01 January - Canberra becomes the capital of Australia

 

Canberra officially became the capital of Australia on 01 January 1901. Prior to this, Australia did not have a designated capital, and there was a debate over whether Sydney or Melbourne should be the capital. To resolve this issue, the government decided to create a new capital city, and the location was chosen to be in a neutral area between Sydney and Melbourne.

The site for Canberra was selected in 1908, and American architect Walter Burley Griffin won an international design competition for the layout of the new city. Construction began, and on 01 January 1911, the city was officially named Canberra. However, it wasn't until 01 January 1927, that the government officially moved from Melbourne to Canberra, completing the transition of the capital. Today, Canberra is the political and administrative center of Australia, housing the Parliament House and serving as the seat of the Australian government.