List of buildings and structures in the Australian Capital Territory

Last updated October 07, 2024

This list of buildings and structures in the Australian Capital Territory includes historically and architecturally significant buildings and structures in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

Places on these lists are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 . Listed places are protected under the Act which means that no-one can take an action that has, will have or is likely to have, a significant impact on the environment of a listed place, including its heritage values, without the approval of the Minister. It is a criminal offence not to comply with this legislation.

Register of the National Estate, the register is a list of historically significant places, this is a non-statutory list.
The National Trust of Australia administers several properties in the ACT, listing on this register is non-statutory.^{[ according to whom? ]}
Australian Capital Territory Heritage Register, places on the register are of particular importance to the people of the ACT and are thought to enrich the understanding of history and identity. Places on the register are legally protected under the Heritage Act 2004, and changes or development of them requires advice by the ACT Heritage Council on development issues to improve conservation outcomes.

The Royal Australian Institute of Architects also maintains a register of significant 20th-century buildings, which although it has no legal capacity to protect buildings, it provides information on architecturally significant buildings within the territory.

19th century

Name	Year completed	Location	Description and significance	Preservation and access
St John's Anglican Church	1845	Reid	St John's Church is the oldest surviving public building within Canberra's city precinct, predating the establishment of the capital by almost 70 years. The Schoolhouse Museum within the church precinct displays items dating back to Canberra's rural past.	The church building and surrounding precinct remains an active place of worship and Canberra landmark.
Blundells Cottage	1860	Parkes	Blundells Cottage is five room stone cottage, and is one of the few reminders of the rural history of Canberra left in the city.	The building is listed by the National Trust of Australia and operates as a museum.
Canberry, Kanberry	1824	Acton	Canberry was the first building in the ACT.	Canberry was knocked down in 1942 to make way for the construction of the Royal Canberra Hospital.
Lambrigg
Tharwa Bridge	1895	Tharwa	Tharwa Bridge was the first bridge built across the Murrumbidgee River.	The four span Allan truss bridge is still open to traffic. (Closed in 2006 - temporarily) The bridge reopened in August 2008 to light traffic, below 5 tonnes.^[1]^[2]
Hill Station	1862
Yarralumla	1891	Yarralumla	Built by the Campbell family, the house became the home of the Governor-General of Australia from 1927.	Commonwealth Heritage List
Duntroon House	1833	Royal Military College, Duntroon	Built by the Campbell family, now the officer's mess at RMC Duntroon. The oldest surviving private building in Canberra.	Commonwealth Heritage List

20th century

Pre World War II

Name	Year established	Location	Description and significance	Preservation and access
Hotel Canberra	1922-26	Yarralumla	Hotel Canberra was designed by architect John Smith Murdoch in the Garden-Pavilion style drawing strong influences from American Prairie, Californian Bungalow and Australian Colonial styles.	The Hotel is open to the public and operated by Hyatt, it is listed by the National Trust.
Old Parliament House	1927	Parkes		Open to the public as a museum and home of the National Portrait Gallery. Commonwealth Heritage List
Ian Potter House	~1927	Acton	The exterior of the house is in Inter-War Georgian Revival style and was designed by Anketell and Kingsley Henderson. The house was originally used to house female public servants.	Listed on the ACT Heritage Register
Canberra Hospital Administration Building, former	1941-43	Acton		Many of the old hospital buildings are now used by the Australian National University. Listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List, RSTCA Register
Commencement Column Monument	1913	Capital Hill	The Commencement Column Monument is composed of three foundation stones with inscriptions, set in a hexagonal base (of an intended but never completed column) and was designed by J S Murdoch.	Commonwealth Heritage List
Old Canberra House	1913	Acton	Designed by J S Murdoch it was the first two-storey masonry structure in the new capital.	Commonwealth Heritage List, Register of the National Estate
Melbourne & Sydney Buildings	1927	City Centre	The pair of Inter-War Mediterranean style buildings were the earliest major developments in the City Centre	The exterior and remaining original interiors are protected by the ACT Heritage Register. They are still used for commercial and residential purposes.
Canberra School of Art	1939	Acton	A two-storey rendered brick symmetrical Art Deco style school with central clock tower.	Commonwealth Heritage List, Register of the National Estate
The Lodge	1927	Deakin	The Lodge is a two-storey, rendered brick building in the Colonial Revival style with Georgian detailing. It has been the Canberra residence for most of Australia's Prime Ministers.	Annual open days for public viewing, listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List.
Ainslie Public and Primary Schools	1927	Braddon	The first modern school open in the ACT, designed in the Art Deco style.	RAIA register
Gorman House Community Arts Centre	1924-25	Braddon	The first hostel completed for the Federal Capital Advisory Committee. It was designed by the Commonwealth Architect John Smith Murdoch in the Garden-Pavilion style.	The buildings are used by various community groups. Many of the buildings are open to the public during regular markets. ACT Heritage Register
Yarralumla Woolshed & Outbuildings	1904	Adjacent to Yarralumla	Fredrick Campbell built this large woolshed for his nearby property Yarralumla.	The woolshed is available for hire as a party venue. Nominated to the ACT Heritage Register
Manuka Swimming Pool	1930	Griffith	The pool was an important social hub for early Canberra from 1930 until the 1960s. It is built in the Federal Capital Style.	Open to the public, admission charge. ACT Heritage Register
Kingston Powerhouse	1915	Kingston	The powerhouse was the first permanent public building in the ACT. It was designed by John Smith Murdoch in the Federal Capital style.	ACT Heritage Register
Westlake	1922	Yaramulla	Accommodation for construction workers including cottages designed by H M Rolland	Completely demolished. Unrestricted public access to the site.
Alt Crescent Buildings & Precinct
Reid Urban Conservation Area
Albert Hall	1927	Yarralumla	It was designed by J H Kirkpatrick, R Casboulte and H M Rolland, and is representative of the Federal Style of architecture in early Canberra.	Venue available for hire. ACT Heritage Register
Australian War Memorial	1941	Campbell
Belconnen Naval Transmission Station	1938-1939	Belconnen	Transmitting station for Bonshaw Receiving Station at HMAS Harman; the 600 ft masts were brought to ground on 20 December 2006.	Register of the National Estate and Commonwealth Heritage List
Canberra City Garbage Incinerator	1938-41	Yarralumla	One of the few remaining examples of the incinerators designed by W B Griffin and E M Nicholls between 1929-38.	Register of the National Estate
Australian Forestry School	1926	Yarralumla		Now part of CSIRO
Westridge House	1928	Yarralumla		Private Residence owned by the CSIRO.
Institute of Anatomy		Acton		The building currently houses the National Film and Sound Archive
Mount Stromlo Administration Building	1924		Badly damaged by bushfires in 2003.	Fenced off from the public. Listed on Commonwealth Heritage List.
Fenner House
Royal Swedish Embassy		Yarralumla		Nominated to the Commonwealth Heritage List
Canberra Olympic Pool	1955?	Civic	Built in the post war International Style the pool was designed by Ian Slater of the Department of Works.	Register of the National Estate
Former Forrest Fire Station & Residence	1938	Forest	Designed by Edwin Henderson and Cuthbert Whitley, the buildings are an example of typical Canberra inter-war functionalism.	House the Canberra Fire Brigade Museum, Register of the National Estate
Canberra Grammar School and Chapel	1929-64	Red Hill	Church school complex which is a good example of the inter-war Gothic style.	Register of the National Estate
Barton Conference Centre
Braddon Urban Conservation Area		Braddon
Forrest Urban Conservation Area		Forrest
Mercure Hotel Canberra	1926-27	Braddon
Hotel Kurrajong		Barton
Manuka Housing Precinct		Griffith
Mackie House
Cater House
Birch House
Fisher Government Housing		Fisher
Wilson House
Swinger Hill Stages 1 & 2 Cluster Housing		Phillip
Beaufort House
Kanangra Court
Arnold Grove
Forrest Townhouses
Northbourne Housing Precinct		Dickson & Lyneham	Lyneham. Dickson and Owen Flats were designed by Sydney Ancher. Listed on RSTCA.
Vasey Crescent Houses
Calthorpes' House		Red Hill
Dickson Library		Dickson
General Bridges' Grave	1920	Royal Military College, Duntroon	Memorial Grave of designed by architect Walter Burley Griffin	Commonwealth Heritage List
ANZAC Memorial Chapel of St Paul	Commonwealth Heritage List
Changi Chapel		Royal Military College, Duntroon	Commonwealth Heritage List
ANU Drill Hall		Acton	Commonwealth Heritage List
ANZ Bank Building
Monaro Mall		Civic		Now part of the Canberra Centre
Colonial Mutual Building
Yarralumla brickworks		Yarralumla		Closed to the public
Cotter Pumping Station & Electrical Sub-station		Confluence of the Cotter and Murrumbidgee Rivers	Closed to the public, visible from the Cotter Road.
East Block Government Offices		Parkes	Commonwealth Heritage List
West Block Government Offices		Parkes	Commonwealth Heritage List
USA Chancery, Residence & Precinct			Yarralumla
Law Courts of the ACT & Precinct		Civic
Robert Garran Offices
Canberra Baptist Church & Manse
St Paul's Church of England
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Townhouse Motor Inn
RAIA Headquarters
Old Parliament House	Commonwealth Heritage List, National Heritage List
Girlalang Primary School		Girralang
Corroboree Park
de Quetteville		Hughes
Barton Court
John Gorton Building	1927 (foundation built then cancelled); 1956 (rebuilt)	Parkes	An Art Deco building that was built over the span of several decades. Construction initially began in 1927, before it was quickly cancelled due to budgetary constraints and substandard foundations. Construction started over in 1946, and the building finally opened in 1956.	Listed on the Commonwealth heritage register
Irish Embassy
Northbourne Flats		Braddon & Turner
Manning Clark House
Trade Offices
Evans Crescent Housing Precinct
The Pines
Sri Lankan Embassy
Allawah & Bega Flats
Campbell Group Housing
Kingston Transport Depot
Open Systems House
ANU Cottage No 3		Acton	Commonwealth Heritage List
CSC Building
Canberra National Seventh Day Adventist Church
Guardian House

Post World War II

Name	Year established	Location	Description and significance	Preservation and access
Canberra Olympic Pool	1953—1955	Civic	Modernist public pool by Commonwealth Department of Public Works architect Ian Slater, with Australia's first concrete diving tower. Designed in 1953, winner of the 1955 Sulman Medal.	Open to the public.
University House	1954	Acton
The Shine Dome	1959	Acton	The Dome is thought to be only example in Australia of Geometric Structuralism and was designed by Sir Roy Grounds.	The Shine Dome is houses the offices of the Australian Academy of Science, it is occasionally open for public lectures. It is listed on the National Heritage List.
Reserve Bank of Australia	1963-65	City Centre	Australia's first national central bank, in minimalist style.	Commonwealth Heritage List
National Carillon	1970	Parkes	An example of the late twentieth century Brutalist style designed by architects Cameron Chisholm Nicol and forms a part of the Parliamentary Triangle. It was given to Australia by the British Government to commemorate Canberra's 50th anniversary.	Open to the public and listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List.
Cameron Offices	1970-77	Belconnen	Designed by John Andrews, in the late Twentieth Century Brutalist Style.	Wings 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the complex were demolished in 2007-08. Wings 3, 4, and 5, and the bridge still remain and are on the Commonwealth Heritage List.
Canberra School of Music	1976	Acton	Designed in the Late Twentieth-Century Brutalist style with strong sculptural forms by Daryl Jackson and Evan Walker. The building includes the 1500 seat Llewellyn Hall.	Commonwealth Heritage List
Hotel located within the ANU			Commonwealth Heritage List
Toad Hall	1977	Acton	Student residence in late twentieth century late modern style designed by internationally acclaimed architect John Andrews.	ANU student residence, Commonwealth Heritage List
ACT Police Headquarters		City Centre		RAIA register
High Court of Australia	1975-80	Parkes	The High Court building, designed by Christopher Kringas, Edwards Madigan Torzillo and Briggs	Commonwealth Heritage List
Burgmann College		Acton		RAIA register
UC Student Residences Group 22		Bruce
Research School of Biological Science		Acton
Edmund Barton Building	1970-74	Barton, Australian Capital Territory	Building was designed by Harry Seidler. It is 'outstanding example of the Late Twentieth-Century International Style of architecture in Australia and is the largest such example in the National Capital'.	Commonwealth Heritage List
National Gallery of Australia	1973-82	Parkes, Australian Capital Territory	National Gallery was designed by Colin Madigan and built from reinforced concrete.	The Gallery and the adjoining sculpture garden are open to the public and are listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List.
RG Menzies Building		Acton Commonwealth Heritage List		The building holds the ANU collections relating to Asia and the Pacific, theses, Rare books, special collections and the United Nations collection. It is open to the public and listed on the ACT Heritage Register.
Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture	1999	Barton	A Christian ecumenical centre and chapel. Associated with Saint Mark's National Theological Centre and Charles Sturt University.	Open to the public.

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References

↑ "Tharwa Bridge to reopen today for light traffic". Canberra Times. 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
↑ "Sign Posted Bridge Restrictions in the ACT" (PDF). Retrieved 20 November 2016.

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[Bridge_open-1] "Tharwa Bridge to reopen today for light traffic". Canberra Times. 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2009.

[2] "Sign Posted Bridge Restrictions in the ACT" (PDF). Retrieved 20 November 2016.

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