With the population of over 332,000, Canberra is Australia’s largest inland city. The capital city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory, 174 miles southwest of Sydney and 404 miles northeast of Melbourne.
The site of Canberra was selected for the location of the nation’s capital in 1908. Canberra is unusual among Australian cities being an entirely purpose-build planned city. The city’s design was heavily influenced by the Garden City Movement and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation that have earned Canberra the title Bush Capital.
Canberra has four distinct seasons because of its latitude, elevation and distance from the coast. Canberra experiences hot, dry summers and cold winters with heavy fog and frequent frosts. The highest recorded maximum temperature was 108 degrees Fahrenheit on February 1, 1968 and the lowest recorded minimum temperature was 14 degrees Fahrenheit on July 11, 1971.
As the location of the government of Australia, Canberra is the site of Parliament House, the High Court of Australia, and numerous government departments and agencies. It is also the location of many social and cultural institutions of national significance. In 2005 and 2006, the National Museum was named Australia’s best major tourist attraction. The museum preserves and interprets Australia’s social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation.
Canberra is home to many national monuments and institutions such as the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery and the National Archives. Canberra is host to many festivals as it has many venues for live music and theater. Floriade is a flower and entertainment festival held annually in Canberra’s Commonwealth Park featuring extensive displays of flowering tulips along with other artistic features. The festival attracts tourists from around Australia and overseas in spring from mid-September to mid-October each year.
The Australian wine industry is the fourth largest exporter in the world, exporting to a market that includes Old World wine-producing countries such as France, Italy and Spain. There is also a significant domestic market for Australian wines. The wine industry is a significant contributor to the Australian economy through production, employment, export and tourism.
The Telstra Tower is a telecommunication tower that is situated above the summit of the Black Mountain in Canberra. Rising 640 feet above the mountain summit, the Telstra Tower provides vital communication facilities for the city along with both inside and outside viewing galleries, as well as the revolving Alto Tower Restaurant. The Telstra Tower has become one of the most symbolic landmarks in Canberra and a major tourist attraction.
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