Australia's capital city, Canberra, had a difficult birth,
punctuated by political infighting, wars and the Great Depression,
but it is now a thriving modern city which, together with its
surrounds, makes up Australia's Capital Territory. Canberra lies 95
miles (150km) in from the East Coast, by road 175 miles (280km)
from Sydney and 415 miles (660km) from Melbourne.
Like most capitals of the world, Canberra boasts an
architectural heritage in its civic and Government buildings, but
Canberra is also blessed with some of the loveliest surroundings of
any national capital. There are more than 30 Australian artistic
and cultural institutions located in Canberra, ranging from the
Australian War Memorial to Parliament House, surmounted by a
colossal stainless-steel flagpole and set in 23 hectares of
gardens. In the centre of Lake Burley Griffin, the impressive
Captain Cook Memorial Jet shoots a six-ton column of water 482ft
(147m) into the air, while on the shore the National Gallery of
Australia houses the country's premier public art collection
spanning about 5,000 years of international art.
Canberra is also known for its spring festival, Floriade, when
the parks and gardens surrounding Lake Burley Griffin explode with
colourful displays of massed tulips and other blooms. The city,
with its many parklands, is especially beautiful in spring and
autumn.
