Sir William Deane, former Governor-General and patron of the Centenary of Canberra, dubs it "our great centenary tapestry."
Created by hundreds of weavers, from the highly skilled to volunteer novices, the tapestry showcases Canberra's iconic landmarks, buildings, flora and fauna and took countless hours to complete.
It will have a permanent home in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
Golden Scissors
In a traditional ceremony that was once performed by royalty, Sir William wielded a pair of golden scissors to snip the 2.7m x 1.4m artwork from its loom in the textiles workshop at the Australian National University.
He was he says 'sending the great centenary tapestry forth on its journey'.
The tapestry was designed by Annie Trevillian whose family has a long history in Canberra.
She aimed to create a work that would be appreciated by locals as well as interstate visitors to the national capital.
"There are personal elements in there," she explains, "but there are also things that other people would recognise."
Annie had the highest praise for the team of dedicated weavers who interpreted her design, declaring they all deserve gold medals.
Renowned tapestry artist Valerie Kirk, head of textiles at the ANU School of Art, says the project she led brought together members of Canberra's weaving community with many other keen contributors, including those who'd never before sat at a loom.
There is, she believes "a piece of each of these people there in the tapestry."
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