Canberra and Campbell Family

Canberra

In 1820 explorers Joseph Wild, James Vaughan and Charles Throsby Smith discovered the Limestone plains and camped near the site of present day Duntroon.

In 1823, the first land grant in the area was given to Joshua John Moore who named his property 'Canberry' after hearing the local Aborigines using the word 'Kamberra'. This Aboriginal word, spoken by tribes on the Limestone Plains meant 'a meeting place' either of rivers or of tribes joining together to feast.

The Commonwealth of Australia was established on 1 January 1901. At the first meeting of the Federal Cabinet the problem of finding a new capital city for Australia was discussed. Prevously, the Colonial Premiers had reached an agreement that the Federal capital would be in NSW, but no closer than 160km from Sydney. In 1906, the State government of NSW indicated that it was willing to hand over an area of land in the Canberra area for the Federal Capital Territory. On the 1 January 1911 the Federal Capital Territory was established and on the 12 March 1913, the city was formally named Canberra.