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Centenary of Canberra

by National Library of Australia Commons

On 12 March 1913, with a ceremonious 19-gun salute, the capital city of Australia was officially named Canberra. The photographs in this set celebrate Canberra's centenary year in 2013 and offer a glimpse into the early years of Australia's capital city.

19 photos · 1.5K views

[Sheep near Parliament House, 1940's]

Mrs Searle standing beside a road sign, London Circuit, Canberra, ca. 1949

London Circuit, Canberra, 1926-1927

Young women sitting on grass eating lunch, Canberra, ca. 1948

National Library building, Kings Avenue

York Park, Canberra, during Royal Visit with aeroplanes overhead, 1927

Parliament House under construction, first portion cemented

Nursing staff and ward block, Canberra Hospital, 1924.

The view from Mount Ainslie, Canberra, [1930s]

Manuka Swimming Pool, inside

Electric Power House, Eastlake and weir on Molonglo River

Andrew Fisher, Lord and Lady Denman and King O'Malley acknowledge the crowd from the foundation stone at the naming of Canberra ceremony, 12 March 1913.

Canberra Power House, (1926 tour), 13.3.26

First inhabitants of the ACT

The cadets being inspected by the Governor-General, Lord Denman, at the Naming of Canberra ceremony, 12 March 1913

[Crowd scene at the Naming of Canberra ceremony attended by the Governor-General, Lord Denman, and a parade of cadets from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, 12 March 1913]

[Cadets from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, on parade and a view of the crowd at the Naming of Canberra ceremony, 12 March 1913]

[Social activities associated with the Naming of Canberra ceremony showing Royal Military College cadets on horseback, people standing in groups and parked vehicles, 12 March 1913]

[Lord Denman, Governor-General of Australia, and members of the official party standing by the foundation stone, Naming of Canberra ceremony, 12 March 1913]