Barton, Australian Capital Territory

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Barton
CanberraAustralian Capital Territory

Population: 747 (2001 census)
Postcode: 2600
Property Value: AUD $425,000 (2005)[1]
District: South Canberra
Suburbs around Barton
Parkes Russell Campbell
Fyshwick Barton Capital Hill
Forrest Griffith Kingston

Barton (postcode: 2600) is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Barton is named after Sir Edmund Barton, Australia's first Prime Minister. Streets in Barton are named after Governors.[2]

The population of Barton on census night 2001 was 747 people.

Barton is adjacent to Capital Hill. It contains the Department of The Prime Minister and Cabinet, Attorney-General's Department, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and several other Commonwealth government departments.

On Kings Avenue is the controversial Edmund Barton building, which was made a heritage listed building in 2005, but its modernist design has often been criticised.

The boundary of Barton runs along Telopea Park East in the south east. On the east side it surrounds the East Basin of Lake Burley Griffin. In the north east the boundary is Morshead Drive. The boundary continues along Kings Avenue all the way to State Circle. State Circle forms the boundary with Capital Hill to the west. The boundary then extends along the centre of Sydney Avenue, and finally along New South Wales Crescent back to Telopea Park.

[edit] Suburb amenities

Barton mainly contains government or national institutions and so has few commercial areas such as shops. Barton contains the ACT Hospice, named Clare Holland House and located at the east end of Lake Burley Griffin. It contains the Canberra campus of the Charles Sturt University, which is an Anglican seminary. The Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture is located next to this. The Australian Federal Police College is on Brisbane Avenue. Telopea Park School is on New South Wales Crescent.

Brassey Hotel was named after Sir Thomas Brassey, Governor of Victoria. It was originally a guest house for mid level government officials, and for Members of Parliament.[3]

Parks in Barton include Telopea Park, York Park, Bowen Park which is on the south shore of Lake Burley Griffin, and Grevillea Park on the north side of the lake.

The Edmund Barton building
The Edmund Barton building

[edit] Geology

A patch of Ordovician Pittman Formation greywacke outcrops in the south along Canberra Ave. Silurian Canberra Formation, calcareous Shale is under most of the suburb. Tertiary river gravels are found in the Blackall St area.

See also: Geology of the Australian Capital Territory

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Barton ACT. allhomes.com.au.
  2. ^ Place Names. Australian Capital Territory Planning and Land Authority. Retrieved on January 22, 2007.
  3. ^ History. Brassey Hotel. Retrieved on Error: invalid time.