Discover the Charm: Top 9 Unforgettable Fun Facts About Canberra You Need to Know!

1. Tree-hugger's Paradise

Like a scene out of Tree-hugger's Paradise, Canberra's leafy aspirations will soon turn the city into a hangout spot for Ents: By 2045, the city aims for a 30% tree canopy cover, already boasting 22.5% in 2020, with plans to plant 54,000 trees by 2024 through community-based initiatives, and collaborations with EPSDD and other organizations to optimize species diversity for habitat and connectivity.
Source => cityservices.act.gov.au

2. Tapestry Envy

If you think your living room's in need of a statement piece, you might want to look Down Under for inspiration: Canberra's Australian Parliament House boasts one of the world's largest tapestries, a 20 by 9 meter masterpiece featuring a pastoral scene by local artist Arthur Boyd, and just one of the enthralling attractions in this massive complex opened in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II, housing over 4,700 rooms.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know the Sydney Harbour Bridge has a British connection? 🇬🇧 Discover how over half a million imported steel pieces play a role in this icon's construction! 🌉

=> Fun Facts about Sydney-Australia

3. Roundabout Central

Navigating Canberra is like a game of Mario Kart — filled with roundabouts and the occasional Koopa Troopa: The city boasts the highest number of roundabouts per capita in Australia, roughly one for every 1,000 residents, which may perplex newcomers but is ultimately designed for traffic safety and mainly found in residential zones.
Source => abc.net.au

4. The Late Bloomer Capital

Like a stubborn wallaby refusing to budge until the crickets start chirping: Canberra, Australia's capital, was named in 1913 but didn't start taking shape as a real city until the 1950s when Prime Minister Menzies kickstarted projects like the iconic Shine Dome and Lake Burley Griffin.
Source => nma.gov.au

5. Mapstravaganza

Who needs Google Maps when you've got Canberra's mapstravaganza: The National Library of Australia in Canberra houses a mind-boggling collection of maps, including aerial photographs, Australian and overseas maps, topographic maps, and nautical charts, with many of them digitized for convenient access and the ability to photograph them for study with a reading room camera.
Source => nla.gov.au

6. Kangaroo Birth Control

Kangaroos Down Under are hopping onto the birth control bandwagon: The ACT Government in Canberra has been working with the CSIRO for 20 years to develop a fertility control treatment called GonaCon, which has shown that around 80% of female kangaroos remain infertile five years after administration, paving the way for non-lethal population management in Canberra's nature reserves.
Source => greens.org.au

7. Architectural Catwalk

In the land down under, where women glow and men plunder, Canberra's design served as a catwalk for the Griffins' architectural fashion show, strutting a blueprint of hexagonal boulevards and bush corridors: Walter and Marion Griffin created the original plan for Australia's capital as a low-rise, medium-density city filled with monumental buildings and anchored by land and water axes, but the final development deviated significantly due to disagreements with officials, leaving us with less couture and more energy-hungry-house-filled suburbs.
Source => theguardian.com

8. Lake Ghostbusters

When this lake goes "Who you gonna call?": Lake Burley Griffin, situated in Canberra's core, offers delightful leisure activities, houses a crucial freshwater ecosystem, and serves as a heavenly haven for various water birds waddling around in the Jerrabomberra Wetlands.
Source => nca.gov.au

9. City Planning Power Couple

Before there was Chip and Joanna Gaines, there was Walter and Marion Griffin, the ultimate power couple of city planning: This American architect dynamic duo largely influenced by the City Beautiful and Garden City movements, swooped in and snatched first place in the 1911 Federal Capital Design Competition, making Canberra the true love child of their aesthetic prowess. Despite facing opposition and some serious shade, they oversaw and championed the construction of Australia's National Capital until their contract ran out in 1920.
Source => naa.gov.au