HERITAGE TASMANIA TASMANIAN HERITAGE COUNCIL June 2007

Abandoned house, Yolla, Tasmania Photographer: Travis Tiddy

Budget supports World Heritage listing Heritage property owners to receive Preparation work for the bid to list six Tasmanian funding places as part of the World Heritage nomination of Fifteen heritage listed properties will share $75,000 convict sites received a healthy injection of funds in from the Tasmanian Heritage Council’s latest this year’s State Government Budget. conservation funding round. $250,000 will be used to finalise the preparatory The Heritage Conservation Funding Program aims documents needed as part of the bid. to help heritage property owners with urgent and The six Tasmanian places being considered as part essential conservation works. of the World Heritage listing nomination include the More than 60 per cent of the applications received Port Arthur Historic Site, the Coal Mines Historic were able to be assisted. The majority of properties Site, ’s Darlington precinct, Cascades were either residential or farming properties. , Brickendon Estate and Woolmers Expressions of Interest for the next funding round Estate. are expected to be announced in September. If you would like to apply for assistance in the next round, please email your contact details to [email protected]. For further information contact Heritage Tasmania on 1300 850 332 (local call cost) or 6233 2037.

LUNCHTIME SEMINAR SERIES

Tuesday, 31 July 2007 Woolmers, at Longford, Tasmania Cave tourism heritage In other initiatives, $8.7 million has been allocated Tasmania is losing its rich, 160-year-old cave as part of the proposed $30 million redevelopment tourism heritage. of the historic Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Dr Nic Haygarth will explore Tasmania’s caving (TMAG). heritage and asks the question when, if ever, does The initial allocation will be used to start early graffiti stop being vandalism and become heritage? conservation and restoration work. Venue: Level 6, 134 Macquarie Street from 12.30pm – 1.30pm. The TMAG site includes some of ’s oldest colonial buildings including the 1808 Commissariat For further information please contact Ester building, the 1813 Private Secretary’s Cottage and Guerzoni at Heritage Tasmania on 6233 4152, or the 1824 Bond Store. email [email protected]

DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM, ARTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT HERITAGE TASMANIA

GPO BOX 1751, HOBART TAS 7001 PHONE: 1300 850 332 (local call cost) | FAX: 6233 3186 | EMAIL: [email protected] www.heritage.tas.gov.au

HERITAGE NEWS

Richmond Gaol releases its past Tasmania Police buttons, a belt buckle ring and part of a bone-handled engraved toothbrush were some of the artefacts uncovered during a recent archaeological test excavation at the historic . Parks and Wildlife Service historic heritage officer Jody Steele said the excavation of the gaol’s courtyard is the first step in the restoration of the courtyard to its original form as a prison exercise yard.

The courtyard restoration is one aspect of a major A trench shows remnants of sandstone flagstones and a interpretation upgrade for the Richmond Gaol depression which revealed a rat skull buried over 160 Historic Site. years ago “We’ll be spending approximately $170,000 during “What makes Richmond Gaol so special is that it the coming winter in a program of upgrading the has had few modifications since the day it closed as interpretation at the site and building maintenance,” a convict gaol complex in 1898.” Jody said. Jody said that over the years a variety of vegetation “Heritage values and Australia’s convict heritage has been planted in the courtyard, leading to its are a major part of the visitor experience in current ‘cottage garden’ look. Tasmania and Richmond is one of Tasmania’s The restoration will see the removal of all most visited sites, with nearly 194,000 visitors in vegetation against the historic sandstone walls, with 2006. the exception of an almond tree which has recognised heritage value. An unusual gold-coloured belt buckle ring was one of The vegetation has caused problems with roots the finds from the invading the masonry walls, and it has also created excavation impediments to regular inspection and repair of the courtyard walls and drainage. The intention is to return the courtyard, which dates to 1835, to its original austere form, reinstating The engraved bone- drainage and the original surface. handled toothbrush was “After all, it’s a prison and it’s not meant to be another fascinating find pretty,” Jody said.

The excavation of small areas (2x2 metre and 1x1 metre) in two separate parts of the courtyard “The Richmond Gaol Historic Site provides a revealed little of the original courtyard surface. fascinating and accurate snapshot of the convict system devised by Governor Arthur after his arrival Several fragments of sandstone flagging were in the colony in 1824. found, although not in a regular formation, so it is suspected that the area was heavily disturbed after “The gaol was built in 1825-27, pre-dating Port the closure of the gaol. Arthur by about five years. It remains one of the most intact places of incarceration from the early Of all of the artefacts recovered, the most convict period of Australia,” Jody said. interesting were two Tasmania Police buttons of differing eras, a gold-coloured belt buckle ring and a fragment of a bone-handled toothbrush bearing the company name which held the royal warrant during the reign of Queen Victoria.

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HERITAGE NEWS

Queen Victoria farewells frame maker Coal River property heritage-listed Frame restorer John Hay is moving on from the The 1820s property, Nugent, on the Coal River Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG). north of Richmond has been provisionally entered in the Tasmanian Heritage Register. Trained on the job, John was an invaluable asset to the museum for more than 13 years. James Hobbs was granted the land in compensation for his house on the Domain being Years of practice and experimentation with gilding, acquired by the Crown. carving, woodworking, moulding and finishing techniques saw John become highly skilled in Hobbs had arrived in Van Diemen's Land as a 12- frames conservation, restoration and frame making. year-old with Lieutenant David Collins' expedition in February 1804. In February 1824 he led a circumnavigation of Van Diemen's Land accompanied by 12 well-behaved convicts in two whale boats. The voyage was the crowning achievement of Hobbs' life. Despite setbacks, Hobbs acquired more land in the area. In November 1825 he issued a public notice in the Colonial Times warning that he would prosecute anyone trespassing on this 700-acre property. But Hobbs does not appear to have worked this land himself and in 1829 Henry Widowson wrote that Hobbs' farm was 'as nature John Hay at work (Photo courtesy QVMAG) left it'. John researched and constructed many replicas of The most likely builder of Nugent is George Weston Tasmanian colonial frames and built an extensive Gunning to whom Hobbs sold the estate in 1832. collection of silicone and hydrostone moulds for Photographs of the property dating back to 1861 replicating ornamentations of two main Tasmanian show some architectural features strongly colonial frame makers, William Wilson and the influenced by Eastern design. Hoods Workshop. Between 1795 and 1808 Gunning's regiment was John was very passionate about his job and his stationed in India and Ceylon, and it is tempting to perfectionism and attention to detail were think that Gunning might have drawn on his time in outstanding. His departure will be a loss for the the subcontinent when designing Nugent. museum. Gunning lived at Nugent until 1840, when he put the estate up for sale. The advertisement in the Colonial Times described the house as a 'substantial and tastefully erected brick cottage of six rooms with a verandah in front, a detached stone kitchen and store room’. In the 1850s the brothers Robert and James Espie acquired Nugent. It was as their house guest that the Young Irelander exile William Smith O'Brien learned of his Conditional Pardon in 1854, shortly before his return to Ireland. Following a succession of owners, the house eventually became uninhabited and fell into disrepair. Most recently the house formed part of a Nugent, Coal River Valley 5-acre block sold in 2006 to private owners.

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TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES identities and shifting allegiances between cultures of departure and cultures of arrival. Old stories new ways Moving cultures, shifting identities is a conference 27-30 September 2007, Queensland organised by the Flinders Humanities Research The Oral History Association of Australia - Centre for Cultural Heritage and Cultural Exchange, Queensland Inc will hold its biennial national the Centre for Research into New Literatures in conference in Brisbane from 27 to 30 September English (CRNLE) and Flinders International Asia 2007. Pacific (FIAP). The theme of the conference is: Old Stories New For more information visit: Ways. The program will cover discussion on: fhrc.flinders.edu.au/events/movingcultures.html • interpreting story; • working with community; • understanding memory; • oral history and independent practitioners; and FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES • addressing changing technologies.

For more information visit www.ohaaqld.org.au or email [email protected]. Commemorating historic events and famous people Engineering heritage conference 2007 The Commemoration of Historic Events and Famous Persons Program is designed to 18-21 November 2007, Western Australia commemorate people, events and places of Engineering enthusiasts are invited to attend the national historical significance. 14th Engineering Heritage Conference. It provides funds primarily to care for the graves of The conference aims to provide a forum for former Australian Prime Ministers and Governors researchers, heritage professionals and engineers General and, where appropriate and necessary, for to promote, exchange and disseminate knowledge erecting suitable plaques. and experience in a wide range of topics in Submissions are accepted at any time during the engineering and industrial heritage. year. The program provides opportunities for discussion Amongst this year’s success application was $5000 and exchange of insights and information in the for research to find the grave of prominent NSW areas of recognition, assessment, conservation, colonial architect Sir . interpretation and ongoing management of the engineering and industrial heritage. Applications for the 2007/2008 funding round close on 30 September 2007. For more information visit www.engineersaustralia.org.au or email For more information visit: [email protected] www.environment.gov.au/heritage/programs

Moving cultures, shifting identities 3-5 December 2007, Melbourne This conference will examine issues of migration, transnational connection, displacement heritage, global space and cultural memory created by the movements of peoples between cultures in the modern world.

In the mass migrations of the last 200 years, If you would like to contribute information, advertise millions of people have left their homelands and an upcoming event, subscribe to receive this bulletin home cultures to settle in new places. via email, or cancel your subscription, please contact Ester Guerzoni (Communications Coordinator) on Moving cultures, shifting identities will explore the 6233 4152 or email cultural connections between homelands and new [email protected] lands, and the complexities of reshaping cultural

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