
On the morning of Wednesday 12 March 1913, 500 invited guests, over 700 mounted and artillery troops and a public crowd of over 3000 locals came to witness the formal naming of Canberra. Foundation stones were laid by Governor-General Lord Thomas Denman, Prime Minister Andrew Fisher and the Minister for Home Affairs, King O’Malley. The national anthem was played and Lady Gertrude Denman announced the chosen name for the new-born federal capital. And so Canberra’s life officially began…
Directed by Raymond Longford and filmed by Ernest Higgins for Spencer Pictures Ltd, the film of the ceremony captures both the formality of the event and the bush character of Australia’s future capital (see stills gallery below). As part of the NFSA’s extensive collection of moving image works, it is among the early film images of Australia and allows us a glimpse into the cultural and social world of our country in 1913.
The recently completed digital restoration of the film highlights beautiful, clear images of finely dressed guests in Model T Fords, wagons, buggies and bicycles coming down from the Molonglo River to watch the ceremony. We see the grandstand erected for the official guests just below Capital Hill, facing north-east across the valley to Mt Ainslie; Lady Denman, elegant in an ostrich-plumed hat and pearls greeting guests; and the troops from the Australian Field Artillery, Light Horse and New South Wales Lancers.
The film ends with a dramatic panoramic sweep from Mt Pleasant taken the day after the ceremony. It starts roughly at Capital Hill, where both Parliament Houses now stand, moves east to west to Black Mountain and Mt Ainslie, before completing the circle with shots of Duntroon.
Guests with T-Model Fords travelling to the ceremony, 12 March 1913. From NFSA title no. 9382
Unidentified guests await the start of the ceremony. From NFSA title no. 9382
Colonel David Miller and Prime Minister Andrew Fisher talking in the crowd. From NFSA title no. 9382
Senator John West, King O’Malley, Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Robert Howe and Senator Josiah Thomas (standing behind Howe). From NFSA title no. 9382
Public crowds gathered around the Commencement Stone foundation, waiting the laying of the foundation stones. From NFSA title no. 9382
Prime Minister Andrew Fisher and Lady Gertrude Denman waiting for the slip of paper to be delivered to her by Mrs Amy O’Malley revealing the name of the capital city. From NFSA title no. 9382
Governor-General Lord Denman, Prime Minister Fisher, Lady Denman (centre) and Minister for Home Affairs King O'Malley (right) at the stone-laying ceremony for the commemorative column on Capital Hill. From NFSA title no. 9382
Prime Minister Andrew Fisher leads the cheers after Lady Denman announces the name of the capital city. From NFSA title no. 9382
Unidentified guests await the start of the ceremony. From NFSA title no. 9382
The official guests sit in the grandstand while public crowds gather near the commencement stone. From NFSA title no. 9382
The restored Naming the Federal Capital of Australia, March 12th 1913 is available to watch in full on the NFSA YouTube channel.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.