How did the National Capital Development Commission help Canberra grow after 1958?

Established in 1958, the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) was created to address the poor coordination of services that had previously hindered the transfer of government departments to Canberra.1

The NCDC was uniquely effective because it held control over all undeveloped land, which was held in public ownership. Supported by adequate funding and the backing of Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies, the commission was granted wide-ranging powers to manage the following:1

• Infrastructure and Planning: The NCDC was responsible for the servicing and subdivision of land, as well as the construction of essential infrastructure and public buildings.1
• Urban Expansion: While the original Walter Burley Griffin plan was limited to the central basin, the NCDC oversaw the development of satellite urban districts outside that area, including Woden (begun 1962), Belconnen (1966), and Tuggeranong (1973).12

These efforts facilitated rapid growth, with the city's population increasing from 30,000 in 1954 to over 200,000 by the mid-1970s. The commission remained active until 1988, when it was abolished to prepare for the introduction of self-government.1