South Head listed on State Register but may need more

South Head has been added to the State Heritage Register. A popular recreational area for locals as well as visitors, the site is recognised as one of Sydney's most historic and spectacular places.

"As the heritage gateway to Sydney Harbour, South Head marked the entrance to Port Jackson for ships and served as a landmark for early European settlers' arrival into the Harbour. Prior to that, it was an important place for Aboriginal people,” Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton said.

"The exceptionally high nu mber of public submissions received in support of the heritage listing shows the importance of South Head and its value to the people of New South Wales.”

Watsons Bay Associatio n President Roger Bayliss told Eastern Suburbs Life: “NSW Heritage listing for South Head provides a protective shield to safeguard the unique features of this precious Sydney landmark.”

As Allegra Spender MP, Member for Wentworth, noted to Eastern Suburbs Life: “I was very pleased to join community calls for action on South Head. And even happier to see the NSW government’s response by listing South Head, Hornby Lighthouse, Camp Cove and the rock shelf, but the community’s concerns to protect South Head from over-development and maintain public access aren’t solved by this decision.”

Due to be fi na lised shortly, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) South Head Master Plan has implications for the site. As a spokesperson for the NSW NPWS explained to ESL: “The central tenets of the master plan, including greater accessibility and more interpretation of South Head’s important history, complement the State Heritage Register listing… Any works arising from the master plan will be subject to the required environmental and heritage approvals.”

The spokesperson continued: “This heritage listing does not prevent appropriate future development of the South Head Cultural Landscape, including new buildings or changes in use, provided that these do not impact the State heritage values.”

Any future changes to the head land m ust be sympathetic to its heritage values and subject to an exemption, approval or permit under the Heritage Act 1977. Locals are concern ed that submissions under the Master Plan could have the potential to adversely impact the site. Community members, including local group South Head Whale Trail, believe that enacting dedicated legislation –including restricting vehicle use – would support the conservation objectives of the Listing and further assist in protecting South Head against potential tourism objectives that may be unsympathetic to the environment.

Spender added: “We’l l all be keeping a close eye on proposed developments in this much-loved area.”

As Independent Candidate for Vaucluse Karen Freyer advised: “I’ll also be maintaining a watching brief on this culturally and historically significant area and any suggested developments that are put forward.”

Paula Towers