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Canberra around 1900 is a small village on the Limestone Plains, a rural environment where sheep outnumber people. A feat of creative imagination is needed to picture a city here. A tombstone in the churchyard of St John the Baptist, Canberra, dating from the 1860s, delivers an unintended prophecy. It reads, "For here have we no continuing city but seek one to come".
Until 1901 Australia had six capital cities. The founders of the newly established Commonwealth saw the need for a new national capital, which would act as a focus for government and administration, and contain the symbols of emerging national identity.
They were inspired by an overseas tradition of planning capital cities. The most important example of a plannednational capital was Washington, the capital of the United states of America. This was especially appropriate, as the form of Australia's federal system of government had been greatly influenced by that of the United States.
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Australia's first capital was Melbourne, the seat of the Commonwealth Parliament from 1901 to 1927. The Constitution provided for a new capital, to be built on a territory under Commonwealth control, and at least 100 miles from Sydney but still within New South Wales.
Competition over the site was intense. After lively debate, the Yass-Canberra site was chosen by parliament in 1908, owing to its 'bracing' climate, good water supply, and natural beauty.
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... the Surveyor will bear in mind that the Federal Capital should be a beautiful city, occupying a commanding position, with extensive views, and embracing distinctive features which will lend themselves to the evolution of a design worthy of the object, not only for the present, but for all time ...
Once the federal capital area was chosen, the Commonwealth's chief surveyor, Charles Scrivener, was instructed by Prime Minister Andrew Fisher to undertake three specific tasks. First, to reconnoitre all possible sites in the Yass-Canberra district. Second, to investigate a possible water catchment for the territory. Third, to prepare a contour survey of a site appropriate for a seat of government.
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The capital would probably lie in an ampitheatre of hills with an outlook towards the north and north-east ...
Scrivener and his surveyors set up camp in February 1910 and completed their work by the end of March. He chose the Canberra valley, set in an 'ampitheatre of hills' and in a relatively sheltered position, as the best site for the capital. He also suggested four possible points along the Molonglo River where weirs could be constructed to create ornamental waters.
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After the design competition had been held, the Commonwealth Government arranged another competition for painters to depict the federal capital site. William Lister Lister's Federal capital site at Canberra won the Commonwealth Government Prize in 1913. The site is depicted from Mount Pleasant, with St John's Church in the middle distance, and the blue line of the Brindabellas beyond.
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| onwards to section 2: The Competition |
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