Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Hi Mick. As I understand it, after the politicians, both NSW and Federal, had finalised agreement, each passed a bill roughly defining the yet to be surveyed Federal Capital Territory. The NSW bill was the Seat of Government Surrender Act, 1909. It contains a narrative definition which includes ” … The State shall surrender to the Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth shall accept, for the purposes of the Seat of Government, the territory (hereinafter called the Territory) now being part of the State, described hereunder, namely:—Counties of Murray and Cowley, area about 900 square miles: Commencing on the Goulburn-Cooma Railway at its intersection with the Queanbeyan River at Queanbeyan; and bounded thence by that railway generally southerly to the south-eastern corner of portion 177, parish of Keewong, county of Murray; by the southern boundaries of that portion and portions 218, 211, 36 and 38 generally westerly to the Murrumbidgee River; by that river downwards to a point east of the south-east corner of portion 68, parish of Cuppacumbalong, county of Cowley; by a line partly forming the southern boundary of that portion west to the eastern watershed of Gudgenby River; by that watershed and the eastern and southern watersheds of Naas Creek; by part of the western watershed of Gudgenby River generally southerly, westerly, and northerly to the southern watershed of Cotter River; by that watershed and the western watershed of that river, passing through Mount Murray and through Bimberi Trigonometrical Station, generally northerly to Coree Trigonometrical Station; thence by a line north-easterly to One-tree Trigonometrical Station; thence by the watershed of Molonglo River north-easterly and generally south-easterly to the Goulburn-Cooma Railway aforesaid; and thence by that railway generally south-westerly, to the point of commencement.” The bill is available at https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/resources/transcripts/nsw12_doc_1909.pdf . Hope that helps. Cheers. john