Canberra

Canberra is the capital of the Commonwealth of Australia and, with a population of just over 323,000, is also Australia's largest inland city. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory, 300 km southwest of Sydney, and 650 km northeast of Melbourne. Unique in Australia as an entirely purpose-built, planned city, Canberra was selected as the location of the National Capital in 1908. Following an international contest for the city's design, a design by Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913. The city's design was heavily influenced by the garden city movement and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation that have earned Canberra the title "bush capital". Although the growth and development of Canberra was hindered by the World Wars and the Great Depression, it emerged as a thriving city post-World War II.

Culture

Canberra is home to many national monuments and institutions such as the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery currently housed at Old Parliament House, the National Library of Australia, the National Archives of Australia, and the National Museum of Australia. Many Commonwealth government buildings in Canberra are open to the public, including Parliament House, the High Court and the Royal Australian Mint. Lake Burley Griffin is the site of the Captain Cook Memorial and the National Carillon. Other sites of interest include the Telstra Tower and the Australian National Botanic Gardens on Black Mountain, the National Zoo and Aquarium on Scrivener Dam, the National Dinosaur Museum and Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre.

Related Topics:
Australian War Memorial - National Gallery of Australia - National Portrait Gallery - National Library of Australia - National Archives of Australia - National Museum of Australia - Royal Australian Mint - National Carillon - Telstra Tower - Australian National Botanic Gardens - Black Mountain - National Zoo and Aquarium - National Dinosaur Museum - National Science and Technology Centre

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The Canberra Museum and Gallery in Parkes is a repository of local history and art. Several historic homes are open to the public: Lanyon and Tuggeranong Homesteads in the Tuggeranong Valley, Mugga-Mugga in Symonston, and Blundells' Cottage in Parkes all display the lifestyle of the early European settlers. Calthorpes' House in Red Hill is a well preserved example of a 1920s house from Canberra's very early days. Duntroon House, in the suburb of Campbell, was one of the district's earliest homesteads and is now the officers' mess at Royal Military College; it is occasionally open to the public.

Related Topics:
Canberra Museum and Gallery - Parkes - Tuggeranong Valley - Symonston - Red Hill - Duntroon House - Campbell - Royal Military College

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Canberra has many venues for live entertainment including: the Canberra Theatre and Playhouse which host many major concerts and productions; and Llewellyn Hall (within the Canberra School of Music), a world-class concert hall located close to the Australian National University. The Street Theatre, also associated with the university, hosts many amateur student and community theatre groups. There are numerous bars and nightclubs which also offer live entertainment, particularly concentrated in the areas of Dickson, Kingston and the City Centre. Most town centres have facilities for a community theatre and a cinema, and they all have a library. Popular cultural events include the National Folk Festival, the Royal Canberra Show, the Summernats car festival and the Celebrate Canberra festival which is held over 10 days in March in conjunction with Canberra Day.

Related Topics:
Dickson - Kingston - City Centre - National Folk Festival - Royal Canberra Show - Summernats

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Canberra has a number of sister cities, including Atlanta in the United States, Beijing in China, Dili in East Timor, Nara in Japan, and Versailles in France. Cultural exchange happens to some extent with each city. The largest community event associated with a sister city is the Canberra Nara Candle Festival which is held in October.

Related Topics:
Sister cities - Atlanta - United States - Beijing - China - Dili - East Timor - Nara - Japan - Versailles - France

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Media

As Australia's political centre, Canberra is an important centre for much of Australia's political reportage and thus all the major media organisations, including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the commercial television networks, and the metropolitan newspapers maintain local bureaus. Many news organisations are represented in the "press gallery", a group of journalists who report on the national parliament. The National Press Club of Australia in Barton has regular television broadcasts of its weekly lunches at which a prominent guest, typically a politician, delivers a half-hour speech followed by a question-and-answer session.

Related Topics:
Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Press gallery - Parliament - Barton

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Canberra has a daily newspaper, the Canberra Times which was established in 1926, and some free weekly suburban and special interest publications. Canberra has free-to-air analogue television stations including two government funded (ABC and SBS) and three commercial stations (Prime, WIN and Southern Cross Ten) as well as two free-to-air digital services ABC2 and SBS News. Subscription (pay) television services are available from Foxtel via satellite service, and cable by local telecommunications company TransACT who also offer telephone and broadband internet services on their optical fibre cable network covering many suburbs.

Related Topics:
Canberra Times - 1926 - ABC - SBS - Prime - WIN - Southern Cross Ten - ABC2 - Foxtel - TransACT - Broadband - Optical fibre

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A number of community radio stations broadcast in Canberra, including Radio 2XX FM, which offers a multicultural radio broadcast featuring weekly programmes in twenty languages as well as community service and specialty music programmes. There are a number of other commercial AM and FM radio stations including Austereo Radio Network, ABC networks and Radio 1RPH which offers broadcasts for the print handicapped.

Related Topics:
Austereo Radio Network - Radio 1RPH

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Sport

In addition to local sporting leagues, Canberra has a number of sporting teams that compete in national leagues. The best known teams are the Canberra Raiders and the ACT Brumbies who play rugby league and rugby union respectively and who have both been champions of their leagues. Both teams play their home games at Canberra Stadium, which is Canberra's largest stadium and was used to hold preliminary soccer matches for the 2000 Summer Olympics and matches for the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup. There are also teams that participate in national competitions in netball, women's basketball, field hockey, ice hockey and cricket. Manuka Oval is another large outdoor sporting facility where cricket and Australian Rules football are played. The Melbourne based AFL team the Kangaroos plays some home games at Manuka Oval and the historic "Prime Minister's XI" cricket match is played there annually. Other significant annual sporting events include the Canberra Marathon, the City of Canberra Half Ironman Triathlon and the Canberra Women's Tennis Classic held in the lead up to the Australian Open.

Related Topics:
Canberra Raiders - ACT Brumbies - Rugby league - Rugby union - Canberra Stadium - Soccer - 2000 Summer Olympics - 2003 Rugby Union World Cup - Netball - Women's basketball - Field hockey - Ice hockey - Manuka Oval - Cricket - Australian Rules football - AFL - Kangaroos - Canberra Women's Tennis Classic - Australian Open

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The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is located in the Canberra suburb of Bruce, the AIS is a specialised educational and training institution providing coaching for elite junior and senior athletes in a number of sports. The AIS has been operating since 1981 and has achieved significant success in producing elite athletes. The AIS is also a popular tourist destination.

Related Topics:
Australian Institute of Sport - Bruce

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Canberra has numerous sporting ovals, golf courses, skate parks, tennis courts and swimming pools that are open to the public. A Canberra-wide series of bicycle paths are available to cyclists for recreational and sporting purposes. Canberra Nature Parks have a large range of walking paths, horse and mountain bike trails. Water sports like sailing, rowing and water skiing are popular activities on Canberra's lakes. The Rally of Canberra is an annual motor sport event and a facility for drag racing is currently being planned for construction.

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