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Heritage ActionContent of this page:Our Heritage At RiskDetailed Statement on the 2009 NominationsFor 2009 seven significant nominations as part of the Our Heritage At Risk program have been received by the National Trust. These Heritage at Risk nominations include:-
Organised by the National Trust nationally this two tiered program calls for each state and territory to develop a list of those places and objects at risk. From the state heritage lists most at risk places or objects in Australia will be selected by a national panel. The seven places nominated in Tasmania highlight a number of major issues currently threatening Tasmania’s built and cultural heritage including:-
Chris Tassell, Managing Director of the National Trust said that “neglect of the built heritage is a major concern and for 2009 of the seven nominations, four are characterized by redundancy and neglect. Willow Court, a nationally significant complex of buildings at New Norfolk and the Old Cordial Factory in Launceston are both in dire need of conservation and at present continue to deteriorate because of neglect and vandalism. Willow Court redevelopment took another turn in May 2009 with the Derwent Valley Council deciding to disband the Willow Court Redevelopment Committee and replace it with an expanded body with increased community representation. The site includes an intact convict building older than Port Arthur but its development as a tourist attraction has been slow. The rate of development and the derelict state of the heritage listed site has drawn community criticism as well as condemnation from state and federal politicians and commentators. The Old Cordial Factory building shown in Babington’s map of Launceston in 1838 is labeled as a bonded warehouse. Prior to 1835 it was in fact used as a Cordial Factory. This whole precinct is of historic value and the building is much older than the C. H. Smith complex which adjoins it. The building sits now unoccupied and deteriorating. A considerable level of community concern for the proposed development of Macquarie House in Hobart has been aired through the media during 2009. Architectural historian and heritage consultant Warwick Oakman noted that “We're losing buildings and we're losing our fabric of the city at a rate equal to the 1960’s. Macquarie House, the building you can’t understand Hobart’s development without. It was a three storey high house with battlements on top to stop the French when they came up the Derwent.” Tasmania’s rural cultural landscape with the intensification of agricultural activity through irrigation and cropping has resulted in dramatic changes to the islands rural cultural landscape. Most notably the loss of hedgerows and wind break tree plantings. This nomination aims to increase the level of awareness of the need to assess the importance of these landscapes and how the rural community might be supported in the management. In early 2009 the National Trust welcomed the change of ownership of Holy Trinity Church following the purchase by the Greek Orthodox Church. The inclusion of Holy Trinity on the list reflects the National Trust’s continued concern for the future of this most important part of Hobart’s built heritage. The inclusion of the Burnie Pioneer Village Museum reflects the wide spread community concern about the current closing of what is the single most important heritage collection relating to north western Tasmania. Recent initiatives by the Burnie City Council to keep the museum and its nationally recognised streetscape has been welcomed by the Trust. Three of these state nominations will move forward for consideration by the Australian Council of National Trusts as part of the process of preparing Australia’s Most at Risk List. For further information please contact
2009 National Finalist - Tasmania
Background Information.'Our Heritage At Risk' is a national program intended to raise awareness of heritage issues in Australia. It is managed by the National Trusts of Australia in partnership with:-
The program is a national initiative developed from the previous Endangered Places Program. In addition to being hierarchical, it differs from the previous program in that moveable heritage, objects and collections, as well as places can be nominated as at risk. The program remains holistic and includes built, natural and indigenous cultural heritage places and objects. Heritage places and objects can be nominated to the list through State and Territory National Trusts or through the Heritage Partner networks. The normal time from for nominations is from November to February. Nomination forms and criteria for nominations are available from the National Trusts and the Heritage Partners. Eligibility to nominate may differ between States. Nominations must supply evidence of real risk and attest heritage significance according to defined criteria, and give as full details as possible. Images should accompany nominations wherever possible. Benefits of the new program include greater community awareness of heritage issues and engagement resulting in better heritage conservation and improved knowledge of government and non-government heritage organisations. The use of heritage partners will build and expand networks between heritage conservation organisations and thus a stronger heritage movement that can react to issues promptly as well as be pro-active. Through these partnerships, it is hoped to focus community and media interest on the kinds of threats facing heritage places, in order to achieve policy changes to address the issues raised by those threats and to marshal community action and government attention to address the identified threats, so that more heritage can be saved for future generations.
Last year the 2008 successful nominations were:-
Last year the 2008 National Finalist - Tasmania - was:- National Trust PlaquesOver the years the National Trust has been involved in a number of plaque programs of which the Green Plaque program is perhaps the best known and recognised in the community. In 2008 the Trust decided to broaden the Blue Plaque program originally initiated by the Trust and the Launceston City Council to identify places of heritage significance which may not satisfy the Green Plaque criteria. The Trust sees the Blue Plaque program developing in a fashion similar to the Blue Plaques which are such feature of London and other English cities. The Trust considers that the Blue Plaque program has the potential to be a most useful initiative for promoting heritage within the community The criteria for the Blue Plaque program are:-
MANAGING OUR HERITAGE – POSITION PAPER.
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