Canberra 1959 - In Colour!

old canberran said :

That first Red Hill shot was taken from almost the same place as one I sent in a while back. St Andrews church stands out quite well and it’s a shame they cut down the trees in Civic between the Sydney and Melbourne buildings. Those were the days when Canberra was a great place to live. Thanks for the slide show. I have a feeling I know that lady in the orange jumper.

It’s not the first time you’ve mentioned that Canberra sucks these days. Can you elaborate? Was it the Gungahlin McMansions or the Private Bin closing that was the final straw for you O.C?

Thanks for all the great comments. I agree- preserving photographic history and images like these are so important. Dad (Teki Dalton) took these of Mum (Margaret) and others on a trip from Sydney to the snow. They moved here in 62 to manage F.W Cheshires purpose built bookshop in Garema Place-where Land Speed is now. He has some great stories about Garema Place back then and up to the 80’s-chauffeured Prime Ministers parking outside when there was a road there and ASIO taking photos of demonstrators in Garema Place from the upstairs office window-where Raven is now…!

Fascinating to see how few trees there were back then which supports the original description of this area as ‘a treeless plain’.
Quite amusing then, when I hear some ‘ecologists’ sprouting that, post bushfires, the area will return to its former state….?
When talking history, images such as these are invaluable as they record the landscapes as they were prior to [intense] white settlement and demonstrate how we humans substantially alter our environments…..sometimes for the better but frequently to the detriment of other species.

I assume the 3rd Red Hill shot is looking over Woden? But great slides, thanks

Interesting to note that the distance to Melbourne hasn’t really changed, but the Sydney road is a lot shorter now.

That first Red Hill shot was taken from almost the same place as one I sent in a while back. St Andrews church stands out quite well and it’s a shame they cut down the trees in Civic between the Sydney and Melbourne buildings. Those were the days when Canberra was a great place to live. Thanks for the slide show. I have a feeling I know that lady in the orange jumper.

Many thanks ! More please.

Just beautiful!

Canberra was great before it got cluttered and congested. It’s changed so much and it’s sad where it’s going.

Thanks, just as I remember it.