She was also instrumental in the production of the Development Plan for the Metropolitan Area of Adelaide, which was published in 1963.
[4] In 1973, Buttrose was the first woman to be appointed Commissioner of the Town Planning Appeal Board/Tribunal, which later became the Environment, Resources and Development Court.
[5] Buttrose's interest in geography, and later town planning, began at school in Hopetoun, and later Woolands at Glenelg.
Buttrose was appointed temporary female draftsman's assistant to the government town planner in April 1957.
In 1962 Buttrose completed the Master of Town Planning Degree at Adelaide University with Professor Rolf Jensen (part of the RJA group), in a class of only ten students.