'Icon of our history': Canberra bus shelters added to heritage register

More than five decades after they were first installed, Canberra's bus shelters have been added to the ACT Heritage Register. Designed by architect Clem Cummings in 1974, the distinctive cream and orange structures were eventually erected across the city in 1975 as part of the city's rapid expansion of public transport network. About 480 shelters were built, but about 400 remain in use today, according to Canberra's Heritage Council chair Catherine Skippington.

The concrete bus shelters, which have become an iconic symbol of Canberra, were once met with criticism in their early days. Letters to the Canberra Times described them as "concrete monstrosities" and compared them to "orange-spotted fungi." However, their brutalist architectural style and functionality have since earned them recognition. The shelters are modular and can be relocated to new suburbs and areas where demand requires, making them an integral part of Canberra's development.

The heritage nomination for the bus shelters was made by the Cummings family, Clem Cummings' grandson Nicholas Eccles said his family felt a "great sense of pride" for the architect's enduring legacy. "It's an extraordinary work and shaped Canberra," he added. The shelters have become synonymous with the city, and are featured on Canberra merchandise and artworks.

Ms Skippington emphasized that adding the neighbourhood landmarks to the heritage register does not change their use, management, or maintenance arrangements. Transport Canberra will continue to maintain and use the shelters as needed, repairing and relocating them as necessary. The heritage addition ensures that Canberra's history and iconic design will be preserved for future generations.