Canberra became the capital of Australia in 1927 and is located in the the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). A project to find a national capital was commenced in the 1890s prior to Federation. The on-going rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne prohibited either city from consideration as the national capital. It was decided that, following Federation in 1901, the nation's capital should be situated between the two cities. A location was chosen which was 248km from Sydney and 483km from Melbourne. The first survey peg marking the beginning of the development of the city of Canberra was driven in on 20 February 1913.
Unlike each of the State Capitals, Canberra is situated inland, near the Brindabella Ranges. The ACT itself is bordered by the Goulburn-Cooma railway line in the east, Naas Creek in the south, the Cotter River in the west, and the Molonglo River in the north-east.
Canberra (which had been founded in 1908) became the national capital of Australia in 1927. Melbourne, though commonly referred to as Australia's first capital city, was never its official capital, but merely Australia's temporary seat of government.
Canberra was purpose designed by American architect Walter Burley Griffin.
Australia's federal capital also has a separate unconnected port, Jervis Bay, which is part of the ACT, on the coast just north of the New South Wales - Victoria border.
