare
Canberra Hospital.
There are two public hospitals in Canberra: the 500-bed Canberra Hospital (formerly Woden Valley Hospital), located in the Garren area. Garran), and the 174-bed Calvery Hospital, located in the Bruce area. Both hospitals are also base hospitals where future medical workers are trained. Canberra's largest private hospital is the John James Hospital. John James Memorial Hospital). Other private hospitals include Calvery Private Hospital. Calvary Private Hospital) and the National Capital Private Hospital Healthscope (eng. Healthscope's National Capital Private ). In the past, the Acton Peninsula was also home to a hospital, the Royal Canberra Hospital. Royal Canberra Hospital), however it was closed on 27 November 1991 and blown up in 1997 to facilitate construction of the National Museum of Australia.
Transport
The main means of transportation in Canberra is the car. The urban planning policies pursued in the past have had a positive impact on the existing road system, which is characterized by high quality road surfaces. Canberra's districts are connected by highways, with speed limits of 80-100 km/h. In most counties, areas are connected by access roads.
Official language: Australian English
The city of Canberra is the capital of Australia. Australia is a country that annually attracts tourists from different parts of the world. Everyone should find time to visit Australia and see the sights of the capital. In reality, not in photos, Canberra looks even better! That is why the capital of Australia has been attracting tourists for many years.
Canberra sights
Parliament House
Anyone can take a tour inside Parliament in Canberra. The building was planned to be built on a hill, but later the building became a hill instead. Grass has grown on the roof of Parliament, where tourists walk every day.
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial to all Australian servicemen was unveiled in 1941. The memorial includes a large national war museum.
The National Museum is one of the largest museums in Australia. The museum features exhibitions dedicated to the social history of the country, its main problems, as well as the people and events that shaped the modern Australian nation.
National Gallery
The National Gallery of Australia was built in the brutalist style. This is Canberra's main art gallery and museum. The National Gallery is surrounded by a sculpture garden featuring indigenous Australian trees and plants.
Australian Academy of Sciences
The Academy was created like the Royal Society of London, and its powers are confirmed by a royal charter. The Academy is an independent organization and operates with the approval of the Australian Government. The goals of the Academy are to promote science in various ways.
Memorial to Captain James Cook
James Cook was an English naval sailor, explorer, cartographer and discoverer, Fellow of the Royal Society and Captain of the Royal Navy. He led three round-the-world expeditions to explore the World Ocean, during which he made a number of geographical discoveries. Cook mapped little-known and previously rarely visited parts of Newfoundland and the east coast of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the west coast of North America, the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.
The James Cook Memorial was erected to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his first voyage along the east coast of Australia in 1770. The memorial consists of a fountain in the very center of Lake Burley Griffin, a globe in the form of a globe and a central pool. In the evening, the fountain is illuminated, and the globe shows the trajectory of James Cook's route across the Pacific Ocean.
Buddhist Sakyamuni Center
The Buddhist Sakyamuni Center was founded in 1983. The Sakyamuni Center is surrounded by picturesque, green gardens, and on its territory you can see the largest Buddha statues in Australia in the open air.
This extraordinary place is impossible to imagine, one can only dream about it. Australia is both a continent and a land. People dreamed about this land for hundreds of years, and it was this land that made them cheerful, open and at the same time mysterious. Everyone who began to live on this continent struggled with the elements for survival, and it was this struggle that became their religion. All of Australia is the opposite, where barren lands and fertile lands are combined, a place of games and a battlefield. The modern nation is only 200 years old, but people have existed on this land for more than 40 thousand years.
A very distant country
Australia ranks 6th in the world in size, it is not much and not small, but more than 7 million square kilometers. In size, Australia is, of course, inferior to Russia, which is the largest in the world, Canada, China, the USA and Brazil.
The next largest country (in 7th place) is India and it is already 2 times smaller than Australia.
Due to its vastness, including in relation to the countries of Oceania, of which it ranks 1st, there are significant problems with settlement, or rather with the number
It is unfortunate, but the country ranks practically last in the world in terms of human population, surpassing only Namibia and Mongolia. The country has a population of 2.8 people per square kilometer.
First of all, this is affected by the huge deserts, which occupy 44% of the entire territory, which are located in the north-west of the continent and are located in two climatic zones - tropical and subtropical. Moreover, water on the land surface occupies only 1%
However, to a greater extent, due to its remote location from the main world players: Europe and America, it ranks 2nd in the world in terms of the human development index (life expectancy, literacy, education and standard of living) and 16th in the world in terms of the country's GDP. Indeed, all these indicators are directly related to the close connection with the UK.
Center of the country
When talking about Australia, not everyone can immediately say which city is its capital. Probably most people will say that this is Sydney. This is primarily due to awareness of the Summer Olympic Games held in this city in 2000
However, the capital of the Commonwealth of Australia is the city of Canberra, which is the largest in the country. Unlike large cities, it is not on the coast, but at a considerable distance from the ocean inland. The question of which city will be the capital, Sydney or Melbourne, has been going on since the mid-19th century. However, the decision was made unexpectedly. The region of New South Wales was chosen as the capital, where the city of Canberra was built at the beginning of the 20th century.
Interestingly, there was a condition that the capital should not be closer than 160 kilometers from Sydney, and Melbourne should become a transshipment base for a large construction project.
The population of the capital is about 360 thousand people, which is significantly higher in many large cities, with the exception of such huge ones as:
All million-plus cities are located on the coast, which is very typical not only for Australia, but also for all countries with access to the sea or ocean. Since ancient times, people have preferred to live by the sea or ocean. This is both prestigious and economically beneficial. Given the choice, there are often not many people who want to live in northern latitudes.
