You see, in 1908, Yass-Canberra was selected as the National Capital, not Canberra.

That year, parliamentarians voted on 11 possible options for the National Capital – Albury, Armidale, Bombala, Canberra, Dalgety, Lake George, Lyndhurst, Orange, Tooma, Tumut and Yass-Canberra.

Canberra didn’t win. It didn’t even make it to the final two. In the House of Representatives in October 1908, Yass-Canberra came first and Dalgety second, and in the Senate in November 1908, Yass-Canberra pipped Tumut at the post.

This is our history. Now it is true that Yass-Canberra was a large region and that there was still some work to be done to determine the actual spot where the national buildings would be located.

Does this mean that Yass should also have a public holiday on Monday – the date of the ACT holiday called Canberra Day? Well, I have a better idea. While Canberra is closed, Yass will be open for business.

So I encourage you to get out and enjoy the history and heritage of the Yass main street, or of Murrumbateman, Gundaroo, Sutton, Binalong, Bowning, Bookham or Wee Jasper – preferably with a Yass Valley Gift Card in your hand.

We’re different to the ACT. In the Yass Valley, it’s not our style to celebrate being special by closing down for a day. No, our way is to open up and show off to the world what we have to offer.

Happy Yass-Canberra Day!