A simple map published a century ago in the Commonwealth Gazette continues to influence Canberra's urban development. The 'plan of the lay-out of the city of Canberra and its environs' was gazetted on November 19, 1925, enshrining Walter Burley Griffin's vision for the Australian capital.
Griffin and his wife, Marion, designed the plan as the last entry in an international competition. Griffin predicted that if his plan were fully implemented, Canberra would become 'the most beautiful city in history'. The plan embedded axes and zones that remain central to the city's layout today, according to Sally Farrah, a lecturer at the University of Canberra.
When the plan was gazetted, about 5,000 people lived in what is now the ACT. The gazettal gave Parliament power to disallow changes, a mechanism that remains at the core of Canberra's planning system. Despite challenges in the 1920s, essential qualities of Griffin's plan endured.
Brett Odgers, former chair of the Walter Burley Griffin Society's Canberra chapter, praised recent revivals of Griffin plan elements in areas like New Acton and Kingston Foreshore. However, he criticized the current governance system, comparing it unfavorably to Washington DC's management. Odgers argued that Canberra's governance is 'fragmented and dysfunctional', with the National Capital Authority lacking resources and democratic links.
Dr Farrah acknowledged the plan's legacy in preserving landscape but noted its shortfalls, particularly in zoning. She emphasized the ongoing tension between Canberra's 'bush capital' identity and its monumental aspirations. The Griffin legacy also offers lessons for curbing urban sprawl, which intensified in the late 20th century under the National Capital Development Commission.
