MELBOURNE, VIC. — On January 1 1901, following federation of the six colonies in Australia, arose the need to build a federal capital. It was decided that the national capital would not be one of the existing state capitals, in order to prevent rivalry between the cities. It would, however, be positioned between Australia’s two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne.
Numerous sites were evaluated by members of Parliament. The site for the national capital could not be on the coast, as this could cause it to be susceptible to enemy bombardment. The necessity for a naval port was satisfied by the acquisition of federal land at Jervis Bay.
The climate needed to be “bracing” to ensure clear minds for political decision-making. There could be no established urban development or industry already, and access to sufficient water was a necessity. It needed to be in an elevated position, aesthetically pleasing and preferably surrounded by picturesque mountains.
Locations raised for consideration were Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Bombala, Dalgety, Delegate, Goulburn, Lake George, Lyndhurst, Orange, Queanbeyan, Tumut, Wagga Wagga and Yass. After the initial ballot in the House of Representatives in 1903, Bombala emerged as the favoured site. Following a change of government in 1904, Dalgety was selected as the site of Australia’s future Federal Capital Territory (later the Australian Capital Territory).
When the government changed again in 1905, another ballot was held, and the Yass-Canberra site won by six votes. The territory was defined as a triangle, with Yass in the top corner, the Murrumbidgee River forming the western border and Lake George being in the east.
On October 18, 1909, New South Wales agreed to transfer 2400 square kilometres of land to the Commonwealth for the purpose of establishing the Federal Capital Territory.
The deal was signed by Australian Prime Minister Alfred Deakin and the Premier of New South Wales, Charles Wade. The land was formally transferred from New South Wales in January 1911.
The recently created Federal (Commonwealth of Australia) Parliament sat in Melbourne at the Royal Exhibition Building for the opening of Australia’s new Parliament before moving to the Victorian Parliament on Spring Street, until Canberra was ready in 1927. The Victorian State parliament then sat at the Royal Exhibition Building.
