NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA Heritage in Trust
(ACT)
May 2013
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Photo: Margaret Hadfield and colleagues in front of her mural at Queanbeyan Museum
The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum One of the best and most important museums in the local region is the Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum in Farrer Place, Queanbeyan. Over the last decade, the museum has undergone a remarkable renaissance and recently received high commendation from the NSW Museums and Galleries Standards Program. In the 1990s, however, the museum had fallen on hard times. Among the volunteers who kept the museum going, enthusiasm was waning and numbers dwindling. And while the museum held valuable and interesting material, its exhibits looked tired and in urgent need of refreshing, rearrangement and reinterpretation. Capping off the institution’s decline, rising damp in the historic museum building forced its closure in the late 1990s.
The museum’s renaissance began in 2002. In that year, local historian Gillian Kelly and husband Gordon embarked on a major program of renewal and rejuvenation at the museum. Queanbeyan City Council dealt with the rising damp and, with some professional museum advice and assistance, the transformation of the museum began. cont p2
Inside Heritage suburbs: Ainslie Tharwa Bridge- engineering heritage Travels with the Trust - Book Now Heritage at risk What's on? Member Events Heritage Festival Reports
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May 2013
From the editors Welcome to the first on-line edition of Heritage in Trust. You’ll find all your old favourites here including information on forthcoming tours and other activities. While the need to reduce costs was a major reason for Heritage in Trust going on-line, there are real advantages for members in terms of the currency of information, the range of articles we can bring you and the number of colour photos. The Trust is, of course, still looking after those members who don’t have email or internet access. The not-so-good news about the financial situation is balanced by good news about the Centenary Rally, the organisation of which is proceeding well. ABC TV and radio personality, Mark Carmody, has been appointed as the Rally’s ambassador and we can expect to see his smiling face more often as the Rally gets closer. The Trust also had a very successful Heritage Festival with good attendances at most events, including a substantial representation of young people at the Environa visit. More on Heritage Festival events below. We look forward to hearing your views on the new on-line Heritage in Trust. Please email (info@nationaltrustact.org.au) or write to the Editors with your views and suggestions. The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum A mutually beneficial relationship was established with the Canberra Institute of Technology’s Museum Practice course, informative and attractive new exhibits were created and, to mark the museum’s regeneration, a new colour scheme and logo were adopted. The pioneering work by the Kellys has been continued and expanded by the Museum Society’s past President, Kerrie Ruth, and by the current president John McGlynn. Through their efforts in partnership with the City Council, the museum has been highly successful in
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securing grant funding. A large heritage grant from the Commonwealth Government provided funds for improvements to the museum building, including restoration of the museum’s original timber flooring and the welcome installation of a proper heating system and insulation.
Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum
Further grants from the federal and NSW governments funded the construction of the museum’s new ‘passive storage’ building. Standing unobtrusively between the museum and the Queanbeyan Printing Museum, the building was cleverly designed by architect Peter Overton to store artefacts that are not on display – as well as the museum’s extensive archives – in conditions of stable temperature and humidity. Crucial to the revival of the museum has been generous and ongoing financial and other support from Queanbeyan City Council. Indeed, it has undertaken a shared role of management and development with the Museum Society. The Council regards the museum as a major tourist attraction and an important educational facility for locals and visitors alike, in relation to the history of the city and its district. The museum has also benefited from significant support of another kind. Its resurgence has depended on the skills and labours of an energetic and committed band of volunteers and from the contribution of staff and students of the CIT’s Museum Practice course. In working on the museum’s collections and exhibits, the students have gained invaluable practical experience in museology.
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May 2013
The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum Prominent among the works in which the students have been involved has been the conservation of the museum’s blacksmithy. Retrieved from a local rural property, the structure has been restored to working order by a skilled CIT team led by Robert Cooke.
Blacksmith's shop
It has been to the enormous advantage of the Museum Society and the people of Queanbeyan that the Society was able to acquire the former Police Sergeant’s Residence for museum purposes in 1981. The building is a multi-roomed structure that provides space for a number of exhibitions. It is also of historic interest in its own right. A handsome brick building, it was purpose-built in 1875-76 almost certainly to a design by the NSW Colonial Architect, James Barnet. The building’s history and significance are now explained in a series of attractive interpretive signs composed by museum volunteers. And on the rear wall of the museum compound, Canberra artist Margaret Hadfield has completed a 30m by 2.5m historic mural of local people, streetscapes, buildings and activities, drawn from the work of Beaufoy Merlin and other 19th century photographers. Overall, the aim of the museum is to tell the story of the town of Queanbeyan and its district over more than two centuries. This of course includes the history of Aboriginal occupation and use of the district before and after white settlement. Another exhibition charts Queanbeyan’s early European history from discovery and settlement to its establishment as a town. Other exhibitions cover bushrangers in the district, the town’s medical history and wheat experimenter William Farrer and his de Salis relations, complete with family artefacts. There is an ever-changing gallery of early photographs from the museum’s large
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photographic collection. With the assistance of Council staff, this collection is currently being digitised by museum volunteers. As Queanbeyan existed long before the establishment of the ACT, the museum not surprisingly has much to do with Canberra. The museum’s displays deal with pre-ACT Canberra, they cover Queanbeyan’s role in the foundation and building of the national capital, and they consider the effects that Queanbeyan and the national capital have had on each other. One of the museum’s treasures is a framed collection of 35 photographs by Russian-born photographer Harry Krantz which shows the federal capital in 1926. Apart from the permanent exhibits on display, the museum has mounted a series of temporary exhibitions. The series, which is ongoing, has included exhibitions on invention and innovation, people from the town and district who enlisted in the world wars, and local entertainment, including the much-missed School of Arts Café.
Farrer Piano
What promises to be one of the most important and fascinating temporary exhibitions that the Society has ever presented will open in September this year. Entitled ‘Halloran’s Way’, it will feature plans, photographs, objects and documents from the vast archive of Henry F. Halloran, planner of Environa and the Canberra Freeholds Estates.
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May 2013
The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum
From the President
The collection, on loan from the Huskisson Museum, will be shown exclusively in Queanbeyan, with most of the material on display never having been seen by the public before. The exhibition will be of such a scale that it will be put on in the Q, the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre.
The National Trust enters a new phase in its history and is making changes to be relevant, sustainable and yet still support National Trust members and the ACT community in ensuring our heritage is identified and conserved in the most appropriate manner. The Council has decided to:
The Queanbeyan Museum is open from 1.00 to 4.00pm on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but groups are welcome to visit the museum at other times by appointment. Contact qbnmuseum@yahoo.com.au or go to www.queanbeyanmuseum.org.au.
Have the Heritage in Trust and Trust News distributed by electronic means. Reduce costs, which in the immediate term has seen a delayed replacement of Bethany Lance. Seek ACT Government support through the budget to explore ways we can work with ACT Government in a range of initiatives for the mutual benefit of both.
Brendan O’Keefe Brendan O’Keefe is an historian and heritage consultant who has carried out numerous heritage projects in Canberra and Queanbeyan over many years. Photos provided by the author.
New Council member biography Mary Johnston completed a BA at the University of Sydney and worked in educational research at the University before moving to Canberra in 1978. After working at ANU in social sciences research and completing a Graduate Diploma in Statistics at the then Canberra College of Advanced Education, she worked in the College administration. She then joined the Commonwealth public service and worked in various roles in education, social services, health and employment. Since retiring Mary has been enjoying life on a small property near Bungendore where she and her husband, Richard, have a house dating back to the 1830s which they have renovated and extended. She has enjoyed travelling in Australia and overseas and volunteering both locally and with the National Trust, particularly on the Tours Committee. Mary has been a member of the Trust for many years and even met her husband on a National Trust tour of Balmain in Sydney!
We will be exploring a range of initiatives to enable us to maintain a financially sustainable future. The support of members through this transition phase is critical. We have seen the departure of a few members of our team and the National Trust’s thanks are extended to all for their valuable contribution. Bethany Lance, our Heritage Research Officer, has decided to take on a full time position. Bethany brought a younger view, enthusiasm and capability to the position and her dedication and effort are commended and thanked. Sandy Blair has resigned from Council after several years, but will remain Chair of the Heritage and Grants Committee. Sandy has an enormous depth to her heritage expertise and her links to ANU were also beneficial for the National Trust. We are pleased she will continue as Chair of the Heritage and Grants Committee. Although Bill Lewis was a Councillor for only a short time he was an important link with the Car Clubs, essential for the Rally, and also provided a sound business contribution to Council. This has left the Council with two vacancies which we will now consider filling.
A full list of Council members can be found on the website www.nationaltrust.org.au
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Eric Martin AM President Page 4
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May 2013
Australia ICOMOS 2013 National Conference – Centenary of Canberra Registrations Now Open Imagined pasts..., imagined futures… ‘Imagined pasts, imagined futures’ is an exciting multidisciplinary conference that coincides with the centenary of Canberra and the array of cultural activities, performances, exhibitions and events that are planned for Canberra in 2013. Australia ICOMOS is partnering with the Museum of Australian Democracy in the unique setting of Old Parliament House to explore how heritage participates in the ‘imagined communities’ and ‘imagined geographies’ of nations and communities in a globalising world. Taking the imagining of the city of Canberra as our inspiration, the conference encourages a focus on imagination, innovation and creativity. Conference activities will feature special events that showcase Canberra’s unique cultural, historical and political heritage — from indigenous heritage futures, to the imagined frontiers of science and the heritage of political debate and satire! Pre and post conference activities will explore the heritage and cultural landscapes of the region, including its fantastic cool climate wines and produce.
Contents Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum ______ 1 From the President __________________________ 4 Welcome to Mary Johnston New Councillor_______ 4 ACT and Region Heritage Symposium ____________ 5 Australia ICOMOS 2013 Conference _____________ 5 2013 National History Challenge ________________ 5 People and Places ____________________________ 6 What's On- National Trust events_______________ 7 Canberra Day Oration _________________________ 7 From the Executive Director ____________________ 8 Heritage Happenings __________________________9 Heritage @ Risk______________________________ 9 Launch of Merry Go Round Sign ________________ 9 C100 Heritage Events calendar________________ 10 Travels with the Trust_______________________ 11 2013 Heritage Festival Report_________________ 12 Trust Tours Reports - Bungonia Day Trip _________ 16 Donate to the Trust _________________________ 17 Heritage Suburbs: Considerable heritage of Ainslie_18 Concise history of the bridge over the Murrumbidgee at Tharwa_________________________________ 19
Dates: Thursday 31 October–Sunday 3 November 2013 Venue: Museum of Australian Democracy @ OPH Early bird registration for ICOMOS Members (Full and Associate) $495, Non- members $595. Register at http://www.aicomos.com/2013-canberracentenary/registration/
ACT and Region Annual Australian Heritage Partnership Symposium The Centenary of Canberra – 2013 ‘A Centenary of Celebrating Heritage’ Accessing, presenting and interpreting heritage places and their collections that have contributed to 100 years and more in Canberra and the region. Hosted by Australia ICOMOS, Canberra Archaeological Society, Donald Horne Institute for Cultural Heritage University of Canberra, Institute of Professional Practice in Heritage and the Arts ANU, and National Trust of Australia (ACT). Saturday 20th July 2013; Time: 8.30am to 5pm. Venue: Sir Roland Wilson Building Theatre, Bldg 120, ANU campus. Cost: $70 full $50 members of host organisations, $30 concession & full-time students. Sessions include how to reach the non-believer and bureaucratic and boring- where's the fun in Canberra? Enquiries: helen.cooke@anu.edu.au. Register at National Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au
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The National Trust acknowledges the support of our Corporate Members and Benefactors : Old Parliament House Library Patinations Conservation Services ContentGroup Slater & Gordon Benefactor: Mr Rob McL. Johnston
History Challenge 2013 The 2013 National History Challenge is open. This year's theme is Legends, Fact and History. Within that theme students are welcome to explore legends and facts about the national capital as Canberra celebrates its centenary. To enter the National Trust special category Australia's Heritage in the History Challenge visit: http://historychallenge.org.au/contestinformation/special-categories/australiasheritage/ Entries close on Friday 30 August 2013. Page 5
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May 2013 Trusted Recipe
People and Places The Members page is an information page for all current and prospective members of the National Trust ACT. Our aim is to pass on any information that may be of assistance to members and also to notify members of activities that have been organised by the various committees of the ACT National Trust.
New members
Canberra Cake
The National Trust (ACT) warmly welcomes the following new members: Robert and Anne Alchin Verity Anderson Raymond and Gwenda Barge Sue and Stuart Barnetson Roger and Anna Birch Greg and Kerry Bolt Brian and Lydia Buchtmann Charlie and Roslyn Chan David and Lyndall Cross Margaret Davies Stephen Donkersley Anne & John Dormer Brian & Maureen Dowling Janet Elliot Margaret Fearn Terry and Anne Forde Lois and Barry Fordham Yvonne and Geoff Gillett Bruce and Kay Harvey Ann Heard Raymond and Margaret Hemsworth Richard & Diane Jackson Jacky Fogerty and Marcus James
Anne and Colin Lane Mary Lawley Susan and Neil Le Quesne Jeanette and Brendon McCormick Christine White and Craig McGregor Helen McKinnon Christine Melican Helen Moore Barry Cameron and Janet Mountseer Rob Painter Lynn Parry Christine Paterson Patricia and John Rigg Jean and Barry Schwarzer Anne and Erik Simmul Tony and Jean Singer Greg and Cathy Spencer Mathew Trinca Ian and Lisa Westwood Fung Hsien Wong Lin Stapleton and Gerhard Zatschler
Volunteer with the Trust Do you have some spare time? Interested in heritage? Do you have skills in administration, data entry or research, natural, Indigenous or cultural heritage expertise, event and/or volunteer management? The ACT National Trust welcomes offers of assistance from members. Call Liz at the office on 6230 0533 or email info@nationaltrustact.org.au.
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(Walnut, apple, carrot and honey cake) This cake was specially created for the Big 100 Party for Canberra’s Centenary. It is a healthy soft cake made with ingredients sourced from our region. In August we will go back to the menu from the opening of Parliament. Makes 1 x 1.5kg cake, 20cm in diameter. Ingredients 250g Sassafras walnuts 250g Pialligo apples peeled, cored and diced 3 Kitanodai carrots from Cowra 300g Demeter biodynamic bakers flour from Gunnedah 250g Murrumbateman honey 4 free range eggs from Harmony Hills farm near Canberra 200ml Homeleigh Grove extra virgin olive oil ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp ground ginger 2 tsp bicarbonate soda
Method 1. Sift flour with spices and bicarb soda 2. Gently mix liquids into dry ingredients 3. Bake at 130°C for 1 hour 4. Test with a skewer – if it comes out clean, cake is cooked through
Cream cheese lemon icing 125g light cream cheese 2 tbs icing sugar 1 tsp lemon rind
Cream together and ice top of the cake when cool. Recipe courtesy of http://www.canberra100.com.au/memorabilia/c anberra-cake/ Page 6
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May 2013
What's on? Member and Friends Events Join us on Wednesday 17 July at the National Archives for "On the Ice. Working in Antarctica on the historic huts of Scott and Shackleton". John Kemister, Large Technology Conservator at the Australian War Memorial, will give a presentation on the practical aspects of work on the huts and artefacts, camp life, life in Antarctica, the scenery and environment. In 2011 John took leave to work for the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, conserving the historic huts and artefacts of Scott and Shackleton at Cape Evans and Cape Royds, on Ross Island, Antarctica. Watch the ACT website www.nationaltrust.org.au for the latest notice of events in the 2013 calendar. Further information on all events will be included in e-news, or you are welcome to contact the Trust office. New members are specially invited but all members and friends are welcome. Please RSVP for all events through the Trust office on 6230 0533, by email to info@nationaltrustact.org.au or online. Recent events included An evening with Allen Mawson, well known Canberra historian and writer, on Wednesday 22 May hosted in conjunction with Friends of the National Museum which was attended by 93 people. Allan gave an enjoyable, informative and provocative talk looking into the fascinating history of Old Acton from prehistoric to modern times and how the heritage values of the Acton area might be affected by the new development proposals for the West Basin. This was followed by drinks and nibbles and conversation as the audience discussed some of the points raised in the presentation. KEEP UP TO DATE Are you up with the latest National Trust happenings? Maybe you have been missing out on our E News bulletins! Make sure you are on the E News list and are kept up to date with events, have access to National Trust media releases and opportunities to contribute to the valuable and important work of the Trust. Email info@nationaltrustact.org.au with the subject heading of: Subscribe to E News
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The Old Acton Bachelors' Quarters
Canberra and District Historical Society Canberra Day Oration: Celebrating the Centenary The special Centenary edition of this annual event, held on 12 March in the theatre of the National Library of Australia, was enjoyed by a nearly full house of enthusiastic centenary celebrators. The Orator was Geoff Page, well-known and widely read local poet and recipient of several major literary awards. Geoff first visited Canberra in 1959 and came to live here in 1964. His talk Canberra: my first forty-nine years in the ‘City of Curves’ recalled the city as he had experienced it, with particular reference to poetry, jazz and teaching. A captivating slide show ran behind Geoff, showing us then and now images of places dear to the hearts of Canberrans. Geoff finished by reading us some of the poems he has written about Canberra over the years. If you missed this entertaining talk, Geoff has a shorter version of his memoir in the reputed to be 'extensively illustrated' NLA publication: Canberra Then and Now, available from the NLA shop. Helen Cooke
Do you have a friend travelling overseas? Tell them about the advantages of joining the National Trust including free entry into over 2000 National Trust properties around the world.
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May 2013
From the Executive Director To Restore or to Evolve With the National Trust’s Centenary of Canberra event coming up quickly (Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October) there has been much activity around old vehicles including launches and media shoots. This has resulted in me rummaging around in the dusty corners of my shed to find a suitable historic vehicle to display. At one event I took a polished and restored BSA motorcycle and to another I took an ex-army BSA that was used and abused by the Australian army through the 1960s and early 70s. The restored and shiny BSA was photographed by a television crew and appeared on the news while the shabby, as-used BSA got very little attention. In fact the shabby bike is reputed to be quite a famous vehicle which has travelled around the world as the original factory demonstrator, resulting in sales of thousands of military motorcycles in many exotic places. It had also been the feature of the world’s largest motorcycle show at Earles Court before seeing service in the Australian army.
With each addition, no matter how unsuitable contemporary critics judge it, an old house is an evolving tapestry, building up layers of patina and character reflecting the changing uses and needs of its users. To remove those layers now would be unfortunate for future generations who may appreciate its evolution, rather than our flawed attempt to recreate the past. Surely we should retain all facets of our rich and varied history and not lose the important stages and developments of our cultural heritage. Note to National Trust members: If you have any vehicle from 1913 to the present day and you would like join the Centenary of Canberra Rally, as long as the vehicle is registered or has club registration, your National Trust membership qualifies you to enter. We will also need lots of volunteers to help over the weekend of the Rally so please note the dates in your diary now: 19 and 20 October. Chris Wain
A number of people asked “why don’t I restore it back to original ?” By this, I suppose people think that the army drab paint, that was roughly applied when it came to Australia to cover the immaculate shiny dark green suited to European warfare, should be replaced. Immaculate and shiny would not be how I remember the tough little bikes battling though the bush in exercises at Puckapunyal or doing duty escorting military convoys and foreign dignitaries near enough to 50 years ago. Each scratch and layer of drab paint is a trophy and “restoring it” would result in a significant loss of history. When I look at the BSA I see, or imagine I see, all of its history in every scratch and poorly applied layer of camouflage paint. When I ride it, I rejoice in the strength of those 20 solid English Clydesdales gently chuffing away every time I hit a steep hill or strong headwind which leave my 40 hp RZ whatsit oriental show pony in a frenzy of scrambling for ever decreasing lower gears. This made me think of historic properties such as Gold Creek. The original aim of TAMS was to remove all of the later additions to the house and retain and restore the original small cottage section.
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Launch of C100 Rally
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May 2013 Margaret Reid launches Merry-go-round sign
Heritage Happenings Bethany Lance, Heritage Research Officer for the ACT National Trust for the last two years, was farewelled in April at a well attended event at the Trust Office. Bethany has taken up a full time position to further her career in heritage but retains her interest in the National Trust. She has recently reported an update on the ANU historic buggy shed which featured in last year’s Heritage @ Risk program. This has now been fully restored and will be featured in a future article in Heritage in Trust. Although Bethany has left, heritage work will continue under the Heritage and Grants committee headed by Sandy Blair. Current heritage projects include: Southern Centenary Border Walk brochure and on site signage - these are near completion National Trust Self-Guided Tour’s Smartphone App Registered Tree App (National project)
We will report more fully on these projects in future issues of Heritage in Trust.
National Trust (ACT) patron, The Hon. Margaret Reid AO, unveiled the new Canberra Tracks interpretive sign at the Merry-go-round in Garema Place, Civic, on Monday 15 April. The Trust had received a grant of $3,500 from the ACT Heritage Grants Program to develop and install the sign. In unveiling the sign, Mrs Reid said that she recognised the need for just a short speech, as many children on their first day of school holidays were eager to have a ride on the 1914 Merry-go-round. Parents appreciated the availability of free rides! The interpretive sign is the first in the Canberra Tracks suite of heritage signs to have a QR code, whereby the public can view more history and photos of the much loved Civic landmark using digital technology. Mrs Reid also launched the Trust’s significant contribution to the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival. See page 12 for reports on the very successful Trust Heritage Festival activities.
2013 Heritage @ Risk The National Trust (ACT) has launched the 2013 Heritage @ Risk program. The Heritage and Grants Committee invites members to nominate any ACT places of heritage value which they consider to be at risk and a brief explanation as to what is the risk. Nominations close at the National Trust (ACT) office on 15 June 2013
Photos Linda Robers
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May 2013 CANBERRA CENTENARY 2013
A SELECTION OF HERITAGE-RELATED EVENTS FROM MAY TO DECEMBER For more events and for more details on the events listed in the table, including bookings, ticket prices, etc, go to www.canberra100.com.au and click on “See events”. Date and time
Location
Event
Until 10 June
National Library
The Dream of a Century – the Griffins in Australia’s Capital – exhibition
Until 16 June
National Portrait Gallery
First Ladies: Significant Australian Women 1913 to 2013 – art exhibition
Until 13 October
National Museum of Australia
Glorious Days: Australia 1913 – exhibition
Until 31 December
Cockington Green
The Original Canberra House – a model version of the original ‘Canberra House’
14 May 7-9pm
National Archives
Picturing the Past – Seeing Canberra’s Stories – launch of Cbr and District Historical Society’s photographic collection on-line
19 May 2-4pm
Mugga Mugga
Sylvia Curley Oration: Music in Early Canberra
20 June 9am -5pm
Tuggeranong Homestead
Conversations at Tuggeranong Homestead: Historians share their diverse visions of Australian history – seminar
20 July 8.30am-5pm
ANU
ACT and Region Annual Australian Heritage Partnership Symposium, A Centenary of Celebrating Heritage – a one day symposium
16 August – 17 August 2014
National Library
Canberra: Then and Now – historic photos matched with modern day photos
29 August 12.30-1.30pm 31 August 1.30-3.30pm
ANBG
Centenary Chats: The History of Haig Park – Eric Martin – talk
Mugga Mugga
Life on the Limestone Plains: Touring our Sites 2013 – Lanyon, Calthorpes and Mugga Mugga – a 3-program series examining the changing face of life on the Limestone Plains
28 September 1.30-3.30pm
Calthorpes’ House
Life on the Limestone Plains: Touring our Sites 2013 – Lanyon, Calthorpes and Mugga Mugga (see 31 August)
19 – 20 October
Various
National Trust (ACT) Centenary of Canberra Car Rally
26 October 1.30-3.30pm
Lanyon
Life on the Limestone Plains: Touring our Sites 2013 – Lanyon, Calthorpes and Mugga Mugga (see 31 August)
31 October – 3 November
Museum of Aust Democracy (OPH)
Australia ICOMOS 2013 National Conference – Centenary of Canberra – Imagined pasts…, imagined futures… - a four-day conference
7 November – 10 March 2014
National Library
Mapping our World – Terra Incognita to Australia – display of international and Australian maps that inspired the idea of Australia
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May 2013
Travels with the Trust a visit to the Sultan’s palace and adjacent historical sites; an overnight tour into the hinterland around Jogjakarta, possibly to the Dieng plateau; batik shopping time; accommodation in a four star hotel/cultural centre in a traditional Javanese village near Jogjakarta; all fares, accommodation and meals.
ANU Classics Museum Monday 22 July 1.30 – 4pm Established in 1962 the ANU Classics Museum is one of Canberra’s cultural gems. The collection spans the Mediterranean and beyond. The objects are beautifully displayed since the Museum’s refurbishment. These range from fine Roman glass tableware and jewellery, ancient pots dating back 5,000 years, beautiful glossy Greek vases, Greek coins from the time of Cleopatra and Roman coins depicting Julius Caesar, to domestic ware and interior decor from Pompeiian villas destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius. The tour of the Museum will be followed by afternoon tea. Meet: A D Hope Building, ANU Cost: $25 NT & U3A members; $35 non-members Bookings essential: 6230 0533 or email info@nationaltrustact.org.au
Cost per person twin share: $3950 Single Room supplement: $500 Expressions of interest: Phil Dalley at Travelmakers in Bailey’s Corner ,Civic, License No: TA18800538 Phone: 6247 4444 Leader: Michael Hodgkin Phone: 6258 4943
_____________________________________ Upcoming Tours The Tours Committee is planning a number of tours for later in the year including the following:
Borobudur and Beyond
Sunday 13 October, Blandfordia 5 and Bass Gardens guided walk th Sunday 3 November, 8 Reid Open Houses and Gardens Sunday 17 November, Lake George bus trip with Graeme Barrow, author of ‘Magnificent’ Lake George: The Biography
August 2013, 7-8 days Jogjakarta is a quiet (by Indonesian standards) university town in the centre of the island of Java. It was the centre of ancient Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms and is the site of a number of world heritage listed ancient monuments, including Borobudur and Candi Prambanan. It is envisaged that the tour would include:
More information will be provided as it becomes available.
visits, with English speaking experts, to Borobudur, Candi Prambanan and other Hindu/Buddhist temple sites around Jogjakarta; an evening performance of the ‘Ramayana’ ballet at Candi Prambanan; _________________________________________________
_______________________________________________ National Trust of Australia (ACT)
The Hon. Margaret Reid AO
President
Office
Eric J. Martin AM
PO Box 1144 Civic Square ACT 2608 Telephone 02 6230 0533 Fax 02 6230 0544 Email info@nationaltrustact.org.au Net www.nationaltrust.org.au ABN 50 797 949 955 Opening times 9.30am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday Office Location 1st Floor, North Building [above Canberra Museum & Gallery], entry from Civic Square, Canberra City
_________________________________________________
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Patron
Executive Director Chris Wain chris.wain@nationaltrustact.org.au
Office Manager Liz McMillan info@nationaltrustact.org.au The e-magazine is produced and edited by Maree Treadwell and Wendy Whitham assisted by Dianne Dowling and Helen Cooke. The Publication Group is chaired by Scott McAllister.
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Heritage In Trust 2013 Heritage Festival Report The theme of this year’s Canberra and District Heritage Festival, which ran from 13-28 April, was community milestones. The National Trust was an important contributor to the festival, with events ranging from the 3rd Ainslie Open Houses and Gardens, the Return of the Bellows to the Ginninderra Blacksmith’s Workshop, Tony Powell’s stimulating presentation at Albert Hall, excursions to Environa, Oaks Estate, the Rose Garden, Magna Carta Place and Bungendore, to the popular open day at Elm Grove. The open day itself attracted over 350 visitors.
May 2013 exercised in assessing the heritage significance of place and this only leads to a poorer quality of heritage outcome. He considered the environment had better heritage value than individual buildings and it was not usually appropriately appreciated. It appears as though heritage is not appealing to the younger generation and needs to be relevant to change and not expect to be a frozen point in time. The presentation sparked discussion and debate, which is a useful and healthy exercise and made a valuable contribution to the Heritage Festival.
Many thanks to the volunteers who contributed to the success of these events.
Eric Martin
Eric Martin, Linda Roberts and Wendy Whitham report below on particular events Linda Roberts
Thinking differently about heritage – Tony Powell presentation, 21 April Tony Powell, NCDC Commissioner from 1974 - 1985 and a major player during a growth period of Canberra, provided an interesting presentation on ‘Thinking Differently About Heritage’. He opened within a world context of Angkor Wat, Persepolis and the Pyramids and suggested that Canberra has yet to reach this world stage.
Photos Di Johnstone
He offered a view that the real heritage value of Old Parliament House was in the original size and design, which had a greater integrity and provided a smaller imposition on the parliamentary vista. This point was picked up by the Canberra Times’ reporters and put the Heritage Festival event on the front page of the Canberra Times on the following Monday and on three pages on the Tuesday. Other thoughts presented included the fact that political influences can interfere with the technical assessment of places of heritage significance, and that appropriate research and rigour are not always
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Heritage In Trust Bungendore walk, Sunday 14 April Sunday 14 April was a beautiful, mild autumn day, perfect for a leisurely walk around the village of Bungendore under the guidance of ACT National Trust President and Bungendore resident, Eric Martin. The group met at 1.30pm next to the Old Stone House at 41 Molonglo St where Eric gave a brief introduction to the history of the village, one of the first established (in the mid-1820s) on the early settlers’ route between Goulburn and Queanbeyan, the Monaro and Braidwood. A handout provided to participants included a map of our walk and a list of the many properties, some illustrated, that we would pass on our walk. This will be a handy reference for future excursions. The walk took about two hours, with a number of stops so that Eric could tell us more about particular buildings. Among those we noted were ‘Carrington’, St Philips Church and church hall, the police station (formerly the court house and a beautiful stone building), the Post Office, the old school and school house, the Railway Station, the former St Josephs convent and school, and lovely ‘Birchfield’. By special arrangement we were able to go into St Philips Church where the stained glass windows were a particular feature. In Gibraltar St, Eric pointed out the “top pub” (the Royal Hotel) and the “bottom pub” (the Lake George Hotel) before welcoming us to his home, ‘The Beehive’, built as a hotel in 1859. As well as showing us through the house, Eric and his family hosted a delightful afternoon tea, with entertainment by Shortis and Simpson, which rounded off a most enjoyable afternoon. Wendy Whitham
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May 2013 ‘Return of the Bellows’, 26 April As the Ginninderra Blacksmith’s Workshop is normally closed to the public, the Trust’s event there was a wonderful opportunity not only to make it accessible to our members, but also to welcome back the conserved centrepiece — the bellows. The quality of the presenters’ information and their enthusiasm for the Workshop were clearly evident and the audience, including Beulah McAppion, the granddaughter of Harry Curran, the last blacksmith, delighted in stories of the restoration and installation work undertaken. Dr Peter Dowling spoke about the history and archaeology of the workshop; John Greenwood provided a potted history of the Onions manufactured bellows (supplier of bellows to Queen Victoria); and Rene Muir, Steel Fabricator from Thylacine, enlightened us with his role in how to cradle the bellows so it’s off the ground, back on site, with the supports out of sight. Thanks to Dianne Dowling for cooking the sausages and onions and to the speakers for making this event a little gem in this year’s National Trust offering in the Heritage Festival programme. Linda Roberts Photo (left) Bungendore. Wendy Whitham Photo (below) The Bellows. Linda Roberts
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Three Cornerstones Walking Tour of Oaks Estate, 20 April Oaks Estate is one of the lesser known parts of Canberra. Originally part of Queanbeyan, it was included in the ACT when the boundaries for the new federal capital were drawn up. On the morning of Saturday 20 April, 21 walkers joined Dr Karen Williams on a guided tour around the area. Karen is both a resident of Oaks Estate and a historian with a particular interest in the area, and we were fortunate to have such a well-informed leader. Our walk took us past the three “cornerstones” of the area, The Oaks, the Queanbeyan Railway Station and the Robertsons’ House, each of which represents a particular stage in Oaks Estate history and are therefore of heritage significance.
Thanks to the owner David Larcombe, grandson of the surveyor, entrepreneur and businessman Henry Halloran, the Trust had rare access to this site, and could learn about its origin. We discovered what an amazing man Halloran was. He was friendly with the Griffins (hence proposed tree-lined boulevards and did I mention circles?) and travelled to London with Sir John Sulman for the Planners Conference. Sir Henry Parkes certainly featured and we were privileged to have his great-great-grandson especially come down from Sydney for the tour. A railway station had even been built to Letchworth and several community sporting days were held. A number on the tour had waited many, many years to view Environa, some with childhood memories, and they were not disappointed.
As Karen explained to us, The Oaks, built in 1836 by the Campbells from Duntroon, represents the earliest stage of white settlement; the Railway Station saw the arrival of a new form of transport in the 1880s which encouraged agriculture in the region; and the Robertsons’ House, built over the years from 1913, represents the arrival of the federal capital territory and the shift in focus from Queanbeyan to Canberra. Another stage of our walk was along the banks of the Molonglo and Queanbeyan Rivers where Karen pointed out the two crossings, the junction of the two rivers (an important landmark in the early days) and the railway bridge. The walk ended with a very welcome sausage sizzle in the grounds of the Robertsons’ House in Hazel Street.
Linda Roberts
Oaks Estate. Walking towards the bridge over Queanbeyan River. Photo: Wendy Whitham
Note: More information on the concept of the cornerstones in Oaks Estate can be found in Karen’s article in the May 2012 edition of Heritage in Trust.
Wendy Whitham
Environa, 20 April As we approached Environa, nestled east of Hume, the car’s sat nav registered then intricate layout of the proposed concentric streetscape, with 1700 residential blocks ripe for the picking. What a curious place this was!
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Parkes Busts Environa. Photo Linda Roberts
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Elm Grove Open Day, 27 April We chanted ‘Vive l’Empereur’ with the incongruous backdrop of the paddocks of Elm Grove in Bonner, as the 95th and 42nd Regiments of British army demonstrated infantry tactics used during the Napoleonic Wars. The crowd had assumed the role of the French and were dutifully fired upon with blanks. This year we returned to the Trust’s 2010 open day site, the heritage-listed working farm of Paul and Marjorie Carmody, Elm Grove. Without our wonderful volunteers barbecuing, providing Devonshire teas, helping with badge-making, selling sheep manure and quince jelly, and collecting donations at the gate it would not have been possible. Thanks should also go to the wide variety of participants. New for 2013 were the Carousel Organ, a colonial gun collection, walk up Oak Hill, as well as the military reenactors. Returning to delight the public were the bushdancers, Sing Australia Choir, lace-makers, facepainting, Wilkie’s Piecart, sheep shearing and displays. Mark Carmody was again a popular drawcard with his garden tour. Linda Roberts
Photos Linda Roberts
Request for contributions Canberra's early schools and teachers Canberra's initial school 'system' was fourteen one-teacher bush schools that were captured by the Federal Capital Territory boundary in 1911. These, and another fourteen early Canberra schools, such as Barnes Creek, Bulgar Creek, Thornhurst, Gibraltar, Naas and Majura, can now be found on an on-line database showing their precise location, all who taught there, and the official NSW school record. The website address is: http://museum.hall.act.au/schools.html The database is a 'work-in-progress', and readers are encouraged to send contributions, particularly about any of the 250 teachers listed, or corrections. This is a project of the Hall School Museum, supported by an ACT Heritage Grant. Thanks are due to the National Trust (ACT) for assistance with the research to date. Alastair Crombie Project Coordinator 'Canberra's Early Schools & Teachers' a.crombie@effect.net.au 6230 2977
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Trust Tour Reports Bungonia Day Bus Tour, Sunday 19 May I’d never been to Bungonia – neither the gorge nor the village – so the Trust’s day trip to the area on Sunday 19 May was a great opportunity to see both, along with 33 others. Having been on the trip to Goulburn last year when the fog stayed down and it was bitterly cold, I was very grateful that the sun shone on this trip! John Jervis, who had initiated the excursion, provided commentary as we drove to Marulan before turning off for Bungonia. Most of the morning was given over to visiting the Bungonia National Park. Ranger Audrey Kutzner spoke to us briefly about the geological origins of the park and then led us to the Lookdown for our first views. The Lookdown sits on top of the highest limestone cliff in the country. Most of the party then walked to Adams Lookout which gives a spectacular view into Slot Canyon. In addition, a number of us got a good look at a lyrebird in the car park at the Lookdown. It’s a regular visitor there, according to Audrey. In the afternoon, local resident Moira McGinity joined us on the bus as our guide. The Bungonia region was settled in the 1820s and was a thriving community until the highway and railway bypassed it. In recent years it’s taken on a new lease of life, its pleasant rural nature attracting new residents. Moira took us on a tour of the village, which included visiting St Michael’s Catholic Church (1847), Christchurch Anglican Church (1893), the cemetery and the old Inverary Gaol.
Bungonia Cemetery. Photo Linda Roberts
Christchurch Anglican Church. Photo Wendy Whitham
Village hospitality was an important aspect of the day. John Wiggin welcomed us and later took us to his own property, Mizpah, to see the ruins being restored. We had morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea at the village hall, where locals also had wine, honey and lavender for sale. We were also given two handouts, the Bungonia Village and District Sites and History Guide and an excerpt from Bungonia, Foundation of a Heritage, both of which will be useful references. Thanks to Linda Roberts, John Jervis and the people of Bungonia for an excellent day.
Morning tea in the village hall. Photo: Wendy Whitham
Wendy Whitham
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National Trust (ACT) First Floor, North Building Cnr London Cct and Civic Square, Canberra ACT 2601 PO Box 1144 Civic Square, Canberra ACT 2608 Telephone (02) 6230 0533 Facsimile (02) 6230 0544 Email: info@nationaltrustact.org.au www.nationaltrust.org.au
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Cheques should be made out to National Trust of Australia (ACT) Please send me information about automatic payments Cash donations accepted at the office. About Heritage in Trust Heritage in Trust is published quarterly as an electronic magazine in conjunction with the National Magazine Trust News in February, May, August and November. The editors invite articles and letters from Trust members with an interest in the heritage of the ACT and these should be addressed to The Editor, Heritage in Trust, at info@nationaltrustact.org.au.
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Deadlines for copy: 20 January, 20 April, 20 July, 20 October. The views expressed in Heritage in Trust are not necessarily those of the National Trust of Australia (ACT). The articles in this magazine are subject to copyright. No article may be used without the consent of the ACT National Trust and the author.
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Heritage Suburbs Series: The Considerable Heritage of Ainslie The heart of today’s Ainslie is best approached from Limestone Avenue between Grimes Street’s Deodar Cedars to reveal the secluded Corroboree Park precinct, with its backdrop of Mount Ainslie. Specially designed timber cottages are set in gardens, linked by trees in avenues merging with those in the park. In 1926 thirty four cottages were built in symmetrical pairs along Paterson Street. Although designed for public service officers with families and small salaries, at first almost all tenants were workmen building Canberra. Then came the park, around a clump of trees where aboriginals formerly gathered. With the transfer of departments from Melbourne in 1927, most of the newer tenants bussed to work at Provisional Parliament House, while wives raised children and participated in social activities. “The weatherboards” was the name residents gave the cottages around the park and along adjacent crescents. Happily, this unique neighbourhood has been conserved, with its now privately-owned cottages adapted for modern living in beautifully mature gardens. In the 1920s John Sulman’s inspiration for planning Canberra’s first housing precincts was the English garden city movement. As the ample provision of parks, playgrounds and community buildings was a feature of that movement, Corroboree Park was created. There, the Ainslie Hall (1931), relocated from Acton and extended, and a Youth Centre Hut (1950) have been much used by residents over the years. The park’s tennis club has been a community asset since 1928 as have, since 1950, the nearby Girl Guides Hall and Baker Gardens Pre-School. Sulman also planned Alt Crescent, with brick houses carefully laid out in an arc set back from the main road. Before the Great Depression slowed Canberra’s growth, streets around Wakefield Gardens were planned in a square pattern further north and some weatherboard cottages were built. Housing construction resumed in the mid-1930s with brick cottages completing the precinct.
Photos L-R
Ainslie Hall, Paterson St, Tom's Crescent
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The central parkland is reminiscent of an English village green with a perimeter carriageway. In the 1940s Canberra’s first neighbourhood shopping centre was built on the eastern side of Wakefield Gardens. Today, it is Ainslie’s busy retail and social honeypot. Also in the 1940s, housing spread to the east. Baker Gardens formed a semi-circle mirroring, on a smaller scale, the shape of Corroboree Park. Several initiatives were attempted to relieve Canberra’s post-war housing shortage. Surplus air base huts, built to resemble houses to fool enemy pilots, were transported from Tocumwal in the Riverina and nearly 70 became real houses in Ainslie. A predominantly steel house was assembled in 1947 in Cowper Street to demonstrate how the Beaufort aircraft factory could prefabricate houses. Although this was Australia’s first successful venture into such housing, the shortage of steel halted it. A trial timber house was imported from Finland and erected in Ebden Street in 1948, but no others followed. The greatest initiative was in the early 1950s. Riley-Newsum houses, designed by an Australian and prefabricated in Britain using Scandinavian timber, were erected in Ainslie and many have survived. Ainslie’s most unusual building is All Saints Anglican Church. Parishioners from St John the Baptist, Reid began services in 1938 in the Corroboree Park hall, moved to their new hall in Cowper Street in 1953 and formed a separate parish in 1955. Two years later the burnt-out stonework of Sydney’s abandoned 1868 Victorian Gothic Mortuary Railway Station, Rookwood, was purchased and the visionary project to construct a church commenced. Stan Taunton’s building skill and persistence achieved wonders. By 1959 the church was dedicated and in use. Although not an accurate rebuilding, its heritage value lies in its social significance and the technical accomplishment of its construction. Ken Charlton Ken Charlton AM is an architectural historian who lives in Corroboree Park, Ainslie.
Ken Charlton
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Concise History of the Bridge over the Murrumbidgee River at Tharwa Introduction There was a community arranged celebration at Tharwa Bridge on Saturday 17 March 2012 to mark the success of protest by interested locals and other parties to reject the proposed ACT Government solution for replacing their existing important heritage Allan truss bridge by a modern concrete single lane bridge. The agreed solution not only retained, but also enhanced, the existing bridge. The celebration included a sit-down lunch on the bridge deck for 230 people, a very large, decorated sponge cake cut by two of the oldest locals, brought to the event by two of the youngest locals, and family activities in the park at the Tharwa end of the bridge.
Pyrmont Bridge and Tom Uglys Bridge. It consisted of four 90ft (27.4m) timber Allan truss spans over the main river channel with shorter timber beam spans at each end. Allan applied test data on Australian hardwood timbers published in 1893 by Professor W H Warren of Sydney University, which enabled efficient use of these timbers in the design and building of major timber truss bridges. In addition, Allan’s inspiration was to apply the experience gained from his involvement in the maintenance of the timber bridges of his day by adopting twin timber members in the top and bottom chords.
Opening Day 27 March 1895
The period to 2008
Celebration Cake
The original bridge was opened to traffic on 27 March 1895, after being built in less than 12 months by Victorian bridge contractor Christopher McClure, for a tendered price of ÂŁ4469.14s.10d. The bridge was built at the site of a ford crossing of the river, as part of a strategy to open up access for wool and produce, as well as to belatedly provide access to the goldfields at Kiandra. The site was on an aboriginal route used for thousands of years beforehand to access Bogong moths in the winter. The 187.5m long and 12m high bridge was designed by the distinguished engineer Percy Allan, who also designed
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After severe flooding in the 1920s, the three taller timber trestle piers were replaced in 1936/37 by concrete piers, with the concrete mixed by a steam-powered concrete mixer and cleverly cast within the trestle timbers and linked to the timber piles by a concrete connection. In 1939/40 the bridge was further improved by the replacement in concrete of the other two timber trestles. At the same time the deteriorated, rotting timber end spans were replaced by concrete piers supporting three steel girders, which in turn carried a reinforced concrete deck. In addition, the timber abutments were partially replaced with reinforced concrete. During the 50s, 60s and 70s, the bridge was subject to extreme overloading by heavy trucks carrying wet sand which was being used for building works in Canberra, causing the trusses to be overstressed.
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Concrete piers - Note marks from timber (concrete cast inside trestle)
Also, some of the timber in the trusses had deteriorated to the extent that temporary Bailey Bridging was used to support the trusses. In 1965, a 25 tonne load limit was applied, which in 1977 became 5 tonne, before the bridge was subsequently closed to traffic in 2006. In 2008, the ACT Government called tenders for a single lane replacement bridge in prestressed concrete and was preparing to let a contract until pressure from the community and other interested parties forced a rethink, which resulted in the renovation and restoration of the existing bridge. In a letter to The Canberra Times at the time of the community protests, the President of the ACT National Trust presented an argument for the retention of Tharwa Bridge on the grounds that its heritage value to Australia was greater than that of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. He made the point that whereas the Sydney Harbour Bridge and its heritage are part of a world-wide family of bridges of similar design, type and materials, the bridge over the Murrumbidgee River at Tharwa was the result of research, design and construction processes developed in Australia by Australians for Australian materials and conditions. As such it shares a unique position in Australian heritage - like the stump jump plough and the Hills hoist. Renovation and restoration In 2008, to allow light traffic (5 tonne limit) to use the bridge as soon as possible, while the existing timber trusses were being dismantled, a grillage of steel support
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Bridge with Allan trusses removed. Deck on temporary steel frames
While the few existing timber piles exposed appeared sound, it was impossible to confirm the soundness of all piles over their whole depth. Conservative engineering judgement was that in order to protect the investment proposed for the truss renovation, there was also a need to provide a major supplement to the timber piling supporting the five tall concrete piers by installing grouted micropiles. In addition, the five concrete piers had a light vertical prestress force applied to add to their stability under flood loads. In conjunction with this work, the approach spans were strengthened. The renovation of the trusses was based on an earlier upgrading of the bridge over the Paterson River at Hinton in the Hunter Valley. To achieve a load carrying capacity for 44 tonne semi-trailers, some heritage sensitive adaptation of the Allan truss system had been required. As for the original Tharwa bridge, hardwood timber was sourced from the north coast of NSW. It is instructive to note that the “checking” of the timber could be well controlled by “conditioning” and subsequent “reconditioning” processes which involved manipulating the moisture content of the timber, used during the timber storage. This process was the result of specialist advice from Gary Barker, the third member of the Peer Review Group, and his colleague, Dr Geoff Boughton of Curtin University in Perth, WA. It is understood that this
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innovation will be incorporated into future RSM/RTA specifications
Footnotes A detailed description of the design and
construction of the Tharwa Bridge is contained in a paper Tharwa Bridge Restoration by Marcia Prelog and Sam Millie, Proceedings, 4th Australian Small Bridges Conference, 10-11 May 2011 Photo acknowledgements – Historical photos Val Jeffery; timber sourcing photos Sam Millie; other photos by the authors.
Timber from original trusses stored at Namadgi
The work was overseen by Roads ACT, acting in conjunction with ACT Heritage, using a series of specialist contracts for the design, supervision and site works. The truss renovation contract was awarded to the RTA Bridge Maintenance Organisation at Wagga Wagga, which had the background and expertise in timber truss bridge works of a similar nature to undertake the complex procurement, storage, assembly and erection processes. Conclusion The precinct surrounding Tharwa bridge is little changed from the time of its original construction which adds to the heritage significance of the bridge and our ability to appreciate one of the ACT's finest heritage assets in its unchanged, picturesque context.
Hardwood tree near Glenreagh, North Coast NSW
The cost for the restoration of the only existing four span Allan Truss, at $26 million, is somewhat greater than the cost of a modern replacement and not something allocated lightly, but in the case of Tharwa Bridge is an excellent example of what can be achieved if a community decides that part of its heritage is worth retaining. Brian Pearson and Ray Wedgwood Brian Pearson and Ray Wedgwood, now retired, were successive Chief Bridge Engineers of the NSW Road Authority. The authors wish to thank Tony Gill, Director of RoadsACT, for his permission to prepare this paper. Log ready for sawing
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Heritage Festival 2013
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C100 Rally - Robyn Archer Bungendore 14 April
Environa 20 April
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Return of the Bellows 26 April
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