PROTECT
Bush Heritage – Our Shared Legacy BY CLARENCE SLOCKEE
World Environment Day on 5 June will be a chance to celebrate our amazing bush heritage. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the importance of caring for Country, just as we continue to care for our built heritage treasures. The Australian bush is extremely diverse and holds ancient stories from our past. From the islands of the Torres Strait, the rainforests of the far north, to the vast expanse of the Top End and the West, through the outback and the desert plains, up through the Snowy Mountains and Great Dividing Range and on to the Southern Wilderness of Tasmania, we are lucky. The ecologies and biodiversity of our country is immense. Indeed, in First Nations terms, one Country, Australia is made up of many Countries, many peoples, many languages.
The appreciation for our bush heritage is inherent in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples through our connection to Country. We are custodians, carers and guardians of our sacred spaces. Moving forward together into the future means acknowledging the shared history of all Australians and taking greater responsibility in caring for Country. The Australian bush is a shared legacy, a cultural and natural heritage to be protected and celebrated. The layered stories of heritage When I was asked to write this article for the National Trust, I must admit I found the task somewhat daunting. Although of course a huge honour, the work of the National Trust (at least through my eyes) seems weighted towards landscapes and buildings that stem from our colonial past. Having been fortunate enough to visit many of these wonderful properties that hold incredible stories of our shared history and represent, in many cases, a majestic beauty from times long past, I still felt a little uncertain. As an Aboriginal man, I am both in admiration of the stunning architecture and craftsmanship portrayed in the built form of the fantastic heritage buildings, though aware of the dispossession of place experienced by traditional custodians upon whose lands these structures inhabit. So too, the labour, time and passion employed in the establishment of the spectacular landscapes and gardens that so often complement and enhance these properties are spaces that I find incredibly inspiring, yet at the same time a reminder of our traditional custodians. How enlightening to learn that the establishment of the National Trust stemmed from the work of Annie Wyatt and, no doubt, many others including the Ku-ring-gia Tree Lovers League way back in 1945, raising awareness of the destruction of both the built and natural heritage in Sydney. The work of the Bradley sisters throughout the 1970s, the ongoing legacy of bush regeneration and the safeguarding of our built and natural heritage are astonishing achievements.
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National Trust (NSW)
