One of the highlights of this year's Heritage Week was the lecture by NSW Government Architect Chris Johnson and response by writer and arts journalist David Marr. This intriguing discussion on conservation and development examined some of the challenging issues facing Sydney in the 1990s. For those not present at this lively and thought-provoking discussion, the Heritage Office has just released the illustrated text of Conservation & Modernity: the Sydney Experience.
Rosalind Strong, Director of the NSW Heritage Office said that the debate provided an opportunity for a range of propositions to be explored and resulted in "a fascinating conversation between different, and even opposing, views of the relationship between conservation and development". In his presentation Chris Johnson suggested that heritage is a continuum of growth and change and proposed ways in which conservation and modernity can coexist.

As David Marr pointed out in his response to the lecture, the challenges of conservation and development are vital urban issues for Sydney. "Heritage Week isnot about a contest between past and future. It's about what we have now and what we might lose. And what the city, where you live, might become."

Looking After Cemeteries & Burial Sites

Skeletal Remains, the most recent addition to the Heritage Office's NSW Heritage Manual, is an important tool for communities caring for historic cemeteries and burial sites.

This clear and concise guide contains advice on what to do when human skeletal remains are disturbed. It explains the appropriate requirements and procedures under the Heritage Act 1977 (NSW). It discusses how to assess the significance of burials and how to investigate and manage these sites. Skeletal Remains emphasizes that consultation with the community is an important part of the process.

Skeletal Remains is an essential resource for heritage professionals, developers, site owners, archaeologists, or anyone who at some stage may be confronted with the exhumation, excavation or management of human skeletal remains.

Saving Church Buildings

Church Buildings: Guidelines for their Care and Conservation looks at the unique issues facing religious buildings. Paul Davies and Robert Staas, both experts in the field of church conservation, provide a practical guide to the maintenance and conservation of churches.

An informative and easy-to-read guide, Church Buildings explains the heritage values of church buildings and provides guidelines for their conservation. It covers a host of topics including conservation plans, security, liturgical re-ordering, adaptive re-use, common maintenance problems, financial incentives and other support services.