Canberra: Geography

The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory and covers an area of 805.6 sq km near the Brindabella Ranges, approximately 150 km inland from Australia's east coast. The city is arranged around the man-made Lake Burnley Griffin; the north side of which comprises Canberra’s central district, known as the Civic, while its suburbs and malls spread outwards around it. Canberra also includes the ‘towns’ of Belconnen, Woden, Weston Creek and Gungahlin, each with its own collection of suburbs. The highest point around Camberra is Mount Majura at 2,913 ft. Other large hills include Mt Taylor, Mt Ainslie, Mt Mugga Mugga and Black Mountain. The surrounding bushland and the original bushland that Canberra was built in is a mixture of eucalyptus savanna, open grassland, scrubland, swamp and dry eucalyptus forests. Meanwhile, the urban environs of the city of Canberra straddle the Ginninderra plain, Molonglo plain, the Limestone plain, and the Tuggeranong plain (Isabella's Plain).