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From the start

Here from the start

Australian military forces have had a long association with Canberra. The Royal Military College at Duntroon was one of the earliest Commonwealth institutions to open in the region.

On 12 March 1913, when Lady Denman officially named Australia’s capital “Canberra”, cadets of the Royal Military College were present among the crowds who had gathered to mark the occasion. For them, Canberra was not a new idea: it was home, and had been for two years.

The college opened in June 1911 on a former sheep station known as “Duntroon”,  established in 1825 by Robert Campbell, an enterprising Scottish merchant and pastoralist who had settled land in the Molonglo Valley.

In November 1911 Jervis Bay was selected to become the official home of the Royal Australian Naval College. Land at Jervis Bay was included as part of the Federal Capital Territory to provide a seaport for Canberra.

Establishment of Duntroon

Collection Item C1008852

Accession Number: A04164

The Royal Military College from the summit of Mount Pleasant

Royal Australian Naval College

Collection Item C105047

Accession Number: REL/02854

Seventy-seven children and their parents were interned at the Molonglo Internment Camp.
Read more about the establishment of the Royal Australian Naval College...

Military on parade

Collection Item C1008868

Accession Number: A04179

Inspection of the Royal Military College guard of honour by Governor-General Lord Denman.
Read more about the military on parade...

Learn More About Canberra's Military History
Back to Salute: Canberra's Military Heritage

Last updated: 21 October 2019

Explore the Collection

Explore the Collection

Our collection contains a wealth of material to help you research and find your connection with the wartime experiences of the brave men and women who served in Australia’s military forces.

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The Donations and bequests

Donations & Bequests

Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains – today and into the future.

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The placesofpride

Places of Pride

Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia.

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Canberra Highlands in Grayscale

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS

The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and waters. We pay our respects to elders past and present.
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The Australian War Memorial building

The Australian War Memorial

Treloar Crescent
Campbell ACT 2612
Australia
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The Australian War Memorial

Treloar Crescent

Campbell ACT 2612

Australia

 

Opening Hours

10 am to 5 pm daily (except Christmas Day)

 

In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony,

galleries are progressively closed from 4 pm.

 

Public entrance via Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell ACT 2612

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