Projects

Devotion, Daring and Sense of Destiny

The Devotion, Daring and Sense of Destiny: Surveyors of the Early Commonwealth exhibition, curated by Centenary of Canberra History Adviser Dr David Headon, showcased the key role played by surveyors in Canberra’s early history—in particular, the men who surveyed the border (and their hardy wives) between 1910 and 1915, and those who stayed on the Limestone Plains to plan the capital city itself.  Theirs is a story of courage,persistence and mighty determination.  Weather and water always loomed large.  The surveyor stories intertwine with, and in some cases uniquely represent, some of Australia’s first ‘nation-building’ narratives during an extraordinary era. 

This exhibition was a collaboration between the Australian Government, the ACT Government, the Departments of the House of Representatives and Senate, Parliamentary Services, Surveying and Spatial Institute, National Archives of Australia and Engineers Australia.  The contribution of these partners saw many rare and interesting objects and stories become available for the exhibition.

The exhibition was opened on 17 December 2010 by Minister Andrew Barr and closed on the 14 March 2011 just after the Canberra Day weekend.  It was housed in the Presiding Officers’ Gallery, Parliament House. 

Image - Carefully posed photograph of first surveyor camp in Canberra, early 1909.  The tranquil scene belies the enormous amount of hard work, treacherous descents, adventure and nation building activity that would follow in the years to 1915, now captured in the Devotion, Daring and Sense of Destiny.

On3 December 2010 Dr David Headon delivered the Senate Occasional Lecture at Parliament.  Find his address Devotion, Daring and Sense of Destiny - Surveyors of the Early Commonwealth at http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/pubs/occa_lect/transcripts/2010.htm.