Canberra
The site selected in 1908 to be the capital of the newly federated nation of Australia was not a thriving center for national affairs. Rather, it was the result of a compromise between the rival poles of Sydney and Melbourne, acceptable to both because of its midway location. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), including Canberra, suburbs, and parkland, was thus carved out of southeastern New South Wales, but is not governed by that state. life in Canberra has picked up its pace a bit, but even today, many newcomers to Australia are surprised to learn that Sydney isn't the capital. Canberra maintains a low profile and a refined, unhurried lifestyle to match.
Yet regardless of its reputation as a dull city, the city serves as both a national exhibition and the international face of the political body of Australia. Canberra's revolutionary design was the outcome of an international competition, won by an American, Walter Hurley Griffin. Construction began in 1913, and the first Canberra Parliament convened in 1927. Today, Canberra supports a metropolitan population of nearly 310,000. Despite the downtown area's daily hubbub, the streets for the most part remain amazingly quiet. From its unique traffic pattern to its roster of national centers, memorials, and museums, a sense of purposeful order pervades life in this city. The physical beauty surrounding Canberra makes a full day of sight-seeing enjoyable and convenient. It's not Sydney, nor does it try to be. Still, Canberra's blend of culture and class may qualify it as one of Australia's more underrated destinations.