The suburb is named after the former city planner Peter Harrison, who was instrumental in reviving Walter Burley Griffin's plan for the National Capital.

Harrison's place names reflects those of "natural features, waterfalls, plains, tablelands and plateaux".

Following the launch of Light Rail on 20 April by the ACT government,[4] Harrison residents now have access to Light Rail services from any of the stops along Flemington Road.

Harrison is underlaid mostly by the Canberra Formation mudstone or volcanics from the late middle Silurian age.

Near the eastern corner is an outcrop of the Ainslie Volcanics dacite or andesite.