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Canberra topographic map
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Canberra
The area chosen for the capital had been inhabited by Indigenous Australians for up to 21,000 years, with the principal group being the Ngunnawal people. European settlement commenced in the first half of the 19th century, as evidenced by surviving landmarks such as St John's Anglican Church and Blundells Cottage. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies of Australia was achieved. Following a long dispute over whether Sydney or Melbourne should be the national capital, a compromise was reached: the new capital would be built in New South Wales, so long as it was at least 100 mi (160 km) from Sydney. The capital city was founded and formally named as Canberra in 1913. A blueprint by American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected after an international design contest, and construction commenced in 1913. Unusual among Australian cities, it is an entirely planned city. The Griffins' plan featured geometric motifs and was centred on axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks such as Black Mountain, Mount Ainslie, Capital Hill and City Hill. Canberra's mountainous location makes it the only mainland Australian city where snow-capped mountains can be seen in winter; although snow in the city itself is uncommon.
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About this map
Name: Canberra topographic map, elevation, terrain.
Average elevation: 638 m
Minimum elevation: 395 m
Maximum elevation: 1,238 m
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Other topographic maps
Click on a map to view its topography, its elevation and its terrain.
Sydney
Sydney's topography is characterized by a diverse landscape that seamlessly blends coastal features with inland plateaus. The city is divided into two primary regions: the relatively flat Cumberland Plain to the south and west of Sydney Harbour, and the elevated Hornsby Plateau to the north. The Cumberland…
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City of Melbourne
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Victoria
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New South Wales
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Queensland
Queensland's topography is characterized by a diverse landscape that includes coastal plains, mountain ranges, plateaus, and expansive inland areas. The Great Dividing Range runs parallel to the state's eastern coast, forming a series of mountain ranges, plateaus, and upland areas. This range influences the…
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New South Wales
New South Wales (NSW), located on Australia's eastern seaboard, boasts a diverse topography that significantly influences its landscapes and ecosystems. The state's eastern edge is dominated by a narrow coastal plain, featuring regions such as the Illawarra and Shoalhaven near Nowra, characterized by rolling…
Average elevation: 154 m
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Western Australia
Because the only mountain-building since then has been of the Stirling Range with the rifting from Antarctica, the land is extremely eroded and ancient, with no part of the state above 1,245 metres (4,085 ft) AHD (at Mount Meharry in the Hamersley Range of the Pilbara region). Most of the state is a low…
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Tasmania
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Great Dividing Range
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City of Brisbane
Brisbane's topography is characterized by a series of hills and ranges that define its landscape. The city is situated on a low-lying floodplain, with the Brisbane River meandering through its heart, creating a winding course with many steep curves from the southwest to its mouth at Moreton Bay in the east.…
Average elevation: 71 m
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Collingwood
Collingwood's topography is mostly flat, but a prominent slope extends from Hoddle Street up to Smith Street, and also along sections of Hoddle Street.
Average elevation: 30 m
Melbourne
Melbourne is also prone to isolated convective showers forming when a cold pool crosses the state, especially if there is considerable daytime heating. These showers are often heavy and can include hail, squalls, and significant drops in temperature, but they often pass through very quickly with a rapid…
Average elevation: 185 m
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Byron Bay
Byron Bay, located in northeastern New South Wales, Australia, is characterized by diverse topography shaped by its geological history. The town is part of the erosion caldera of the ancient Tweed Volcano, which erupted approximately 23 million years ago, resulting in the rich volcanic soils that define the…
Average elevation: 7 m
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City of Brisbane
Brisbane's topography is characterized by a series of hills and ranges that define its landscape. The city is situated on a low-lying floodplain, with the Brisbane River meandering through its heart, creating a winding course with many steep curves from the southwest to its mouth at Moreton Bay in the east.…
Average elevation: 71 m
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Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Australia > New South Wales > Sydney
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Average elevation: 83 m
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Lane Cove National Park
Australia > New South Wales > Sydney
The park includes areas of land which are part of Ku-ring-gai, Ryde, and Hornsby local government areas with small areas of the park in Willoughby, Lane Cove and Hunter's Hill local government areas on the banks of the lower reaches of the river. The park is surrounded on all sides by developed suburban areas…
Average elevation: 81 m
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Frankston
Olivers Hill is the most prominent elevation in Frankston which rises to 55 metres above sea level (180 feet) at its highest point in the suburb. Its origins date to approximately 415 to 360 million years ago. Its base is Mount Eliza Granite dating from the Devonian period, which was covered in lava tuffs in…
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Average elevation: 25 m
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Bribie Island
Australia > Queensland > Brisbane
Bribie Island, located in Queensland, Australia, is a low-lying, elongated landmass stretching approximately 34 kilometers (21 miles) in length and up to 8 kilometers (5 miles) at its widest point. Composed predominantly of coastal sand plains, the island features two large, low-lying dunes extending…
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Canterbury-Bankstown Council
Australia > New South Wales > Sydney
Within the same year 16 US fighter planes that were based at Bankstown airport flew over Canterbury racecourse at low altitude during a race meet. This was to let the Australian public, especially those of the district to know that they, their allies were there for their protection. Regardless of these events,…
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Dandenong Ranges National Park - Ferntree Gully
Australia > Victoria > Montrose
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Average elevation: 345 m
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Castlemaine
The Castlemaine goldfields' legendary prosperity raised expectations of Castlemaine becoming Victoria's second city. That is reflected in imposing buildings erected in the town's first few years. Though the rich alluvial diggings were largely exhausted within 15–20 years causing the town's population to…
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Lama Lama National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land)
Average elevation: 86 m
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Cape York Peninsula
The tropical landscapes are among the most stable in the world. Long undisturbed by tectonic activity, the peninsula is an extremely eroded, almost level low plain dominated by meandering rivers and vast floodplains, with some very low hills rising to 800 m (2,600 ft) elevation in the McIlwraith Range on the…
Average elevation: 71 m
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