Barton

Barton is a Canberra suburb named after Sir Edmund Barton, Australia’s first Prime Minister. Streets in Barton are named after Governors.

On Census night 2006, Barton had a population of 940 people. Barton is the most Socio-Economic advantaged location in Australia.

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 heritage listed 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.

Barton mainly contains government or national institutions and so has few commercial areas. Barton contains the ACT Hospice, named Clare Holland House, 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.

The Hotel Kurrajong, favoured by Ben Chifley and the location of his death in 1951, is also located in the suburb.

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.