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Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is located 650 kilometres north-east of Melbourne and 280 kilometres south-west of Sydney. Canberra is a planned city with natural landscapes, modern restaurants, boutique shops, hip bars and amusement centres for kids. Events and festivals are also held frequently in Canberra.
The city was designed by Chicago architects Marion Mahony Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin following the international designing contest. The design of Canberra is influenced by garden city movement and thus includes much of natural vegetation.
Also referred to as the "bush capital" the city suffered lot of turmoil during the Great Depression and World Wars that affected its growth and development. But post World War II Canberra emerged as a thriving city.
Apart from the High Court, Parliament House of Australia and various important government departments and agencies, Canberra has various cultural and social institutions of national importance.
The third Monday of March is celebrated as the Canberra Day after a 10 day long Canberra festival. It marks the official founding of Canberra that took place on 12 March 1913. This federal capital of Australia was formed as a part of the Australian federation in 1901.
Canberra comprises five large "town centres” - Tuggeranong, the Central Canberra, Woden, Belconnen and Queanbeyan. However Central Canberra is most popular with tourists. Canberra is relatively younger than other Australian cities and is devoid of any building on surrounding hilltops or buildings exceeding fifteen stories.
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