The Federal Capital Territory (the Australian Capital Territory since 1938) has been administered by a succession of Commonwealth agencies, with different areas of administration often being the responsibility of separate agencies, or branches within the one agency.
The tables below outline the agencies responsible for various functions.
| Agency | Dates | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Home Affairs [I] (CA 8) | 1901–16 | Federal Capital, works |
| Public Works Branch (CA 783) | 1904–17 | Public works |
| Lands and Surveys Branch, Canberra (CA 745) | 1911–25 | Surveying |
| Lands and Survey Branch (CA 737) | 1911–32 | Surveying |
| Works Branch, Federal Capital Territory (CA 758) | 1912–25 | Works |
| Federal Capital Territory Administrative Offices (CA 741) | 1912–16 | Administration |
| Department of Works and Railways (CA 14) | 1916–32 | Construction |
| Department of Home and Territories (CA 15) | 1916–28 | Seat of Government |
| Department of Home Affairs [I] (CA 24) | 1928–32 | Administration |
| Federal Capital Territory Branch, Department of Home Affairs [II] (CA 756) | 1930–32 | Works |
| Department of the Interior [I] (CA 27) | 1932–39 | Administration |
| Civic Administration Branch (CA 757) | 1932–51 | Administration |
| Property and Survey Branch (CA 738) | 1932–51 | Surveying |
| Canberra Service Branch (CA 1197) | 1938–51 | Works |
| Department of the Interior [II] (CA 31) | 1939–72 | Administration |
| ACT Services Branch, Department of the Interior [II] (CA 1198) | 1951–64 | Works |
| Agency | Dates | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Capital Office (CA 601) | 1913–21 | Design of Canberra |
| Federal Capital Advisory Committee (CA 292) | 1921–25 | Construction |
| Federal Capital Commission (CA 226) | 1925–30 | Land, construction |
| ACT Advisory Council (CA 491) | 1930–74 | Development, legislation |
| Agency | Dates | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| National Capital Planning and Development Committee (CA 383) | 1938–57 | Urban development |
| ACT Planning and Development Branch (CA 861) | 1951–57 | Urban development |
| National Capital Development Commission (CA 279) | 1957–89 | Planning, development, construction |
| Agency | Dates | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Commission on Federal Capital Administration (CA 2252) | 1916–17 | Problems with design and administration |
| Canberra National Memorials Committee (CA 384) | 1928– | Memorials, street names |
| House of Representatives Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories (CA 712) | 1956– | Canberra plan variations |
For more information
Other fact sheets available on the ACT are:
- Design and development of the National Capital
- Walter Burley Griffin and the design of Canberra
- Building the provisional Parliament House
Records transferred to the ACT government
Following ACT self-government in 1989, many ACT administrative records were passed to the control and custody of the ACT government. In most cases this is indicated by a notation in the Archives' database. For information about, and access to the records in the custody of the ACT government contact Archives ACT.