Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408:front:0:p412
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 1314948–1317773

with the Provisional Parliament House. The formally arranged groups of Lombardy Poplars to achieve 'sentinel' features at the entrances and the pedestrian reference points in the landscape, is attributed to the involvement of John Smith Murdoch, Chief Architect for the Commonwealth Government, in the design. Cedars were used at right angles to the Land Axis. Most of the trees planted in Parkes Place were exotics with the only eucalypts planted adjacent to the Senate and House of Representatives Gardens (Gray 1995).

The first major structure to be placed within the area was the Old Parliament House, then called the Provisional Parliament House. In 1923 the Commonwealth Parliament agreed to the proposed building which was sited in front of Camp Hill, Griffin's intended location of the permanent Parliament House. At the time, Griffin protested recognising that if built, the provisional building would remove any possibility of a permanent Parliament House being built on Camp Hill. Nonetheless the Commonwealth proceeded. In 1925 the Federal Capital Commission (FCC) was established under Sir John Butters. The Commission replaced the FCAC. The FCC was responsible for moving the public service to Canberra and otherwise establishing the city in time for the opening of Parliament House.

A number of other significant projects were undertaken at the same time as the construction of (Old) Parliament House, which was designed by John Smith Murdoch and completed in 1927. Either side of the Parliament House, private gardens were established for the use of Members of Parliament. On either side of Camp Hill, two government office buildings were constructed, known as East and West Blocks and these were also completed in 1927. East and West Blocks were also designed by Murdoch in a similar style to Old Parliament House.

In 1926 a delegation of the Empire Parliamentary Association visited the new Parliament House and planted an avenue of 12 commemorative trees, to mark the event of the first use of the House of Representatives. Ten Roman Cypresses (CUPRESSUS SEMPERVIRENS 'STRICTA') were planted at right angles to the House with each tree planted by a delegate and marked by a brass plaque. To commemorate the opening of Parliament House in 1927, the Duke of York planted a Bunya Pine (ARUACARIA BIDWILLI) near Kings Avenue. The Marquis of Salisbury and Mr Arthur Henderson planted the Lombardy poplars in the courtyards of the Provisional Parliament House (Pryor and Banks 1991, Gray 1995).

In 1927 the Canberra National Memorials Committee named the area in front of Parliament House - Parkes Place, to commemorate Sir Henry Parkes. King Edward, King George and Queen Victoria Terraces, and Langton and Walpole Crescents were named for links to the first 50 years of Federation (Gray 1995).

The Gardens