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FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETIES INC

 

e-BULLETIN No. 120 – 30 January 2014

 

Hon Editor, Dr Ruth S. Kerr

 

 

1) Australian Heritage Week, 12 - 20 April 2014

 

2) West coast heritage railway in Tasmania re-opened

 

3) Sydney heritage buildings for sale

 

4) Parramatta & District Historical Society turns 100

 

5) Significance assessment workshop, Perth

 

6) Heritage Skills Workshops, Victoria

 

 

1) Australian Heritage Week, 12 - 20 April 2014

 

Australian Heritage Week, supported by the Department of the Environment, is an annual national celebration of Australia’s unique heritage. This year Australian Heritage Week will be held from Saturday 12 April until Sunday 20 April; this covers two weekends and includes World Heritage Day (officially, the International Day for Monuments and Sites, endorsed by UNESCO in 1983), which is held each year on 18 April. This special day offers an opportunity to raise public awareness about the diversity of the world’s heritage, its vulnerability, and protection and conservation efforts.

 

Australian Heritage Week is an opportunity where communities can be involved in planning and hosting a range of activities to show-case their unique local heritage to the rest of the country.

 

For more information on Australian Heritage Week, click on this link: http://heritage-week.govspace.gov.au

 

The department is also adding both the Federation of Historical Societies and the Australian Council of National Trusts logos to Australia’s Community Heritage website (www.communityheritage.net.au) to signify that the website as an initiative of the Commonwealth Government in partnership with these organisations.

 

(Source: Email on 17 January 2014 from Emily Burnett, Heritage Frameworks and Communication | Heritage Branch, Wildlife, Heritage and Marine Division | Department of the Environment, 33 Allara Street, Civic | Canberra, ACT 2601 | 02 6275 9313 - www.communityheritage.net.au)

 

 

2) West coast heritage railway in Tasmania re-opened

 

Tasmania's West Coast Wilderness railway re-opened on a wintery day on 6 January 2014.

It was a very successful and enjoyable day. The train runs to Dubbil Barril and return.


The railway closed in April after hotel giant Federal Group withdrew from its lease to run the attraction, stating that the business was no longer viable.


A search for a new operator failed, leaving the State Government to take control.


Since then $6 million in Federal Government money has been spent on refurbishing the track.


The State Government has also committed $6 million which is being spent on the venture.


More time is needed to refurbish the full track to Strahan.


The Government has released a new advertising campaign to promote the railway and is seeking a buyer.


Economic Development Minister David O'Byrne states that two commercial groups are interested.

 

(Source: Press Release by Minister for Infrastructure, Hon David O’Byrne MP –19 December 2013, and website: www.wcwr.com.au - West Coast Wilderness Railway – 28 January 2014)

 

 

3) Sydney heritage buildings for sale

 

The sandstone clad Education building and the Lands Department building in Bridge Street, Sydney are to be sold by the New South Wales state government. It is the first time they have been offered for sale. They have more than 23,000 square metres of buildable area. It is expected that they will be purchased by Asian investors in association with international luxury hotel operators.

 

(Source: Australian 3 December 2013 p.22 including photograph of the Lands Department building)

 

 

4) Parramatta & District Historical Society turns 100

 

Parramatta & District Historical Society is the second oldest historical society in NSW, after the Royal Australian Historical Society, and one of the oldest in Australia.  It was formed on 4 December 1913 at a public meeting in Parramatta, after several years of agitation for such a body.


To celebrate this auspicious occasion, the Society held a Centenary Dinner on the actual date, 4 December 2013.  One hundred and twenty guests attended the dinner at Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club.


Special Guests at the dinner were the Society Patron Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of NSW, her husband Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE, State Member for Parramatta Dr Geoff Lee MP, Deputy Lord Mayor of Parramatta Councillor Paul Garrard and President of the Royal Australian Historical Society Dr Anne-Maree Whitaker.

 

Parramatta & District Historical Society has grown from its 47 foundation members to over 260.  It has a very active program of events each year.

 

(Source: Parramatta & District Historical Society email – 9 January 2014)

 

 

5) Significance assessment workshop, Perth

 

Do you want to know how to assess the significance of your museum collection? Then join us for a step by step guide through this process and leave feeling confident that you can tackle this task following national standards set in Significance 2.0.
 
Cathy Day will facilitate the workshop program in collaboration with City of Melville and Museums Australia (WA).  The workshop will be held at City of Melville administration centre, Booragoon, on 19 February 2014.

 

For further details contact Rosemary Fitzgerald at Museums Australia (WA) :

Phone: 9427 2857

Email:  rosemary.fitzgerald@museum.wa.gov.au


(Source: Museums Australia (WA) Ezine February 2014)

 

 

6) Heritage Skills Workshops, Victoria

 

Bookings are open for the several 2014 Heritage Skills Workshops presented by the Heritage Council of Victoria, the Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure and the National Trust of Australia (Victoria), and supported through funding from the Australian Government¹s Your Community Heritage Program.

 

Looking after War Memorials and Honour Rolls

Friday 28 February, also supported by the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet and hosted by Bendigo RSL, 73-75 Havilah Road, Bendigo.

 

Looking After Old Houses

Friday 4 April The Heights, Aphrasia St, Newtown, Geelong

 

Dealing with Damp

Friday and Saturday, 30-31 May The Briars, Mt Martha

 

Bookings can be made (and further information viewed) by clicking here
www.nationaltrust.org.au/vic/HeritageSkillsWorkshops
Courses are free but numbers are limited and bookings are essential.


Download the flyer for the Heritage Skills Workshops(VIC) 2014:

http://australia.icomos.org/wp-content/uploads/Heritage-Skills-Workshops-VIC-2014.pdf .

 

(Source: ICOMOS Newsletter January 2014)