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February 2024

The ACT Landscape Works Collection - Outdoor planning on a grand scale

Fig 1. Civic Skateboard Facility 1996

ArchivesACT staff have recently been working on a series of more than 1,100 landscape plans from ACT Landscape Works, within the former Department of Urban Services.

The plans date from 1989 to 2001, and range from major proposals covering various options, to smaller modifications to existing facilities, such as installation of drinking fountains, to planting plans listing the numbers and species of plants to be used.

Fig 2. Landscape improvements corner La Perouse and Flinders Way Griffith, 1989

It is an interesting and useful collection for studying the management of specific sites over time. The plans are also a good resource for research on different aspects of urban landscape planning, for example how approaches to plant selection, weed management or children’s playgrounds might have changed over the years.

Places and subjects covered include:

  • parks and recreation areas, including Weston Park, Canberra Nara Park, Point Hut Pond, Yerrabi Pond, Hall Showground, Black Mountain Peninsula and Koomarri Fitness Track in O’Connor
  • skateparks and other youth recreation facilities, including Tuggeranong, Civic, Erindale, Weston Oval
  • tree surveys and assessments, including parts of City Walk, Casey, Gungahlin Town Centre, West Belconnen, City Hill, Moncrieff and Griffith
  • ovals and playing fields, including Rugby Park Ainslie, Stirling District Playing Fields, Wanniassa Enclosed Oval and Narrabundah Oval
  • landscaping along major roads, including the Monaro Highway, Parkes Way, Belconnen Way and Drakeford Drive
  • Floriade planting plans
  • planter boxes at the Sydney and Melbourne buildings
  • outdoor café surveys for City Walk, Garema Place, Manuka and Dickson
  • playground safety upgrades for many preschools, including Monash, Higgins and Latham
  • local shop refurbishments, including Yarralumla and Watson.

Fig 3. Lake Ginninderra College planting plan, 1991

We are preparing the descriptions of the plans to be added to ACT Memory later this year. Digital files will also be added for at least a selection of the plans – Please see the examples in this article.

In the meantime, please get in touch if you are interested in finding out more about these plans or viewing them.

Fig 4. Umbagong District Park - Latham, 1995

Fig 5. Floriade City Hill and Dickson planting plan, 1995

Fig 6. City Hill floral bed RAAF 75, 1995

Fig 7. Calwell Primary landscape master plan, 1990

Images

Fig. 1. Civic Skateboard Facility, 1996. ACT Landscape Works plans collection, 95.38.06C

Fig. 2. Landscape improvements corner La Perouse and Flinders Way Griffith, 1989. ACT Landscape Works plans collection, 89.57.01

Fig. 3. Lake Ginninderra College planting plan, 1991. ACT Landscape Works plans collection, 91.01.02

Fig. 4. Umbagong District Park - Latham, 1995. ACT Landscape Works plans collection, 95.36.01

Fig. 5. Floriade City Hill and Dickson planting plan - 1995. ACT Landscape Works plans collection, 95.34.26

Fig. 6. City Hill floral bed RAAF 75, 1995. ACT Landscape Works plans collection, 95.37.01

Fig. 7. Calwell Primary landscape master plan, 1990. ACT Landscape Works plans collection, 90.04.01

Ready to start your own research?

Contact us through our Request a record - ArchivesACT and we will be happy to help.

File Readers/Viewers

If you do not already have compatible software on your computer, free file readers/viewers can be downloaded from the following links.