<P> The site of Canberra was selected for the location of the nation 's capital in 1908 as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne , Australia 's two largest cities . It is unusual among Australian cities , being an entirely planned city outside of any state , similar to Washington , D.C. in the United States , or Brasília in Brazil . Following an international contest for the city 's design , a blueprint by American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913 . The Griffins ' plan featured geometric motifs such as circles , hexagons and triangles , and was centred on axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks in the Australian Capital Territory . </P>
<P> The site of Canberra was selected for the location of the nation 's capital in 1908 as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne , Australia 's two largest cities . It is unusual among Australian cities , being an entirely planned city outside of any state , similar to Washington , D.C. in the United States , or Brasília in Brazil . Following an international contest for the city 's design , a blueprint by American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913 . The Griffins ' plan featured geometric motifs such as circles , hexagons and triangles , and was centred on axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks in the Australian Capital Territory . </P>
how did canberra become the capital of australia
how did canberra become the capital of australia
as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne
as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne