Membership in the ACT branch of the Labor Party has exceeded 1400 people for the first time, passing the number signed up after the dismissal of the Whitlam government.
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ACT Labor branch secretary Elias Hallaj welcomed the record as a sign true believers were returning to the party after years of disunity and strife during the Rudd and Gillard governments.
In 1976, the ACT branch had 1393 members.
Australian political parties have seen significant decline in membership in recent decades, although reliable data on party sizes remains scarce.
In Canberra, the ALP had fewer than 1000 members during the Rudd-Gillard years, down from the traditional level of between 1200 and 1300.
"I think it's clear that many Canberrans share the aims and values of the ALP and they know how important it is to get involved and be active in the democratic process," Mr Hallaj said.
On a per capita basis the Labor Party participation rate in Canberra has almost halved in the past 50 years.
According to the Bureau of Statistics, in 1976 the population of the ACT was about 210,600, including Jervis Bay, meaning there were 66 Labor members for every 10,000 people in the territory.
In December 2013, Canberra's population had more than doubled to an estimated 384,100 people. On a per capita basis, there are now 36 Labor members per 10,000 ACT residents.
Mr Hallaj nominated public service job losses from the Abbott government and changes to school funding, universities and hospitals as some of the factors motivating Canberrans to sign up to the ALP.
Branch president Louise Crossman praised party reform efforts, including the direct election of office bearers and the parliamentary leader.
The moves were supported by the incumbent, ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher.
"For the past two months we've also accepted direct membership applications via our website. Anyone who is enrolled to vote in the ACT and is a union member can immediately join ACT Labor," Ms Crossman said.
Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek have continued efforts by Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard to increase ALP membership, aiming to double the national rolls before the 2016 election.
The recent ACT Labor conference considered allowing potential members to join without being part of an affiliated trade union. That reform is expected to go before Labor's national conference in 2015.
