The ACT government was forced to pay more than $9000 in fees to an auction house, after a trove of territory records mistakenly consigned were pulled from sale.
An internal assessment found 22 of the 34 items were territory records, with a decision yet to be made on the future of the 12 records which are not protected by the Territory Records Act.
The items from the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development directorate, which included framed architectural plans from some of Canberra's earliest buildings, were almost illegally sold off in February.
The auction lots, including drawings signed by the city's first practising architect, Kenneth Henry Oliphant, were advertised on AllBids.com.au's online auction site.
The sale was withdrawn after the Territory Records Office raised concerns the items were protected under the Territory Records Act.
It is illegal for agencies to abandon, dispose, damage or neglect records, or transfer the ownership of records.
"Whilst this was a one-off incident related to the moving of offices, it has proven a strong reminder of the importance of a consistent approach to records management," an ACT government spokesman said.
A Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development directorate spokesman in February said the directorate had decided to sell the items at auction after consulting with Arts ACT.
The government retrieved the items from the AllBids warehouse in February, after paying $9184 in outstanding commissions and fees.
