History book sheds new light on Canberra

A new book is set to show a different side of Canberra than the image portrayed during last year’s centenary celebrations.

A History of Canberra, by Associate Professor Nicholas Brown from the School of History at the Australian National University (ANU), shows Canberra as not just a city of public servants, but one of multiple communities, innovators, and a remarkably progressive and creative population.

Associate Professor Brown said the reality of Canberra is different to the Canberra portrayed throughout last year’s centenary celebrations.

“The centenary celebrations, which focused on the Walter Burley Griffin vision for Canberra, didn’t reflect the diversity and complexity of Canberra’s community as it has evolved,” Brown said.

“Canberra as a whole is an affluent city, but that’s not the only story. There have been other communities such as labourers and immigrants who were not well represented.”

One of the main themes of the book is of Canberra as progressive city, including the way government has been shaped and adapted.

“I’ve tried to tell the story of government in Canberra as a creative act,” Brown said.

“Canberra’s progressiveness goes further than governance itself. Members of Canberra community have been very active, in the women’s liberation movement in the 1960s and 1970s, in environmental campaigns, and on gay rights.”

“On a local level, the development of the college school system was a community driven initiative.”

A History of Canberra is published by Cambridge University Press.