ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collections
HMSS 0461 Canberra 1958-1983
| Call Number | HMSS 0461 |
|---|---|
| Collection | Canberra 1958-1983 |
| Date Range | 1958-1983 |
| Quantity | 0.01m (1 wallet) |
| Access Conditions | unstated |
| Copying Conditions | unstated |
| Related Collections | HMSS 0038 Max Neutze |
Graeme Max Neutze was born to a farming family in New Zealand in 1934. He initially intended to pursue an agricultural career, but after winning a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford he developed a lifelong interest in the economics of location. He was awarded a PhD in 1960, took up a lectureship at the Canberra University College (now the Australian National University), and in 1965 was appointed head of the Urban Research Unit (URU) in the Research School of Social Sciences. In 1979 he was appointed Professor and the following year was made Director of the Research School of Social Sciences. He returned to the Urban Research Unit in 1986, became Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University in 1988 then Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies until 1993. He again returned to the URU, first as Professor and later as Visiting Fellow until 1999. He died in 2000.
Max, Patrick Troy and Peter Harrison at the Urban Research Unit laid the foundations for Australian urban research and greatly influenced government policy developments. Max served on public bodies concerned with land use, public housing, urban planning, urban infrastructure and government statistics, and was a lifelong contributor to Canberra’s development.
He was a member of the Committee of Review of the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC), which held public and private hearings from 20 September 1982 until March 1983, and was also part of the further review committee of the NCDC in 1988. His personal papers from the first review are held by the ACT Heritage Library at HMSS 0038.
This album was compiled by Max Neutze as a “then and now” illustration of Canberra’s development over 25 years. During that time, Canberra’s population increased from 39,000 to over 230,000, the new towns of Woden/Weston Creek, Belconnen and Tuggeranong were built, and Lake Burley Griffin was constructed and its foreshores developed into recreational areas linked to an open space system extending across the river corridors, hills and ridges of the ACT.
The images are paired on a page with descriptive captions by Max Neutze. The early image is dated, the later one is not but is assumed to be 1983 unless there is evidence to the contrary.
Hal Kendig’s obituary for Max, published in the ANU Research School of Social Sciences Annual Report, 2000, is included as an appendix to the album.
Image Number | Description | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
1 | The view to the east from the Canberra Hospital across the bed of the lake. New Commonwealth bridge (foreground) dwarfs the old bridge | 1962 |
2 | A similar view today. The hospital grounds are now confined to the Acton Peninsula by the water of Lake Burley Griffin | 1983 |
3 | City Hill and Civic Centre in 1958. The Molonglo River flowing from left to right in the centre of the picture | 1958 |
4 | The same scene today. The flood plain has been submerged by Lake Burley Griffin and major national buildings have been constructed in the Triangle | 1983 |
5 | Civic Centre in 1958, when you could park your car in Garema Place or outside the shops in Alinga Street | 1958 |
6 | Civic Centre today. Garema Place and Alinga Street now form part of a pedestrian system. The walk from the car is longer | 1983 |
7 | Civic Centre in 1958. An aerial view, looking to the southeast from above McKay Gardens, Turner | 1958 |
8 | A similar view today. Most of the open spaces have been landscaped or filled in with buildings and car parks | 1983 |
9 | Canberra before the lake in 1962. Commonwealth Avenue bridge is under construction and Kings Avenue bridge has been completed | 1962 |
10 | A similar view today showing the transformation of the National Capital which resulted from the construction of the Lake | 1983 |
11 | The old Canberra Racecourse at Acton (foreground) with the ANU and Civic Centre almost lost in paddocks | June 1958 |
12 | A similar view today. The racecourse has been submerged by the Lake and buildings now stand in the landscaped grounds of the ANU | 1983 |
13 | The view down Northbourne Avenue. The “raw and new” suburbs of Dickson and O’Connor wait for landscaping | July 1960 |
14 | A similar view today. Northbourne Avenue is now lined by office blocks, motels, and medium density housing | 1983 |
15 | Kings Avenue bridge arches over the dry bed of Lake Burley Griffin. Note early tree planting of parklands (centre) and the first buildings of the Russell Offices | October 1963 |
16 | The lakeshore parklands have matured in the past 23 years and the Carillon stands on an island in Lake Burley Griffin | 1986 |
17 | A view of the National Area from Mt Pleasant in 1981 with the Russell Defence Offices in the foreground | 1981 |
18 | The Russell Defence Offices below Mt Pleasant were the first major government offices constructed by NCDC | 1983 |
19 | The view from Mt Ainslie in 1951 | 1951 |
20 | A similar view today | 1983 |
21 | The view from Mt Ainslie over the National Area and the City in 1960, before construction of the Lake | 1960 |
22 | A similar view today, showing how the landscape has matured in the past twenty years | 1980 |
23 | The Woden Valley late in 1965. The Mint (foreground) and Deakin High School (left) stand out in the paddocks | Late 1965 |
24 | A similar view today, illustrating the changes brought by development and construction of parks and playing fields | 1983 |
25 | The Woden Valley, looking southwest, in 1965 | 1965 |
26 | The Woden Valley today. The bare grazing land has been softened with the planting of thousands of trees around the houses | 1983 |
27 | The Woden Valley in June 1965. The suburbs of Curtin and Lyons have been developed | June 1965 |
28 | The same scene today. The Woden Valley now has 12 suburbs and there are a further 8 in Weston Creek (right) | 1983 |
29 | Belconnen in 1969 before the construction of Lake Ginninderra. Coulter Drive (left) and Macquarie Primary School (right) | 1969 |
30 | A similar view today. The lake provides a new amenity for the residents while tree planting has improved the environment | 1983 |