Walter Scott Griffiths (1863–1929)
Robert Charles Coulter
(1864–1956)
and Charles Caswell (1859–1916)
Entry 10
Sydney, Australia
Walter Scott Griffiths was a survey draftsman, whose
contribution to the team effort was that of town planner. He became Government
Town Planner
for South Australia in 1922 and served there until his death in 1929. He
planned a number of small new towns, including Thevenard, Peebinga, Kringin,
Caliph, Yinkanie, Wunkar, Waddikee, Peachna and Tooligie.
Charles Coulter coordinated the architectural and artistic features
of the team’s plan, and painted the perspectives that accompanied the
entry. He trained as an architect. At the time of the competition, he was
an assistant architect in the NSW Government Architect’s Office.
He visited the capital site five times with Colonel Vernon, the Government
Architect. And he painted the site panorama included in the kit sent to
all entrants in the competition. His suggestion for an ideal federal city
at Lake George was painted in 1901. Coulter was later responsible for laying
out the model suburb of Daceyville, Sydney.
Charles Caswell was an engineer. He began his career as a draftsman
in the railway construction branch of the NSW Public Works Department.
He
became a licensed surveyor specialising in sewer construction for the
Board of Water Supply and Sewerage and the Public Works Department.
This plan has parliament – located on Camp Hill – as its major
focal point, circled by departmental buildings. The lake follows the flood
line contours, and is bordered by parks, gardens and playing fields. The
plan’s treatment of axes is often awkward. But it has the advantage
of a competent plan for sewerage and stormwater disposal, based on the
designers’ thorough knowledge of the site.
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