If you were to ask me for one of Australia’s most rewarding destinations for a few days break, I’d have to say Canberra.

Okay, a two-week holiday and there’d be a bit of thumb twiddling, but for a short break there’s a huge amount to see and do.

Interestingly, a competition was held to give the city a name. One of the more intriguing entries was an amalgamation of the State’s capitals and, there but for the grace of good judgement, you could now be reading about Sydmeladelperbriho.

Canberra still suffers from a stigma that was decades in the making. In the 1920s the general consensus was that the city was a terrible thing to do to a good sheep property. In 1934, the then Attorney-General, Robert Menzies, said that Canberra was a ‘place of exile’. During the Great Depression, the place went into hibernation and stayed there a bit longer than the rest of the world. Nothing much happened in the 1940s, apart from construction of the wonderful War Memorial. At that time, one politician remarked that the best view of Canberra was to be had from the rear end of a train. The 1950s saw a time of measured panic due to a housing shortage and lack of office accommodation. The city didn’t even get its lake until the 1960s.

But, today, the city works.

There’s a lot on offer for all ages, it now has a sense of history and it’s no longer ‘lights out’ at 9 pm. Because of the large student population and public servants with a fairly high disposable income, there’s a buzzing nightlife with good bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

Until Canberra became Australia’s capital city, Melbourne was the centre of government. Early last century it was decided that a more central location was needed and, government being government, a committee was set up to find the best location. After much internal arguing, the committee proposed Albury. But the government, being a government, ignored the recommendation. The House of Representatives voted for Tumut, approximately halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. The Senate thought Bombala a better bet, so a compromise was sought. They started looking for a site to build a new city. After a further seven years of arguing, they decided on the size of the territory (900 square miles) with the only other rider being that it had to have access to the sea. They didn’t get the sea and the 900 square miles turned into 2400 square kilometres, but eventually, some ten years on, the decision was made to proceed with the present site. The Minister for Home Affairs, King O’Malley, declared that it would be ‘the finest capital city in the world’.

It’s taken another 90 years, but it’s now getting close.

So, there, in a nutshell is Canberra. As I said, it’s a joy to visit and it has re-invented itself. In the early days, public servants were seconded from Melbourne and they formed a tight community where the kids and dogs all played in the streets. For many decades public servants continued to be ‘sent’ there but now, it’s a preferred city of choice. In the 1970s I spent eight years in the public service - okay, it was five months, but it felt like eight years - and, even then, government departments offered relocation incentives to entice people there. Not so today. Friends of mine who live there swear by it, as opposed to the past when people swore at it. The locals have a sense of carefree fun, use the recreational facilities and have a quirky sense of humour. For example, a couple I know like the camaraderie and occasional drink at the Canberra South Bowls Club, or as they call it, the DunRootin’ Club, because most of the members are over eighty.

More Information

More information about Canberra can be found here:

• Events And Festivals
• Canberra City
• To See And Do
• Accommodation
• Stories By Ian Heydon:
• A Tale of Two Griffins
• Anzac Daze

Canberra Tours With Tours To Go