Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408:front:0:p255
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 792166–795183

Plan, 1912, showing the northern part of the Land Axis
  Source:  Reid 2002, p. 99

  Figure 68.  Detail of Federal Capital Advisory Committee Plan, 1925, showing the northern Land Axis
  Source:  Reid 2002, p. 148

Establishment:  Committees & commissions 1921–1956

This period is concerned with the post-Griffin period, the establishment of the Federal Capital Advisory Committee (1921-1925), the Federal Capital Commission (1925-1930) and the National Capital Planning and Development Committee (1938-1957).

With the departure of Walter Burley Griffin, Charles Weston was made Director of City Planting.  The focus of planting was the National Triangle with planting of the alignment of Commonwealth Avenue and the projected foreshore planting of the future lake at the centre of the Water Axis.  Another focus was an area adjacent to Commonwealth Avenue conceived at this time as Central Park, that was to become Commonwealth Park in 1922.

In the following year further planting was carried out to define Capital Terrace (Constitution Avenue), and Prospect Parkway and Place (Anzac Parade).  This was an attempt to mark out the axial elements of Griffin's concept and relied on closely spaced planting of lines of alternating species of predominantly advanced (11-13 years old) coniferous and oak trees, supplemented with Acacia species and roses.

Weston did not remodel the existing landform but planted rows of Cedrus atlantica and Quercus virens trees, within an established fenced area which ultimately obliterated the Griffins' prospect concept by enclosing a chain of six separate grassed spaces, as opposed to a continuous central grass sward.

Further planting was carried out in the mid-1920s with some intricately shaped curved beds to areas between the separate grassed areas.  The additional horticultural embellishment appears to date from the decision to site a national war museum in place of the casino building.

In 1926 the Imperial War Graves Commission began sending packets of flower seeds from Australian soldiers' graves overseas.  These were propagated by Weston for use near the war museum site, and ultimately within mass planting beds within the Prospect Parkway.  (Gray 1999, pp. 183-4)

In November 1926, Weston retired.  His planting within the National Triangle was concerned with symmetrical compositions, mostly using coniferous tree species with some contrasting deciduous species and eucalypts, shrubbery, lawns and flower gardens.  He employed lines of row plantations often with alternating species, and a pattern of circles for formal statements for flower gardens (usually roses or tulips).  The density of planting was related to the sense of achieving an immediate effect, and the perceived need for creating windbreaks in an otherwise open and exposed landscape.

Weston's successors as Director of Parks and Gardens were Alexander Bruce (1926-1938), John Hobday (1938-1944) and Lindsay Pryor (1944-1958).

Bruce continued to implement Weston's planting yet added