HIGHLIGHTS AUDIENCE We interacted with over 2.3 million people. WHERE DID OUR VISITORS COME FROM? Nearly 300,000 people paid to visit our programs. Our audiences grew in the following areas: •general public – up 6% •education – up 16% •touring exhibitions – up 260% AUSTRALIA 68% OVERSEAS 32% ACQUISITIONS Two major collections were donated under the Federal Government’s Cultural Gifts Program. AWARDS We won four awards for our work. AUSTRALIAN VISITORS CONSERVATION NEW SOUTH WALES 78% The building of our new head office at The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, was our major QUEENSLAND 9% conservation project for the year. The project includes the conservation of the internationally VICTORIA 8% significant 1850s coining factory buildings, accommodation of head office staff, a new WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2% auditorium, facilities for the library and research collection and new areas of public open space. SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2% New buildings designed by fjmt Architects have been carefully integrated with the surviving TASMANIA 1% historic buildings. The NSW Government provided $14.7m for this project over three years. FINANCES We ended the year with a balanced budget. SYDNEY/NEW SOUTH WALES VISITORS PAID ADMISSION NORTHERN SYDNEY 27% PAID ADMISSION NUMBERS 2004 2003 2002 RURAL NSW 20% General public 152,881 144,862 159,583 EASTERN SUBURBS 16% Education 56,839 49,005 48,208 WESTERN SYDNEY 14% Public programs 38,882 38,527 31,019 INNER WEST 9% Venue hire 51,347 64,183 49,111 INNER CITY 7% TOTAL 299,949 296,577 287,921 SOUTH SYDNEY 7% PROGRAMS •We produced 391 public programs across our properties attended by over 38,000 people •We offered 61 education programs attended by over 56,000 students INTERNATIONAL VISITORS REPORT 2003>2004 | HOUSES TRUST ANNUAL | HIGHLIGHTS HISTORIC •We toured five exhibitions to 17 venues in New South Wales and around Australia •We presented eight major exhibitions UNITED STATES 27% •We published four books UNITED KINGDOM 26% EUROPE 15% ASIA 14% STAFF NEW ZEALAND 9% •We offered our staff a new flexible working agreement to allow them more ways to CANADA 5% balance work and family life IRELAND 4% • 42 staff attended training courses during the year TECHNOLOGY We introduced a new point-of-sale system at our 11 museums and four shops. 01 YEAR IN BRIEF JULY 2003 AUGUST 2003 OCTOBER 2003 Two major school holiday programs held for The ever-popular Fifties Fair attracts 3,795 The Festival of the Olive at Elizabeth Farm young people: visitors to Rose Seidler House in one day. attracts 4,465 visitors during a single •a music workshop Different Rhythms at An exhibition celebrating the contribution of weekend. Government House. Italians to Sydney’s cultural life Italiani di A major exhibition Drugs: a social history •a theatre production Secret of the Seven Sydney opens at the Museum of Sydney. opens at Justice & Police Museum and is Marbles at the Museum of Sydney Stephen and Yuana Hesketh advise that they immediately in demand to travel to NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islander will bequeath the Woolley House, designed by regional areas. Day Observance Committee) Week Ken Woolley in 1962, to HHT. Rouse Hill estate is battered by a freak celebrations held at the Museum of Sydney. hailstorm and sustains major damage, Major construction work commences on our especially to the garden. SEPTEMBER 2003 new head office at The Mint. The re-shingling of the kitchen wing roof at An exhibition charting the bohemian phase of Vaucluse House is completed. Elizabeth Bay House Kings Cross – Bohemian Sydney closes after attracting large audiences. NOVEMBER 2003 Anna Griffiths wins the Meroogal Women’s Vaucluse House acquires a drawing room Arts Prize for her work Garden Coat, and an table with Wentworth provenance from a exhibition of a selection of entries for the family member following the filming of a prize commences its regional tour. program on the Wentworth family for the ABC The Art of Flowers festival at Government TV series Dynasty. House attracts 11,311 visitors over two and a A display entitled Asylum Women: Aged, half days. Infirm, Destitute opens at the Hyde Park A free open day entitled Made in Italy, to Barracks Museum, exploring the experiences coincide with the Italiani di Sydney exhibition, of women housed in the Hyde Park Barracks attracts 2,256 visitors to the Museum of Sydney. Asylum between 1862 and 1886. THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: HYDE PARK, 1964. PHOTOGRAPH JOHN WILLIAMS. FROM JOHN WILLIAMS’ SYDNEY DIARY 1958–2003 l FIFTIES FAIR AT ROSE SEIDLER HOUSE. PHOTOGRAPH PENNY CLAY l WELCOME TO SYDNEY BY ANNE ZAHALKA. MUSEUM OF SYDNEY COLLECTION l PROFESSOR PETER SPEARRITT AT THE MUSEUM OF SYDNEY PICTURED WITH PART OF HIS COLLECTION OF SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE MEMORABILIA. MUSEUM OF SYDNEY COLLECTION. HISTORIC HOUSES TRUST IMAGE LIBRARY l OPPOSITE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: THE SHELL GATHERERS, C1922, GELATIN SILVER PHOTOGRAPH. PHOTOGRAPH KIICHIRO ISHIDA, COLLECTION OF THE SHOTO MUSEUM OF ART, FROM KIICHIRO ISHIDA AND THE SYDNEY CAMERA CIRCLE 1920s–1940s l ELIZABETH BAY FROM POTTS POINT, SYDNEY URE SMITH, 1914, ETCHING, EDITION 25. ELIZABETH BAY HOUSE COLLECTION | YEAR IN BRIEF | HISTORIC HOUSES TRUST ANNUAL REPORT 2003>2004 | HOUSES TRUST ANNUAL | YEAR IN BRIEF HISTORIC 02 APRIL 2004 A 1914 Sydney Ure Smith etching Elizabeth Bay from Potts Point is acquired for the Elizabeth Bay House collection. DECEMBER 2003 FEBRUARY 2004 Susannah Place Museum hosts Kiichiro Ishida and the Sydney Camera Circle A miniature bronze bust of Lord Augustus Grandparents’ Day which attracts 356 1920s–1940s, an exhibition from the Shoto Loftus, Governor of NSW from 1879 to 1885 visitors. Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan, opens at the by French born artist and teacher Lucien Museum of Sydney. Henry is acquired for the Government A historically important painting is stolen House collection. from the Museum of Sydney: George Professor Peter Spearritt donates his Edwards Peacock’s Old Government House collection of artefacts and books associated Rouse Hill estate provides the backdrop for as it appeared when vacated by Sir George with the history of Sydney to the Museum of the first part of the re-enactment of the Gipps in 1846. Sydney. 1804 Battle of Vinegar Hill, which attracts over 6,000 visitors. Rouse Hill estate wins the National Trust Carols by Candlelight at Vaucluse House and EnergyAustralia Heritage Award for its Elizabeth Farm attracts approximately 2,500 A new interactive interpretation database is Curtilage Study. visitors. launched at Susannah Place Museum, allowing visitors access to collection and Government House, Hyde Park Barracks Exploring the Modern City, a book on recent archival material not on display. Museum, Justice & Police Museum, Museum research in urban history and archaeology, is of Sydney and Susannah Place participate in published in association with the Archaeology A film featuring Harry Seidler talking about Museums Light Up which attracts 3,037 Program, La Trobe University, Melbourne. his life and work is completed and goes on visitors across the five properties. display at Rose Seidler House. JANUARY 2004 MAY 2004 MARCH 2004 The world premiere of Legs on the Wall’s A series of photographs John Williams’ production Eora Crossing, performed on and The Kitchen Garden Festival at Vaucluse Sydney Diary 1958–2003 goes on display at around the Museum of Sydney as part of the House attracts 2,915 visitors. the Museum of Sydney. 2004 Sydney Festival, attracts approximately The first two concerts of House Music 18,000 people to five performances. A major exhibition Red Cedar in Australia Concert Series at Government House, opens at the Museum of Sydney. The Sydney Festival holds its opening night featuring contemporary artist Paul Capsis party and hosts its Becks Bar at the Hyde and the Australian Bach Ensemble, sell out. Two books are published, The Art of Keeping House and Red Cedar in Australia. Park Barracks Museum, attracting over Work commences on the reinstatement of | YEAR IN BRIEF | HISTORIC HOUSES TRUST ANNUAL REPORT 2003>2004 | HOUSES TRUST ANNUAL | YEAR IN BRIEF HISTORIC 13,000 visitors to the site during January. the important 1840s Rampart Garden at Professor Richard Clough donates his library A school holiday program Crash Course for Government House. of garden history books to the Library & Research Collection. Young Filmmakers is held at the Museum of Free entry at all properties is offered to Sydney, Susannah Place Museum and the young people as part of Youth Week and to Out of the Woodwork festival at Rouse Hill Hyde Park Barracks Museum. seniors as part of Seniors Week. estate attracts 3,178 visitors. Over 31,000 people visit HHT properties on A series of photographs entitled Inside Hill Australia Day when entry is free. End, documenting the conservation of JUNE 2004 houses in the gold mining community at Hill Chair of the Members of the HHT Dr Gaye A contemporary art installation Reading End, goes on display in the Members Gleeson and longstanding volunteer Rae Arcadia by Pip Stokes, exploring the world of Lounge at The Mint. McClintock receive OAM awards for their Fanny MacLeay, an original occupant of the volunteer work. Thirty vintage photographs of Sydney, taken house, opens at Elizabeth Bay House. by Max Dupain, are acquired for the Elizabeth Farm wins the Community Event of A display on The Stamp Office, which occupied Museum of Sydney collection. the Year award from Parramatta City Council part of the Hyde Park Barracks in 1856, opens for Festival of the Olive. at the Hyde Park Barracks Museum. A revised and updated Hyde Park Barracks Museum Guidebook is published. 03 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Our net cost of services increased by $1.8 million to $17.6 million. Our net asset position has increased by $8.8 million to $138.9 million, due to the revaluation of certain collections and the redevelopment of the new head office at The Mint.