Member Moments

Our National Trust Day

BY LOUISE MARCROFT

National Trust (NSW) Guardians Louise Marcroft and Greg Brunner enjoyed a day out with other supporters, visiting properties and learning about current projects and plans.

What a delightful, interesting and inspiring day we had with the National Trust at two of its beautiful Blue Mountain properties – Norman Lindsay Gallery, Springwood and Everglades House & Gardens, Leura. We were impressed with the enthusiasm and professionalism of every National Trust person we met. Coming from a business background of strategic planning and project management, I was particularly impressed with how clear the National Trust is in implementing its Five-Year Strategic Plan. It has been investing wisely during the downtimes of COVID to uplift the quality and authenticity of the two properties we inspected.

For example, at Norman Lindsay Gallery, the internal lighting had been upgraded, statues repaired, and much of the house had been repainted. At Everglades House & Gardens, we were particularly impressed with the Property Manager, Guy McIlrath, who displayed a great love of the property with ambitious but well thought out plans to make it sparkle with 1930s charm. The National Trust is seeking historical authenticity and has a great respect for the original owner’s ideas and philosophy. There are plans to restore every bathroom fitting and light fitting to their original state and restore those windows previously repaired with Perspex back to the original glass. All the furniture in the house will eventually be reminiscent of the 1930s. Guy also showed us the amazing quality of the hinges on the doors – designed so that the doors can be lifted out of their brackets in one movement for cleaning and repair. The workmanship originally shown in the house really impressed us, and because the archives contain the original plans and drawings, the National Trust will be able to refurbish the property authentically. We can’t wait to return to see how all this goes.

Both Greg and I could imagine ourselves enjoying the broad verandah of Norman Lindsay’s house on a sunny mountains day or dressing up in Hercule Poirot style to attend a soiree at Everglades! We look forward to visiting both properties again – by ourselves, with friends and with our children. We encourage other Members to go and immerse themselves in these lovely properties too. Greg and I contribute to the National Trust as Guardians in order to take some personal responsibility for our unique heritage in Australia. We value the National Trust’s properties, advocacy and conservation. We are also impressed with its people, both employees and volunteers, some of whom shared their deep experience of our built heritage and our cultural heritage on our outing in May. And we really appreciate the fact that some of the National Trust’s properties are not just of national importance but also world significance. We want to play a small part in preserving and embracing our heritage for future generations and Australia’s cultural life.

Above Supporters enjoying Norman Lindsay's garden (photo by National Trust).

Left Guy McIlrath sharing the beauty of Everglades House & Gardens with supporters (photo by National Trust).

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Patrons, Corporate Members and Sponsors

The National Trust (NSW) acknowledges and appreciates the support we receive from these generous individuals and organisations

Patrons G Arnott R Butler OAM J Calluaud L Calluaud Emeritus Professor D Carment AM J Church K Eadie M Eadie P Flick R Flick A Hayward B Hayward T Heazlewood OAM H Hewitt P Homel The Kimalo Foundation The Nell & Hermon Slade Trust The Pratten Foundation C Sutherland L Taggart A White P White C Wilkinson OAM Anonymous (7)

Corporate Members Allen Jack & Cottier Architects Cox Architecture Design 5 Architects GML Heritage Hector Abrahams Architects Lucas, Stapleton, Johnson & Partners Melgrand Sydney Metro Winten Property Group Wollongong City Council Corporate Partners Art Gallery of NSW International Conservation Services Laithwaite’s Wine People Museums & Galleries NSW Safewill

Supporters L Cox AO The Denbigh Foundation The J Permsew Foundation I Kaiser The Mallam Family Fund The Maple-Brown Family Foundation N Paton S Pickles T Strachan K Valder P Wade R Wade S White OAM

Australian Heritage Festival and National Trust Heritage Awards The Australian Heritage Festival is proudly supported by the NSW Government through Heritage NSW

S.H. Ervin Gallery Supporters Allen & Unwin Art Gallery of NSW Holding Redlich Margaret Olley Art Trust National Trust Wine Service Perpetual

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