Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00437:body:0:p178
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00437
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Character Range: 575667–578470

until after World War II. It was unveiled in 1953 but attracted criticism for blocking the vista to the Australian War Memorial. In 1968 King George Terrace was realigned and the memorial was moved to its current location west of the land axis, on a corner of the western part of the National Rose Garden.
In 1955 a Select Senate Committee of Inquiry urged tree planting and landscape works to be undertaken in Canberra under the direction of the National Capital Development Commission. The Commission sought guidance from landscape designers including Lord William Holford and Dame Sylvia Crowe. Holford recommended that a predominantly Australian character be retained around Lake Burley Griffin with autumn coloured foliage trees used in a dramatic way. Parliament House was to be built on the lakeside with a great forecourt. In 1968 the lakeshore location was rejected in favour of Camp Hill or Capital Hill. During the 1960s, the landscaping of the Parliamentary Triangle was modified to create more formality in Parkes Place. This included realigning roads, installing the four fountains in the pools in the land axis, paving and the relocation King George V statue.

The National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) Act of 1957 set in motion a significant phase in the development of Canberra with the support of Robert Menzies Liberal government. The report of British Town Planner Sir William Holford stressed the need for 'unified design' for Canberra. This view was supported by the Senate Select Committee which propagated Holford's concept of a 'park like landscape...in the heart of Canberra, in which monumental buildings functioned both as symbols of government and of Australian unity'. The visual design of this landscape, the views along the main axial lines and avenues as well as the grouping of

monumental buildings were considered to be the elements upon which the success of Canberra as a city of world standing depended. Holford's recommendations included siting the future houses of parliament on the lakeside and developing two monumental buildings on the municipal axis north of a new road connection, which became Parkes Way. The NCDC's acceptance of the Holford vision set the design context for the completion of Anzac Parade and the construction of the Portal Buildings under the direction of NCDC architects and planners.
The Portal Buildings have heritage significance.

After a number of schemes for Canberra's lake, detailed planning of the Lake edges was begun in 1954. Lake Burley Griffin was created in 1964 by the damming of the Molonglo River by Scrivener Dam. It reached its predicted level of 556 metres in the same year. The northern shore of the lake between Commonwealth and Kings Avenues was landscaped from about this time to create Commonwealth and