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.

Battle for the capital

Following the decision to federate the Australian colonies in 1890, debate raged over where the new federal capital should be located, fuelled by intercolonial pride, rivalry and the fear that the capital state would be favoured.

In the referendum of 1898, a ‘yes’ vote for federation was gained in Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria but not in NSW. Following the unsuccessful referendum, Section 25 of the Constitution was revised, declaring that the national capital would be located in NSW, but no closer than 100 miles (161km) to Sydney, and within a Federal Territory of not less than 100 square miles. Until the site was selected, and the capital built, the Parliament would meet in Melbourne.

In June 1999 NSW held a second referendum and enough votes were received to support the revised resolution.

NSW was keen to ensure that Melbourne didn’t retain the temporary capital for long and commissioned Alexander Oliver, the president of the NSW Land Appeal Court, to begin a search for suitable sites. To assist in the search, Oliver asked an expert panel to describe the features they saw as essential for the city site. According to the Oliver’s Report of the Commissioner on Sites for the Seat of Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1900

"From an architectural, sanitary, and engineering point of view, the ... ideal site ... should be a stretch of gently undulating country, the slopes of which [are] of sufficient fall for drainage purposes, and admitting of the construction of streets of easy grade. [It should be] contiguous to a river, out of the reach of floods and free from fogs. [It should have] ... gently rising ground, containing a few depressions readily convertible into small lakes, and the site itself surrounded by commanding hills – preferably in the form of an amphitheatre, or rather semi amphitheatre ... and present the artistic features essential for the development of a really beautiful city.
The site should be within easy distance of an ample water supply, admitting of the creation and maintenance of the artificial lakes which should constitute a leading feature of its public gardens ... In order that the sanitary conditions may be satisfactory, it is important that the subsoil should not be clay ... It would be advantageous for the city to have a north easterly aspect, and ... be well sheltered."