As Canberra gears up for a light rail connection through the city, the ACT Heritage Council has moved to protect the telltale signs of Canberra's first rail plan.
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There is not much left of them now, but concealed railways tracks near Kingston Foreshore and an impressive avenue of trees at the back of Reid CIT are the relics of a bygone rail plan - proof the capital was intended to be a town with tracks.
"Canberrans would probably assume that Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin's 1911 winning design for Australia's capital planned for railways but little is widely known about the temporary rail line built from Kingston to Civic," David Flannery, Chair of the ACT Heritage Council said.
"The City Railway remnants at Kingston and Reid are the only remaining evidence of the railway system planned for Canberra and are an interesting insight into Canberra's transport past."
Mr Flannery said the line was envisaged to come in from Queanbeyan, traverse across Canberra and continue on up to Yass.
"The major railway was never really constructed but we have left in Canberra some remnants in Kingston near Cunningham Street and of course the easements in the Causeway and adjacent to Amaroo Street in Reid," he said. "That is what the Heritage Council is seeking to protect for future generations."
The council have also accepted public nominations for Belconnen Library and the Urambi Co-operative Housing site in Kambah to be reviewed for heritage listing.
Mr Flannery said investigation into both sites had not yet begun.
However, Belconnen Library was an excellent example of late 20th-century International Style architecture, and because of its association with architect Robin Gibson.
Urambi Village Co-operative Housing in Kambah was nominated as an early example of socially responsible, environmentally-sensitive housing and as an excellent example of late 20th century Sydney Regional Style architecture designed by architect Michael Dysart.
Beyond the building's facades their social significance would play a part in the determinations too.
"The heritage legislation does allow for that, it looks at the social significance as well as the architectural significance of all of these places," he said.
The council staff are busy preparing for the ACT Heritage Festival in April but said the permanent listing of the tracks and trees won't be finalised in time for the event.
"We will place them on the priority list and hopefully we can get to them in a few months time," Mr Flannery said.
To see all the Heritage Council nominations and decisions visit www.environment.act.gov.au/heritage or provide your thoughts via yoursay.act.gov.au as part of the public consultation closing on March 13.
