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Sunday 1 December 2013

Canberra

The site of Canberra was selected for the location of Australia's capital in 1908 as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's two largest cities.

Canberra was named at a ceremony on March 12, 1913 by Lady Denman, the wife of the then Governor-General Lord Denman.

King O'Malley, who was the politician who arranged the competition for a design for Canberra, drove the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of  the city in 1913. Building was delayed by World War I.

Melbourne remained temporary capital until 1927 while the new capital was under construction.

Canberra from Mount Ainslie. By Jason Tong - Wikipedia

Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies opened the artificial Lake Burley Griffin in the middle of Canberra on October 17, 1964.

The National Library as seen from the lake in autumn. By Leo Bild -  Wikipedia

On May 9, 1988, exactly 87 years after the opening of the first Parliament, the Australian Parliament moved into its current permanent location, Parliament House, in Canberra. Parliament House is an iconic building known for its distinctive design and serves as the meeting place for both houses of the Australian Parliament, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Canberra is unusual among Australian cities, being an entirely planned city outside of any state, similar to the American Federal District of Columbia.

With a population of 453,558, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall.

In 1996 Canberra was the first city in the world to set a vision of no waste by 2010. The "Zero Waste by 2010 Strategy" rallied industry, government, and community to reduce waste through recycling, composting, and other techniques. The city introduced curbside recycling and "green bin" programs, and promoted sustainable business practices. The aim was to divert 90% of waste away from landfills. 

Although the city didn't reach the goal, it achieved a 70% diversion rate by the end of 2010. Canberra's efforts inspired similar programs globally, proving that achieving zero waste is an achievable feat.


Canberra Day is a public holiday held annually on the second Monday in March in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to celebrate the official naming of Canberra.

Source Wikipedia

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