In 1838 Queanbeyan was proclaimed and named.
In 1913 Canberra was proclaimed and named – 75 years later.
In 2010 Queanbeyan, Canberra’s sister-city – 172 years old.
Canberra’s back flip
In 1899 Queanbeyan nominated and submitted information on the Queanbeyan-Canberra site for selection as the Federal Capital site; Queanbeyan’s prominent role in the selection was played down when the proposed site name was changed to Yass-Canberra.
Thus the historic years (as far as Canberra is concerned) from 1899 to 1909 will be ignored and Canberra’s history leading up to the Canberra Centenary will start in 1909 when the “Yass-Canberra” site was chosen.
Canberra in the dark
The truth needs to be told that the site nominated in 1899 was the Queanbeyan-Canberra Site and when Yass wanted to be part of Queanbeyan’s nomination they were told NO!
Queanbeyan is the Sister City to Canberra, located right on the border and bearing the brunt of Canberra’s backside.
Father of many hats
Queanbeyan Journalist John Gale (acknowledged as the Father of Canberra in 1924) whose detailed recording of events from 1860 until his death in 1929 have given us wonderful stories of the everyday happenings and events in the Queanbeyan District before Canberra, the capital of Australia existed.
IN BRIEF
1899
In 1899 Queanbeyan formed a Federal Capital Committee (FCC) and nominated and proposed that Queanbeyan-Canberra should be the site of the proposed Federal Capital of Australia.
1900
On June 11, 1900 at Queanbeyan Courthouse, twelve men from the Queanbeyan District, gave their spoken and written evidence to Mr Alexander Oliver, the NSW Commissioner, that Queanbeyan-Canberra was the best site for the Federal Capital.
1904
In 1904 Dalgety (NSW) was selected by the Australian Federal Labor Government, led by Prime Minister Hon Chris Watson to be the Federal Capital site.
NSW objected and refused to hand over the required land at Dalgety.
1907
In 1907 John Gale wrote and published a booklet, Dalgety or Canberra Which? (which was read and endorsed by the Queanbeyan Council at a Public Meeting, which included the Queanbeyan Federal Capitol Committee of Queanbeyan) and a copy of the booklet (it was called a pamphlet but was much bigger than a pamphlet) was sent to every member of the Parliaments in Australia and other prominent people.
Sir John Forrest who favored Dalgety before Canberra said that it was Gale’s booklet that was the turning point in moving the focus from Dalgety back to Canberra and changed his point of view.
1908
In 1909 the site identified as “Yass-Canberra” was selected BUT the actual site selected when surveyed fitted the land and description nominated by John Gale and endorsed by the FCC and Queanbeyan District as the Queanbeyan – Canberra site, identified in the Queanbeyan 1899 submission.
Yass was not and is still NOT part of the submission made by Queanbeyan. This was a fuphy to deflect attention away from Queanbeyan then and now as Queanbeyan continues to get Canberra’s backside pushed in their face.
1911
In January 1911 there was a Referendum in the town of Queanbeyan and the resident were asked if they wanted to stay in NSW or be part of the Federal Capital Territory (FTC). The Queanbeyan residents voted to stay in NSW and they have paid the price, a heavy price ever since the referendum but they have survived. They have survived with pride.
1911
In 1911 the Capital site was released by NSW and the Federal Govenment legislated to build the Capital in that location. The site was named the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The name was later changed to the Australian Capital Territoy (ACT).
1913
The new name for the Federal Capital was proclaimed ‘Canberra’ and everyone from the District turned up. People stayed in Queanbeyan – Canberra at that time was a sheep paddock.
1924
At the first Federal Government meeting at Yarralumla (Government House) the Queanbeyan Mayor JG Harris and the Queanbeyan City Council presented a petition requesting support for a new hospital as Queanbeyan was experiencing hardship using the small 1861 District Hospital to care for an enlarging Canberra. This was Canberra’s first Hospital. (The new hospital was built in 1933).
Also in 1924 John Gale was acknowledged as the Father of Canberra, and the oldest living English speaking journalist, at a dinner in Canberra.
1927
In 1927 the new Parliament House in Canberra was completed and the Federal Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia moved to Canberra leaving their “temporary” home in Melbourne.
Many pioneers including John Gale, Father of Canberra were presented to their Royal Highness’s ‘the day after Parliament House was opened in Canberra – it was a grand day