Update

from National Trust NSW Magazine - Oct to Dec 2021

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National Trust News

Catch up on the latest campaigns, appeals and initiatives to protect heritage in New South Wales. In this edition, progress on our art conservation project, the listing of a WWII hangar, and plans to protect heritage at a popular Blue Mountains lookout. Plus, we cast a critical eye on the NSW Government’s review of the Heritage Act.

GENERAL NEWS

Art Conservation In Full Swing

Thanks to the generosity of our members, the National Trust’s largest art conservation project - Rescue. Revive. Reveal. – is well underway. More than $167,000 was raised through our art conservation appeal, allowing us to conserve 36 works of art from properties around New South Wales. Expert conservators around the state have commenced treatment on our most special artworks in need of care. We are looking forward to revealing the revived artworks – and their stories – in the coming months.

Govetts Leap Heritage Protected

The unique heritage values of Govetts Leap lookout in Blackheath will be retained under a revised plan to upgrade visitor access at this spectacular site. The National Parks and Wildlife Service’s visitor precinct plan will now see the early twentieth-century ironstone structures, including walls, monuments and picnic shelters, retained in-situ and a stone arch relocated to another part of the site. The changes follow successful lobbying by the Blue Mountains Branch of the National Trust and other local heritage groups.

Tocumwal Airfield Hangar Listed

The WWII Tocumwal Airfield hangar is now listed on the State Heritage Register. Built in 1942 using short lengths of local unseasoned hardwoods, the hangar is a remarkable technical and engineering achievement. It was used as a temporary base to store and maintain B-24 Liberator bomber aircraft for the US Air Force in response to the fear of invasion during WWII. The National Trust made a submission and is delighted that the hangar’s heritage values are now protected.

ADVOCACY NEWS

Chance for a Stronger Heritage Act

In May 2021, the NSW Government announced a major review of the NSW Heritage Act, 1977. The Heritage Act is critical to the identification, protection, promotion and conservation of heritage in NSW. The National Trust is campaigning to ensure that any changes to the Heritage Act result in a stronger Act.

Review forum a great success On 9 June 2021, the National Trust hosted an independent forum of 277 experts, professional heritage organisations, community groups and individuals. The aim was to generate cross-industry collaboration to discuss key issues facing heritage in NSW, and develop responses to the review’s Discussion Paper.

The forum was a testament to what the National Trust is uniquely placed to do. It was heartening to see so many eminent heritage professionals and community campaigners in one room and supporting one another to write submissions. More than 300 submissions to the review were lodged.

National Trust presses its case The National Trust’s Conservation Director, David Burdon, presented to the NSW Parliament’s Standing Committee on Social Issues on 13 August 2021 as part of the review’s five day hearing. David reiterated the need to ensure the review strengthened, not diminished, heritage protections in NSW.

Over the course of the review, we will meet with members of the Standings Committee to reaffirm our position. We will also prepare a Submissions Analysis, along with responses to issues raised at the hearing. These will be distributed to committee members and will be available on our website.

The National Trust will continue to update our members on the progress of the Heritage Act review, including further opportunities for public input. Visit our website to read our detailed submission and watch videos from the forum.

nationaltrust.org.au/advocacy-nsw

Opposite from top Seven Kookaburras by G.F. Gregory (photo by Julie McCarthy); Stone picnic shelter, Govetts Leap Lookout, Blackheath, NSW (photo by Rod Stowe ); WWII aeroplane hangar, Tocumwal, NSW (photo via wikimedia.org). WANT MORE NEWS AND UPDATES?