Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Plan of a proposed Empire capitol "for nothing" to be erected on the Hawkesbury Rhineland 10 miles from Sydney, its site an oak leaf, extracting cost out of beautiful site to be named Pacivica

Plan of a proposed Empire capitol "for nothing" to be erected on the Hawkesbury Rhineland 10 miles from Sydney, its site an oak leaf, extracting cost out of beautiful site to be named Pacivica

1899
Printed map
Bequest of Sir William Dixson, 1952
DL Z/Cb 89/7

Following the decision in 1890 to federate the Australian colonies, the continent was quickly awash with ideas and proposals for the new federal capital. This idea for an empire capital of ‘Pacivica’ on the banks of the Hawkesbury in what is now Ku-ring-gai Chase was developed and passionately promoted by Sydney surveyor and engineer F Oliver Jones. Within his ‘City Beautiful’ a model ‘empire-building’ community would be ‘shaped on new yet British lines’.*

His proposal, however, slipped from possibility with the defeat in NSW of the 1898 federation referendum: as a sweetener to the people of NSW, the Constitution was altered to require the capital be in NSW, but at least 100 miles (161km) from Sydney. Pacivica was no longer in contention.

Potential sites for the federal capital included Dubbo, Armidale, Bathurst, Goulburn and Cooma in NSW; Mildura and Ballarat in Victoria; and Mount Gambier, Naracoorte and Kingston in South Australia.

By 1904, the favoured location for a new federal capital was Dalgety on the NSW south coast, with port access at Eden. Apparently concerned that Twofold Bay could grow to outrank Port Jackson, the NSW government objected to this site. 

A variety of names were proposed for a new federal capital of Australia, including Federalia, Boomerang City, Eucalypta, Kookemuroo and Gonebroke!