A new image for heritage

The four distinctive motifs depicted in each logo represent the four main areas of heritage A new visual identity for the Heritage Office and Heritage Council has come in the shape of two specially developed logos. The four distinctive motifs depicted in each logo represent the four main areas of heritage covered by the Office and Council. These areas were outlined in Minister Craig Knowles' heritage policy in 1996, when the Heritage Office was established as a new State Government agency in its own right. The Heritage Office logo has a column representing built heritage, a leaf for natural heritage, the urn for movable heritage and the rock engraving for Aboriginal heritage. The Emu motif representing Aboriginal heritage in the logo of the Heritage Council is based on an Aboriginal rock engraving located at Devils Rock, Maroota, near the Great North Road. The emu is a significant bird in the Aboriginal community and the Aboriginal story associated with the emu tells of the vanity of the brolga as compared to the emu. The brolga cared about her appearance and wanted to be king of the birds, while the emu was more concerned about her chicks. The moral of this Aboriginal story about the emu is "Children are important. Be satisfied with who you are".

Launch of The Maintenance of Heritage Assets: A Practical Guide How do you prolong the life of a corrugated iron roof? What is the best method to clean a stone wall? How were traditional plasters made and used? A new publication by the Heritage Office provides answers to the questions facing owners and managers of heritage buildings. The Maintenance of Heritage Assets: A Practical Guide provides expert and practical advice on how to care for heritage places. This informative guide is presented in a loose-leaf binder, making it easy to access and update. Twenty information sheets cover a host of topics including: preparing a maintenance plan; rising damp; slating, tiling and roof plumbing; timber repairs; cleaning masonry walls; plaster and paint finishes; fire safety; looking after movable heritage and landscaping grounds. This is a very practical resource for both heritage professionals and owners who want advice on how to maintain historic buildings and grounds. The guide has drawn on the expertise of technical experts and has been endorsed by the Technical Advisory Group and the Heritage Council. The Maintenance of Heritage Assets costs $39.95. For more information or to purchase a copy contact the NSW Heritage Office Tel: (02) 9635 6155.

........................................................................................................................   Minister saves Wingecarribee Swamp "The peat has taken about 15,000 years to form, making it the oldest peat deposit in the State". All mining of peat from the environmentally sensitive Wingecarribee Swamp will cease after Minister Craig Knowles announced the placement of an Interim Conservation Order over the swamp on 20 March 1998. The Minister's decision follows advice from the Heritage Council, which had carried out detailed investigations of the swamp's heritage significance. "The swamp is clearly of great significance for a number of reasons", Mr Knowles said during the announcement. "The peat has taken about 15,000 years to form, making it the oldest peat deposit in the State". "Also at issue was a number of rare and endangered plant and animal species including the ancient giant dragonfly." The Minister went on to say that Wingecarribee Swamp had shown evidence of both Aboriginal and early European settlement, suggesting that artefacts from both cultures may be buried and preserved beneath the peat. An Interim Conservation Order lasts for a year during which time the heritage significance of the swamp will be further assessed to decide whether a Permanent Conservation Order will be applied.