It was formed in the nineteenth century, and existed until 1 January 1911, when the Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910 came into force, after the land was transferred to the Commonwealth government in 1909 to be used to form the Australian Capital Territory.

It is one of the four former parishes of Murray County which became part of the ACT, along with Yarrolumla, Canberra and Gigerline.

It was bounded by the Molonglo River (now Lake Burley Griffin) to the north, and includes most of present-day South Canberra, Weston Creek and Woden including Parliament House, although not the suburb of Narrabundah, which has the same name, but was actually in Queanbeyan parish.

The border to the north-east was approximately where Barton is, near Kings Avenue bridge.

The southern boundary of the parish was just south of Mount Taylor, and it included the mountain itself.