The Origins of Australia's Capital Cities [Paperback]

This comprehensive survey aims to answer two questions. First, why Australia's eight capital cities are situated where they are, and second, how they were established. Pairs of chapters on each of the state capitals--Sydney, Hobart, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Brisbane--are accompanied by studies of Canberra as federal capital and Darwin as territorial capital.List of maps; List of tables; Acknowledgments; List of abbreviations used in notes; Part I. Introduction: 1. Patterns and perspectives Pamela Statham; Part II. Sydney: 2. The founding of New South Wales Ged Martin; 3. Sydney: a southern emporium Brian Fletcher; Part III. Hobart: 4. Settling Van Diemann's land Lloyd Robson; 5. Hobart: a moment of glory Gordon Rimmer; Part IV. Perth: 6. Western Australia becomes British Pamela Statham; 7. Perth: a foundling city Geoffrey Bolton; Part: V. Adelaide: 8. Establishing South Australia Mel Davies; 9. Adelaide: a victorian bastide? Tony Denholm; Part VI. Melbourne: 10. The founding of Melbourne Alan Shaw; 11. Melbourne: a kangaroo advance Susan Priestley; Part VII. Brisbane: 12. Choosing Brisbane Ross Johnston and Helen Gregory; 13. Brisbane: making it work Ross Johnston and Helen Gregory; Part VIII. Darwin: 14. The Northern settlements: outposts of empire James Cameron; 15. Palmerston (Darwin): four expeditions in search of a capital Robert Reece; Part IX. Canberra: Canberra: the bush capital Roger Pegrum; Index. The 15 contributors perform uniformly well: the volume is readable, often quite fascinating, and full of unusual insights. Choice