Heritage Council of NSW

A message from Hazel Hawke
Chair of the Heritage Council
Maritime Heritage

One of my early, and very pleasant, duties following my appointment as Chair was to present plaques to two Narooma men in recognition of their role in identifying the remains of the iron steamer, Lady Darling. What impressed me at the time was that these amateur scuba divers recognised their responsibility to the rest of the community. By promptly alerting the Heritage Office they ensured that this important wreck could be researched by qualified professionals.

This is one of the most important aspects of heritage management. It's all about a partnership between concerned and interested members of the community and those of us who have an official or statutory role. As I travel around the State I am constantly impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the many owners, historical societies, local councils and State government asset managers who are all "doing their bit" to retain and conserve heritage items for the rest of us to appreciate and enjoy.

The Historic Shipwreck Program has been one of the great success stories of this heritage partnership process in recent years. I am pleased to take this opportunity to thank all those divers and others with an interest in our maritime heritage for their sense of community responsibility and their contributions to this important program.

 
Introducing the
New Minister
The Deputy Premier Andrew Refshauge was appointed Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and Minister for Housing in April of this year. Heritage NSW talks to him about his new role and his thoughts on heritage management in NSW.

The Carr Government has been working to encourage heritage conservation at a community level. With many years experience as the member for Marrickville, Dr Refshauge is familiar with heritage issues at the grassroots level of a community. He was first elected to Parliament in 1983, winning the seat of Marrickville. He was once again re-elected to the seat in this year's election.

"As member for inner city Marrickville, I am well aware of the value communities place on heritage items" said Dr Refshauge.

Dr Refshauge's appointment comes at an important time, with the NSW heritage system undergoing substantial change. "In my new role, I want to build on the work of my predecessor, Craig Knowles, in overseeing the implementation of recent amendments to the Heritage Act and the newly created State Heritage Register," he said.

With a growing community concern about the conservation of heritage places and the impact of development on our cities and towns, Dr Refshauge is looking forward to the challenges of his new job.

One area which is of great interest is Aboriginal heritage and the recent initiatives by the State Government to assist Aboriginal people to manage their own heritage. Dr Refshauge also includes Aboriginal Affairs in his portfolio. Prior to his political career, he was senior medical officer at the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern.

"My involvement, especially with the Aboriginal community, has taught me the true significance of heritage," said Dr Refshauge. "It is vital their heritage be maintained, protected and valued by us all, not as a museum piece, but as part of the continuity of their stewardship of the land."

It is also important that this heritage is respected and understood by the whole community. The last 200 years have added the experiences of people from many different cultures to the story of Australia, but we cannot really know the whole story without a deep understanding of our beginning and the ways in which Aboriginal people lived in this land.

An area that Dr Refshauge sees as critical to the wider public profile of heritage is heritage education. The Heritage Office's curriculum project with the Department of Education and Training is an important initiative as it will give the rising generation a much greater sense of their historical inheritance.

"Essentially, I am keen to encourage a 'culture of heritage'. It keeps us in touch with our past and will be a gift to our children," said Dr Refshauge.

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Heritage Council visits
far western NSW
For its June meeting the Heritage Council travelled to far western NSW, visiting Aboriginal sites in the area, as well as the town of Broken Hill. The invitation to the far west was extended by the Mutawintji Land Council and the Board of Management of the Mutawintji National Park. The Mutawintji National Park, located 130 km north of Broken Hill, is one of the State's most significant cultural sites, containing the main ceremonial place for Aboriginal people in far western NSW. Special thanks for the hospitality and goodwill extended to the Heritage Council must go to the Mutawintji Land Council and Board of Management of the Mutawintji National Park and the councillors, staff and people of Broken Hill.


Mrs Hazel Hawke at Mutawintji National Park, pictured with Gerald Quayle, NPWS, Lance Jones, Mutawintji Tours, Badger Bates, NPWS and Mark Sutton, NPWS. Photograph by Maxwell Gray.