History of Canberra

Canberra, the Nations Capital

Canberra Today:

When envisaged, Canberra was to be a centre of Government only. The land allocated was more then sufficient, it was thought, for such a purpose.

Today, that has been seen to be folly.

A city of more then two million people, Canberra has expanded the only way it could – up. With the massive increase in populations, the quarter acre block has been replaced with the 10 story apartment block. Even then, there is nowhere near enough living space for all the people – a vast underclass of homeless inhabit the dark streets and beneath.

Town Centres have become actual towns. Massive high rise building in varying architectural styles in each centre, linked by bridges at various levels, provide both living spaces and offices. It is possible to survive completely in such a building without ever leaving, provided you have enough money. Civic has grown into a gothic monument of dark stone and paved streets. Belconnen is a monument of concrete. Tuggeranong, as the entry of the main water facilities for Canberra, has become centralised around the infrastructure and town centre real estate is extremely expensive.

During the Great Depression, the growth of Canberra stalled. In order to encourage people, large amounts of industry was established in the area. After initial protests, most heavy industry, including a much larger power station, was located in the cheap lands of Queanbeyan and Hume, where their stacks continue to belch out smoke. Lighter industry found a place in the capital at Fyshwick, Mitchell. The airport and rail systems grew to match the rapidly increasing population.

After WWII, large numbers of immigrants settled in Canberra, finding easy work in construction and other heavy industries. With the increase in Embassies there was also an increase in ‘support’ industry to provide them all with the comforts of home. As each new group arrived, they were placed in different areas around the capital, creating ‘enclaves’ of various cultures. Some have assimilated quickly into the morass of society, while others desperately cling to the old ways.

Industry, with the pollution nicely contained by the surrounding mountains, and the construction of the lakes, has created what was in London called a pea-souper. The winter fog that rises each night is thick and oily, choking the street lamps and the residents. In summer, a lighter, grittier fog often burns off by midday along the boulevards but persists in the streets shaded by massive buildings for much longer. In winter, those at street level rarely, if ever, see the sun.

As the fog rose, so did the residents who could afford it. Buildings became higher and higher, and residences followed. Those who had invested early in the city and its infrastructure, and those wealthy who came to the seat of government, built palatial apartments in which to indulge themselves, while the lower floors were released to the ‘service industries’ and whoever could find a home there.

It was seen early on that there would not be enough basic resources for the rapidly growing population. With the construction of the Snowy Hydro Scheme, water which was originally going to be diverted to the Murray River was to be sent north, to Canberra. This would increase the flow of the Murrumbidgee and thus irrigation, while a separate system could then direct water south, through the mountains, back to the Murray. In conjunction with this, Lake Burley-Griffin was added as an emergency water storage, and a series of underground aquifers and tunnels were constructed. As more lakes were built with the emerging town-centres, these were also connected to the water scheme. With the increased population, water has become more and more a valuable commodity. Water is now pumped up to the tops of the sky scrapers as fresh water. At a lower level, all the waste is collected and processed, providing ‘clean’ drinking water and various by-products for agricultural and industrial use. Those on the lower levels or street level make do with what they can. Rainfall has become outmoded, given the air that comes from – the resyke is probably safer (and certainly is if you believe the advertising of the water companies). As the entry point for the Snowy Tunnel, Tuggeranong has ground around its infrastructure, including the heavily guarded pumping stations and water-borne industry.

The increased farming that resulted from the scheme provided even more raw materials for the factories of Canberra with food processing becoming a major industry.

As part of the transport infrastructure, when the city was being built, large subway tunnels were constructed, creating a subterranean rail network for shuffling the masses to and from their jobs. The initial line from Civic to Kingston has been greatly extended, and now three lines are operational - Town Centre Line – Belconnen to Tuggeranong (stops at Belconnen, UCan, Calvary, Black Mountain, ANU, Civic, Parliament House, Woden, Canberra Hospital, Tuggeranong), the Queanbeyan Line – Civic to Queanbeyan (stops at Civic, Russell, Airport and then rising above ground to parallel the railway to Oaks Estate, Fyshwick and Queanbeyan Railway Station, change to rail for Hume) and the Kingston Line – Mitchell to Kingston (stops at Mitchell, Epic, Dickson, Braddon, Civic, Parliament House, Barton, Kingston Railway Station). Other lines have been built, but are no longer operational – specifically the Belconnen and Tuggeranong regional lines. The disused tunnels and service passages are now home to gangs and homeless. Originally run by steam engines, the tunnels are now painted black with soot and lung diseases are common amongst those who live there. A planned extension of the rail link to Gungahlin from Mitchell has not yet been started. The only part of the system that is exposed is the lake crossings which were put in place before the valley was flooded. Now they exist as tunnels across the lake bed.

Transport between Canberra and the rest of the world is actually quite good. The airport is of international standard, despite the common fogs. The rail link between Sydney and Canberra has been upgraded so the journey takes little more then 90 minutes running on Maglev technology. The original line still exists for freight and lower class passenger transport.. The highways are good, once you get out of the city.

The large homeless population has spread to fill any nook or cranny they can find. The Jerrabomberra Wetlands have become home to a large shanty town, with huts made of cast-off materials and food cooked in whatever comes to hand. The town extends through the wetlands and into the Piallago swampland near the emerging subway. In winter, the homeless often brave the trains to escape the cold. It’s a dangerous place with those who die there finding their way into the pot more often then not. Fishing in the various lakes around the district is common, although the fish may not be the healthiest.

Municipal law enforcement is a patchy thing at best. While the government does police the streets there tend to be areas that are only entered in groups, or not at all. Some areas police themselves, after a fashion (eg some cultural enclaves), while others are just lawless. However, it is well known that if a criminal pushes to far, the police will come down like the hammer of God, sweep up anything that looks remotely unsavoury and throw it over the wall of Goulburn. Further, the higher up in the world you get, the more that police take a back seat to corporate security. The upper levels of the city are completely safe, bright and clean. Municipal police have the right to go there but rarely exercise it, and are resented and obstructed by corporate police at every turn.

Justice within the city is a changeable prospect. Quick justice is the order of the day in the lower levels. Judges operate throughout the night and police often have a person arrested, charged and convicted before the sun rises for ‘open and shut cases’. The definition of these varies quite extensively. The higher strata of society tend to have a different experience, although they have been known to end up in the street system if caught down there. Money buys anonymity. It is not uncommon for simple crimes to be resolved within the local corporate security structure without the police becoming involved, although serious crimes are rarely treated such. Judges who preside over such cases, however, tend to have a different sentencing structure, with house arrest more common then incarceration in Goulburn. An interesting aspect of social, political and corporate infighting, however, has caused more then one high roller to end up in the ‘wrong’ court and quietly disappearing…

Travelling between the upper and lower cities is possible, but not easy. Going down is physically easy, but there are numerous people ready to prey on those who don’t know their way around the streets. Of course there are exceptions – some areas are controlled by ‘individuals’ or ‘organisations’ and are safe enough if you have money to divest yourself of in their establishments. Going up is physically difficult. The entries into the upper levels are guarded and those who don’t belong are forcefully discouraged from entry. Sometimes very forcefully.

The ‘Undercity’ is a term used to describe those areas of the city below ground that have come to common usage. This includes parking garages, service tunnels, sewers, disused or incomplete subways and the aquifers. It is said that within any of the town areas it is possible to go from one end to the other without travelling above ground, although it is considered insanely dangerous. So far there are at least three separate levels below ground, all connected by narrow stairs or clunking old service lifts. There may be more.

The Australian Capital Wellness Centre (ACWC) is an outgrowth of the late 80’s. The centralisation of Mental Health facilities has produced a massive concrete building and compound. Barbed wire and steel gates give it a lovely prison feel, and the central courtyard, originally included to promote healthy outdoor activities, has turned into a grey dirt square with two dead trees. General health services are changeable at best. Basic care does exist, although waiting times are often longer then the length of the disease. Gross physical damage is treated quickly and very basically. More money, or corporate support, buys better service, up to and including high speed armed ambulances that will retrieve those stupid enough to get hurt in areas where they should know better then to go.

While most people live in the built up areas, there are a group of the exceedingly wealthy who have purchased large tracts of land on the outskirts of the city, high on the hillsides. Here they have constructed their mansions (with space for their servants usually), either facing the city or the countryside, depending on their tastes. Heavily armed security is common in such enclaves. Murrumbateman and Bungendore have also gone this way.

Strangely enough, all of this development has not encroached on the park space available within the city and surrounds. The tops of the mountains still remain clear of buildings, although now they are often overlooked by man made structures. The areas such as Haig Park and Commonwealth Park still exist, although their maintenance has been sadly lacking. Partly this is due to the activities of a few influential individuals, but mostly because the land is under Federal protection, as is the surrounding National Park. Commonwealth Park is now overgrown, its paths shrouded by trees and enclosed by undergrowth. In fact, the only places around Lake Burley-Griffin that are safe at night are Parkes and Government House. Haig Park has also become a haunt for many unsavoury types.

Government schools are very basic, some being little more then a training ground for criminals. A few dedicated teachers are often overworked and class sizes are huge, although non attendance is common. Private schools are the preferred method for those with money. The University of Canberra has grown to accommodate the huge increase in students, while the Australian National University has kept its prestige, and its grounds, by charging large fees to the rich.

With the increase in crime that this proximity of people entailed, an agreement between the New South Wales Government and the ACT has turned virtually the entire city of Goulburn into a gaol. Goulburn gaol now sits as a place only the most horrific offenders go. Others are sent behind the walls of Goulburn to live there until their sentence is up. It seems that most people find one stint in Goulburn enough to encourage rehabilitation. Food and supplies are delivered regularly. The gaol-city has turned into what amounts to fiefdoms ruled over by the more … aggressive inmates. Occasional foreys by prison officers to break the fiefdoms have met with limited success.

History:

For over 21,000 years, the Aboriginal Tribes inhabited the Canberra area - the Ngunnawal to the north, the Ngarigoto the south-east and the Walgalu to the south-west. The Gundungura lived the lands around Goulburn. Life was not always peaceful, but it was life.

That all changed.

1790

In 1798 John Wilson was the first European to see the Goulburn plains.

1800

In 1818 the exploratory party of Hamilton Hume and James Meehan traversed the Plains and named them after Henry Goulburn, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies. In 1819 Governer Macquarie ordered the construction of the Great South Road from Picton to the Goulburn Plains.

1820

Exploration of the area began in 1820 with Joseph Wild, James Vaughan and Charles Throsby Smith, discovering Lake George early that year. They were so impressed with the site (and so lost) that they thought they had found the pacific coast. Instead it was one of the largest freshwater lakes in Australia. Later that year they returned and crossed into the area of Canberra, on limestone plains. In 1824, Joshua John Moore had purchased the first land grant at the foot of Black Mountain. He cleared much of the land for cattle and claimed it as his own, denying it to the native inhabitants. He formally purchased the land from the Crown in 1826.

Andrew Allan settled the Goulburn area in 1825, commencing farming of wheat and stock.

Robert Campbell, wealthy Sydney merchant, sent his overseer James Ainslie to collect 700 sheep from the government flocks at Bathurst in New South Wales and find suitable pasture for them. Aided by Aborigines, Ainslie reached the Limestone plains and built huts on the slopes about the Molonglo River where the Royal Military College now stands. Campbell applied for and received his grant, naming it 'Duntroon' after the family castle in Scotland. The land was to be compensation for the loss of his ship 'Sydney' wrecked while under charter to the government to bring food from India.

The plans for Goulburn were drawn up in 1828 with a view to settling discharged soldiers. The site was to flood prone however, and a new site was chosen in 1833. As a garrison town, Goulburn also housed a lock-up, gallows and flogging post built in 1832. This is related, firstly, to the fact that Goulburn was a centre for police parties hunting highwaymen who frequented the area until the arrival of the railway. Bush ranger John Williams, alias 'Duce', a member of 'Blue Cap's' gang, was born at Goulburn in 1846 and it was in Goulburn court that Frank Gardiner was convicted of horse stealing and sentenced to seven years gaol at Cockatoo Island. Ben Hall's bush ranging gang, including John Gilbert and John Dunn, harried the area in the mid-1860s. They raided homesteads and vehicles on the Great South Rd, including the Sydney Mail Coach.

By 1830 a small village is established at Yass, joined to Goulburn via a bush track. The settlement soon became an important stopping point on the road from Sydney to Melbourne.

In 1833, Campbell built a one storey stone home with wide verandas and a large two-storeyed extension was added by his son George in 1862. 'Duntroon House' became the centre around which revolved the life of the many employees of the station-the manager, the servants, the stock men, gardeners, carpenters, horse breakers, shoemakers, masons, brick- makers, tailors and tenant farmers. Beautiful gardens containing many fine trees were planted around the homestead, an intricate maze was set out, and an orchard, conservatory, vineyard and dairy farm were established. Duntroon was in fact, a self-contained community. Today it houses the Officers' Mess and the Commandant's office of the Royal Military College.

In 1834, Stock man John Bowman discovered the Yarrangobilly caves, the first of a number of limestone caves found in the mountains around Canberra. He explored some distance with bark torches.

Between 1836 and 1842 there was a major stockade for chain-bound convicts and others involved in the construction of the Great South Road was built near Goulburn. The stockade became the principal penal establishment in the southern district and was noted for its harsh discipline. The three-storey flour mill was built in 1836, with the brewery and malt house added in 1840.

Lake George becomes completely dry in 1837, the same year as the village of Bungendore is established. Queanbeyan became home to a police magistrate and was officially proclaimed a township the following year.

The first church and school in Goulburn opened in 1839.

By 1845 other residents has come to the area and a town had grown around the Moore Station, with the newly built St John’s Church and the nearby school at its centre. The site of St John's, on a hill overlooking the Molonglo River and part of 'Duntroon' was donated by the Campbell family together with $2 000 towards building costs. Many pioneers of Canberra lie at rest in the graveyard. The oldest marked grave is the Guise family vault (1844) and there are seven descendants of the Campbell family in a special hedged enclosure. Over a hundred kilometres away in Cooma a small Gothic Revival church, Christ Church of England, was built.

The first hospital is built in Queanbeyan in 1847. Professor Hamish Vercoe is appointed first Chief of Surgery. Born in England in 1831, he was a Member of the English College of Surgeons and also had a degree from the University of Warsaw.

The Goulburn Herald, one of the first country newspapers in the country, is established in 1848.

1850

1850 – Peter Harrison, a Policeman of Goulburn, is shot and killed by his nephew, Patrick Harrison, a Bushranger.

In 1852, the Reverend W.B. Clarke, a geologist, discovered gold at Captains Flat. He reported it to the local landholders who, not wanting thousands of prospectors (or to lose any of the gold) managed to keep the news quite. Lake George is completely full.

Gold is discovered at Kiandra, near Adaminaby, in 1859 and along the Eucumbene river in 1860. Cooma enters a boom period.

By 1860 the transport and communications infrastructure linking Canberra and Sydney had gradually improved. A railway reached Goulburn in 1869 and Yass in 1876. Queanbeyan was linked to Goulburn via coach. Post offices were established at Ginninderra, north of Black Mountain, in 1859, at Lanyon in 1860 and at Canberra, near the present Hotel Ainslie, in 1863.

The Jersey Cave was discovered by graziers in 1861.

1868 – James Harrison, a policeman of Goulburn like his father, captures Patrick Harrison who is later hung for his crimes.

The railway reaches Goulburn in 1869.

Lake George becomes completely dry in 1870.

In 1874, the news of the gold discovery at Captains Flat area gets out, causing a large growth in the European population and a significant decline in the Aboriginal one – mainly the Ngarigu tribe. By 1881 fossickers has found substantial deposits of reef gold and major mining commenced. The following year copper was found and the town boomed. The mine engineer, Benedek, moves here from Eastern Europe.

In 1880, a great contribution to agriculture occurred in the Canberra. William Farrer settled near Tharwa and for 11 years experimented to produce varieties of wheat resistant to drought and rust, suitable to the varying conditions of Australian farming – these experiments laid the foundations of the modern Australian wheat industry.

The new gaol at Goulburn North was completed in 1884. In 1887 the town hall is built, and in 1889 the St Peter & St Paul’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, a Gothic Revival structure, is built of bluestone with sandstone tracery, slender moulded columns, a marble sanctuary and an 1890 organ. It was erected around the original church which was then demolished and taken out through the doors.

In 1885, the Railway reaches Bungendore.

The Aborigines of the area were never very numerous, and several waves of epidemics such as measles and smallpox all but wiped out the purebloods by 1900 – the last known being Nellie ‘Queen Nelly’ Hamilton. At the opening of the Tharwa Bridge in 1895, Nellie as the guest of (dubious) honour said: “I no tink much of your law. You come here and take my land, kill my possum, my kanagaroo; leave me starve. Only gib me rotten blanket. Me take calf or sheep, you been shoot me, or put me in gaol. You bring your bad sickness ‘mong us.” She died shortly afterwards. On her deathbed she predicted that the dreaming would give revenge to her people. The culture continued to exist amongst the half-castes though, the knowledge kept hidden from the Europeans who tried to remove all references to it.

The town of Seymour is established in 1885 but is quickly renamed to Adaminaby.

In 1889 the railway reaches Cooma from Queanbeyan.

In the late 1880s, after 100 years of British settlement, the people of the six Australian colonies began to be influenced by a developing sense of nationalism. Gradual implementation of the railway system and improved communications with the introduction of the telegraph were bringing people closer together, despite inter-colonial rivalry and disputes over free trade and protection. At a Federal Convention in 1898, delegates agreed on the need for a new capital, but couldn't agree on the location. In 1899 Colonial Premiers reached agreement that the Federal Capital would be in New South Wales, but no closer than 160km from Sydney. Until a site was chosen, Federal Parliament would meet in Melbourne.

Lake George reaches its peak size again of 10km wide by 25km long.

In 1899 the Captains Flat mines started to close down, and several of the tunnels began to collapse. Several miners were killed. At about the same time several flocks of sheep were decimated and three drovers killed, their bodies dismembered.

1900

Lake George becomes completely dry in 1902.

The Commonwealth of Australia was established by an Act of British Parliament on 1 January 1901 - Federation. The first meeting of Federal Cabinet discussed the problem of finding a new capital city for Australia. The early years of the century saw various disagreements about possible sites for the new capital. In 1902 Federal Parliamentarians had begun making their own inspections of possible sites. In 1903 a Royal Commission was established but it couldn't agree on a site, instead recommending that Parliament decide. Initially, it couldn't agree either, but by 1904 decided that a site near Dalgety should be the seat of government. The New South Wales Government was unimpressed and the issue didn't progress any further until 1906, when the State Government indicated that it was willing to hand over an area of land in the Canberra area for the Federal Capital Territory and so, after much discussion and debate (and occasional scuffles), the site of Canberra was agreed upon. The Federal Capital Territory of 2356 square metres finally came into being on 1 January 1911. The reclamation of the already sold land into crown land was accomplished with only minor difficulties and the application of large amounts of money.

In 1911, an international design competition was launched. Given Australia's isolation in the days before air travel and modern communications, contestants were not able to visit the site. Instead, they were sent detailed information kits, which included hand coloured reproductions of paintings of the area and a contour map. Large scale models of the site were exhibited in major cities throughout North America, Europe and South Africa. 137 entries were received and put on display in Government House, Melbourne.

After much debate, referral to committee, redesign and complaint, the eventual winner was Walter Burley-Griffin, an American architect, who envisaged a city of tall buildings, a monument to mans achievements, framed within the natural amphitheatre of the hills and gardens. Heavily influenced by his travels in Europe, the buildings developed a heavy gothic theme – a style that Burley-Griffin considered the height of craftsmanship. His wife, Marion Mahony Griffin, had a great deal of input into the design of the city, and it was she – the worlds first licensed female architect – who was responsible for the design drawings. In 1935 the Griffins went to India and set up practice but Walter died there a year later. Marion vanished into obscurity…

The start of the first World War the one year after the design was finalised, limited the growth of the city. In 1914 the railway was extended from Queanbeyan to the south-east corner of Canberra (for industrial purposes – it wasn’t opened for public use until 1924), a power station was built at Kingston, brick-works were opened at Yarralumla and in 1915 Cotter Dam was completed.

An internment camp for German World War I prisoners-of-war was established in 1918 on the eastern outskirts of the city in what is now Fyshwick and Oaks Estate. Conditions were harsh and basic, and rumours of cruelty, both of the guards and the inmates, abound. In 1920 it became a workers camp, and many of the prisoners remained.

Progress continued slowly until 1921 when Walter Burley Griffin left Canberra with the framework established but disappointed at the progress. Control of the city was then passed to the Federal Capital Advisory Committee.

Under the committee structure, construction was even slower. Road and sewage work continued and Parliament House was constructed. The number of public servants grew to 1100.

In 1923 The Government agreed that after the 1926 Federal Eelection, parliament would move permanently from Melbourne and sit in Canberra. Construction began of the ‘provisional’ Parliament House. It was opened on May 9, 1927. One of the first acts passed in the new Parliament House was to repeal O’Malleys prohibition laws. Telopea Park School is opened.

In February 1925 a flood struck the capital as the Molonglo river burst its banks. The flooding threatened or damaged many buildings and some citizens were drowned. Lake George is completely full during this year.

Canberra Times, the first local newspaper, was established in 1926.

In 1929 on October 24th, The Great Depression began. Initially the financial disaster saw development of the city almost stop. The large workforce protested and government grants were provided to attract industry to the capital. The populace and the FCAC baulked at putting it within the city limits itself and so most heavy industry was located at Queanbeyan, within easy distance of the new city. A new and larger power station was built to service the growing power needs. A basic chemical industry producing fertilizer and other products soon grew to include paper and pulp mills as well as food industries.

To support the growing industry, the local airport and rail systems were upgraded. As one of the few places with funding, Canberra attracted many people looking for work. Basic living allowances were given to those who undertook community projects, seeing an increase in the vast network of underground sewers and the commencement of tunnelling for a planned subway system.

For most of the 1930s, Lake George is completely dry.

1931 – First radio station (2CA) established in Kingston.

1936 – UK High Commission established.

1937 – The Kingston Subway line is completed, connecting the Railway station to Civic and the suburb of Braddon. As the city extends north, the subway follows. Lake George Mines builds a 39km railway to Bungendore and, with new techniques, reopened the Captains Flat mines. The Benedek family takes control of the town. By the end of the 1930s it was second only to Broken Hill as its mines produced vast quantities of gold, silver, lead, zinc (the most important metal found), copper and iron pyrites. Processing and ancillary industry grew quickly in Canberra and regular trains ran from Hume / Queanbeyan to Captains Flat.

1939, September 3. Australia declares war on Germany after the invasion of Poland two days earlier. World War II begins. It soon became obvious that Canberra would require a much greater infrastructure if it was to be the centre of a war government. Despite the war, growth of the city continued as more people came to provide support services to the government and war effort. Construction on ‘war time offices’ commences.

1941 – Australian War Memorial is completed, fittingly while the country is still at war.

1943 – First Embassy (USA) established. Others soon follow.

1945 – World War II ends. The centralised role that Canberra played during the war sees most of the Public Service departments transferred there, providing a massive boost to the population. Refugees from war-torn Europe also arrived, seeking jobs in construction and manufacturing. The growth of the city is such that, even with the new dams, water is identified as an issue for the future.

1946 – Australian National University opened.

1947 – Winter fogs are mentioned as ‘noticeably worse’ for the first time in the Canberra Times. Little link is drawn to the increasing pollution.

1949 - Construction started on the Snowy Hydro Scheme on 17 October 1949, when the Governor-General, Sir William McKell, Prime Minister Ben Chifley and William Hudson fired the first blast at Adaminaby. A few weeks later, construction began on transfer tunnels in Canberra to meet with the new dams. Cooma is used as the centre of the Mountains construction.

1950s – With the advent of electric and diesel trains, the old steam train network within the subway tunnels is slowly replaced over the next 10 years.

During most of the 1950s Lake George is completely full.

1960 - Construction of Lake Burley Griffin commences and progresses well due to a drought reducing river levels. The lake minimum depth was set to 2 metres to prevent mosquitoe breeding and allow boating, but is much deeper in most areas.

1962 – The construction of Woden commences to provide another focus for the ever increasing population of the city, with the valley of Weston Creek being added later.

1963 – With the completion of Bridges and the trans-lake subway tunnels, Scrivener Dam is closed and Lake Burley Griffin is created. Unfortunately the drought caused the lake to be very slow to fill – after 7 months there was only a few mosquito-infested pools. Luckily the drought broke and the lake filled after only a few days of heavy rain.

1967 – Belconnen construction commenced. Winter Fogs are now a daily occurrence.

1968 – The Woden leg of the Subway system is complete. Plans for a Weston line are drawn up and some exploratory tunnelling commences but it is never completed.

1970 – Belconnen subway line completed. Work commences on a ‘suburban’ line linking the new suburbs to the Town Centre.

1973 – The construction of Tuggeranong commences. In part this is to provide a base for the returning workers from the Snowy Hydro connection and to provide more living space for the growing population. The subway system is quickly linked to Tuggeranong.

1974 – The Snowy Hydro scheme is completed. A tunnel reaches more then 60km to the Tantangara Reservoir providing access to the water supply for the Capital. Additional power generation is provided by the Canberra 1 power station located 340 metres below the ground. Lake Eucumbene starts to fill but it is so slow that until 1978 the people of Adaminaby could hold a rooftop regatta over the remnants of their old houses.

1975 – Mitchell is built as the start of the Gungahlin Town Centre. The subway network is pushed quickly north to meet the new industrial zone, utilising the skills of the now unemployed Snowy Hydro miners. The Fog has become a daily occurrence and housing in top levels becomes more expensive and more desirable. Construction commences on increasing the height of the original buildings in the town centres to cope with demand. At Captains Flat, after numerous collapses of tunnels, mining techniques change to open pit, vastly increasing output and increasing need for more processing capacity in Canberra. A rail link is commenced between Bungendore and the South Coast to provide bulk transport access to the deep water port at Jarvis Bay.

1976 – Flooding.

In 1978, the ACT and NSW government begin an ‘experiment’ in criminal rehabilitation, enclosing a large portion of the city of Goulburn and turning it into a ‘city gaol’ where inmates can live and integrate with society while still be separated from society until they are rehabilitated. The rest of the town is converted to support infrastructure for the new Gaol. The existing gaol is kept for only the most violent criminals. It doesn’t take long for this experiment to fail, but no moves are made to reclaim the city.

1979 – Googong Dam is completed as part of the extended water storage capacity of the new capital. The Bungendore – Javis Bay rail link is completed. The port infrastructure has also been upgraded to hand bulk carriers.

1979 – Woden Cemetery closed due to over crowding. Gungahlin Cemetery opened to compensate.

1980 – Telecom tower is finished and opens to the public. This includes a series of escalators that descend through the middle of the mountain to link to the subway station.

1982 - Han Fei-tzu, the world renowned pianist, performs to the elite of Canberra society.

For most of the early 1980s, Lake George is completely dry. However in the mid 1980s it becomes completely full for several years.

1986 – Three workers are accidentally locked in the bomb shelter below New Parliament House during construction. An air conditioning accident see them all die of hypothermia before the morning.

1988 – New Parliament House is opened. Increased security.

1990 – Point Hutt Cemetery opened to service the Tuggeranong Valley.

1992 – The Oaks Estate Skins, a gang of what could politely be termed ‘thugs’, are decimated in a battle with police during a daylight bank robbery. Twenty-three hostages are also killed. The Overland Family, the father well known as a rich magnate within the Canberra community, are involved in a car accident on their way to their country estate. Both parents are killed and only their child, David, survives.

1997 – Demolition of the old Canberra Hospital. The debris from the botched demolitions kills one and damages several structures. The construction of the building is found to be strangely robust.

1999 - Woden Cemetery reopens.

2000

2001 – National Museum of Australia opened. The Christ the Redeemer Mausoleum is opened in Woden Cemetery, providing more space for interments.

2003 – Bushfires rage through Canberra, destroying over 500 apartment blocks and 2 mansions. 400 people died in the flames. Several members of the corporate law firm Teague and Teague are killed trying to defend their estate. The other members of the firm leave the state citing personal reasons. Two are later committed to mental institutions. The new Queanbeyan bushland cemetery is opened.

2004 to 2008 - Great portions of Canberra are destroyed. Poor construction, strange events, massive sewer collapses and huge landscaping efforts remove great chunks of the cities infrastructure. People flee the capital in droves, vastly cutting the population.

2009 - Mass rebuilding and reforming of the capital begins, bringing it back into line of its original plans.