What’s in a list?

BY NEIL WYKES OAM AND DEBBIE MILLS

Above Neil Wykes OAM, President and Debbie Mills, CEO (photo by Nicole Taylor) Dear Members, In February, the Federal Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Sussan Ley, and the Hon. Don Harwin, Minister for the Arts in New South Wales, jointly announced that the 100-hectare site referred to as the ‘Governors’ Domain and Civic Precinct’ in Sydney had been added to the National Heritage List. The precinct includes the eastern side of Sydney’s Central Business District, the First Government House site, Hyde Park Barracks, the Conservatorium of Music, the Mint and Parliament House, Hyde Park, the Domain, Macquarie Place and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

NSW Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said, “Many individual places within the precinct are already state listed, however National Heritage listing unites the shared history and better links the buildings as a heritage precinct.”

The National Trust encourages the Federal Government to include other significant heritage precincts on the National Register, including Indigenous heritage precincts.

The heritage of this area of Sydney is of great significance to the story of the National Trust. Saving the Macquarie Street precinct from demolition was one of the first successful heritage protection campaigns championed by our founding members 75 years ago, so we strongly support this area’s listing.

We created a National Trust Register in 1949 for a very good reason, and we believe that the federal and state lists are vital – for heritage everywhere. The rigour, research, expert analysis and due diligence that goes into getting something on the National Trust Register are considerable and provide a crucial point of reference about the significance of heritage sites throughout New South Wales. Without this point of reference, there would be no grounds upon which to protect our heritage. The state and federal government lists serve this purpose and guarantee an additional layer of statutory and regulatory clout.

The lists matter. They ensure we have on record what matters to us all.

Neil Wykes OAM, President