HERITAGE TASMANIAN HERITAGE COUNCIL October 2013

The Real Tennis Club court in . This is part of the Open Doors program. Book to secure your spot. Photo: Robyn Shaw Minister launches Open Doors 2013 The newly restored ’s “It operates in partnership with the owners and is a School of Nursing and Midwifery near Domain key community event that promotes Tasmania’s House on Hobart’s Domain has been added to heritage and gives the public an opportunity to see Heritage Tasmania’s Open Doors program this inside historic buildings and explore places they year. might not necessarily get to visit,” he said. Launching Open Doors 2013, the Minister for The places in this year’s program are: Tourism, Scott Bacon, said that the University of Tasmania (UTAS) had successfully updated the • The Australian Army Museum Tasmania, circa 1923 building into a modern education Hobart institution while still retaining its historic fabric. • Chauncy Vale Wildlife Sanctuary and Day Dawn, Bagdad “The building is one of 12 heritage sites open to the • Church and Orphan Schools, St John’s public over the weekend of 1-3 November. Park Precinct, New Town “This is the sixth year that Heritage Tasmania’s • Deeds Register, Land Titles Office, Hobart Open Doors has run and brings the total number of • Hobart Real Tennis Club, Hobart doors opened through Open Doors to 59. • Shene, Pontville • Soldiers Memorial Avenue, Queens Domain, Hobart • State Cinema, North Hobart • Town Hall, Hobart • UTAS Domain Campus, School of Nursing and midwifery (former Electrical Engineers Building, Hobart • UTAS Medical Science Precinct, Hobart

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) will also be open especially for Open Doors on Friday, 1 November, between 6.00pm and 9.00pm, with entertainment, special tours and a talk about its redevelopment.

L to R: Dr Christine Stirling Senior Lecturer and Associate Dean Graduate Each site is open free of charge, but for many sites, Research from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Scott Bacon MP, Minister for Tourism and Pete Smith, Director, Heritage Tasmania in the restored lecture booking your spot is essential. More information theatre on the Domain Campus. Photo: Sam Adams about the program is available at www.heritage.tas.gov.au.

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

Coastal wireless Heritage Tasmania is re-assessing the locations CRH is the only station in Tasmania providing this and historical information for a number of places on service and covers the entire area south of the the Tasmanian Heritage Register. Several little Victorian, South Australian and New South Wales gems have been unearthed, including the Coastal borders, to 300 nautical miles south of Tasmania. Wireless Station on the Queens Domain in Hobart. From the Domain, broadcasts are transmitted to As part of the Federal Government’s response to Mount Nelson, and from there to remote stations international relations and maritime safety issues, a around the State, including Bruny, Maria, Flinders network of wireless stations was constructed and Maatsuyker islands. around the country in 1912 to enable ship-to-shore It is wonderful to see a heritage listed property communication. The Melbourne, Hobart and continuing a service so long established with the Macquarie Island stations were the first to be site. To learn more about Coast Radio Hobart, or to erected, followed by Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, register your vessel, go to: Adelaide and Antarctica. www.coastradiohobart.com.au The Antarctic Mainland station made its first distant Submitted by Renee Allwright, Research Officer, Heritage Tasmania contact with Macquarie Island on 25 September Passing of a West Coast advocate 1912 and the Antarctic, Macquarie Island and Hobart stations connected Dr Mawson's Staff members at Heritage Tasmania were Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914) with saddened to learn of the recent passing of West the rest of the world. During World Wars I and II, Coast Mayor Darryl Gerrity. Hobart’s Coastal Wireless Station was taken over Mr Gerrity was a strong advocate for heritage on by the Australian Navy for coastal monitoring and the West Coast, recognising both its importance to defence. Sentries stood on guard and barbed wire the community and economic potential. entanglements were placed all around the building. Mr Gerrity was closely involved in the heritage According to The Mercury, 23 December 1926, assessment of one of the oldest operating hydro- ‘exciting stories’ of the period include sentries being electric schemes in , the Lake Margaret shot at in the darkness and even attempts by spies Power Scheme, that led to its entry on the Heritage to blow up the mast. Register in 2007. Concurrent with the listing, he A marine radio service has operated from this site successfully lobbied Hydro Tasmania for its since its establishment, and it is now run by Coast refurbishment and retention as an active scheme. Radio Hobart (CRH). CRH is a volunteer He was subsequently active in promoting the organisation established in 1976 which provides a adaptive reuse of the small village at Lake marine safety service including weather broadcasts Margaret as accommodation for tourists or and monitoring short and long range distress and educational groups. calling channels. In recent years he assisted with the listing of the gravel football oval at Queenstown which received national media attention. In his inimitable style, commenting on tourist visits to the sporting facility, Mr Gerrity joked to the ABC that the West Coast Council was selling a unique souvenir: “We sell four tonnes a year of gravel off the oval.” The Queenstown Oval was entered in the Tasmanian Heritage Register in 2011. Daryl Gerrity’s contribution to public life will be sorely missed by the members of the Tasmanian Heritage Council and all at Heritage Tasmania. Submitted by David Scott, Registration Manager and Kim Simpson, Research Officer, Heritage Tasmania. The Coastal Wireless Station, Queens Domain. Photo: Renee Allwright Heritage Bulletin: October 2013 2

New phone numbers Heritage Tasmania and the Tasmanian Heritage Council congratulate the Hobart City Council on Heritage Tasmania has changed this initiative. all its landline phone numbers. This is part of a wider project Bridge disaster sculpture transcends which will see all Tasmanian Government numbers tragedy changed. Earlier this month Clarence Mayor, Doug Chipman, You can still call us on 1300 850 332 (for the cost officially unveiled a new sculpture to commemorate of a local call) or 6165 3700 in Hobart and 6777 the disaster and the long-term 2071 in Launceston. consequences of the disaster for the eastern shore Mobile phone numbers and emails remain the and the community of Clarence. same. Importantly, the sculpture is more than a memorial of disaster, visually realising hope and growth via TMAG wins heritage award three central themes; disaster, resilience and recovery. The sculpture also draws the eye directly The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) to the span of road that collapsed into the Derwent has won the non-residential building category of the River at 9.27pm on Sunday 5 January 1975. inaugural City of Hobart Council Heritage Awards. This is a tremendous achievement by the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and is a reward for the huge effort undertaken by so many to create the newly re-developed museum. A commendation in the same category was awarded to the University of Tasmania for its refurbishment of the former Electrical Engineering Building on the Domain (now the School of Nursing and Midwifery).

The bridge disaster sculpture. Photo: Pete Smith

The sculpture is designed by Kelly Eijdenberg and Travis Tiddy of Poco People, and expertly realised in steel by Derwent Valley Engineering.

The installation of the sculpture is the final statement in a project that included an enormously popular Bridge Disaster exhibition held at the Rosny Barn, which included rarely-seen memorabilia and specially recorded oral histories. The oral histories are available on the Clarence City Council website, and enable a very personal Project Manager of the TMAG re-development, Jennifer Storer, and experience of these momentous events. Director Bill Bleathman show the award. Image courtesy TMAG. Both of these places feature in the year’s Open Congratulations to Clarence City Council and all Doors program. those involved in planning, delivering and funding this important series of events to mark a more This is the first time the Awards have been held. No recent page in Tasmania’s history. award was made in the Residential category. Hobart Lord Mayor Damon Thomas said: “The City Submitted by Pete Smith, Director, Heritage Tasmania of Hobart Heritage Awards marks what we hope will be the beginning of a new chapter in the recognition and celebration of the city’s heritage.” Heritage Bulletin: October 2013 3

Entally historic site for lease The Expression of Interest document is available by contacting Parks and Wildlife Service Tourism Private operators will soon have an opportunity to Services Manager, Jen Fry, at lease the Entally historic site at Hadspen. [email protected]. The closing date for The Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage, Expressions of Interest is Friday, 8 November Brian Wightman, said that the State Government 2013. had taken the decision to offer the property for Expressions of interest sought for lease as part of a recent review of Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) facilities and services. Penitentiary Project “The property is on the Tasmanian Heritage The Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority Register and, as such, will continue to be afforded (PAHSMA) is seeking formal expressions of statutory protection, regardless of who leases the interest (EOIs) from construction companies property,” Mr Wightman said. “The lease interested in undertaking a major program of agreement will also provide stewardship of the conservation works at the emblematic Penitentiary property into the future.” at the Port Arthur Historic Site. Mr Wightman said that there are a number of The works are being undertaken to ensure the examples in Tasmania where a private operation has resulted in the renovation and ongoing ongoing structural stability of the Penitentiary. maintenance of the property, retention of its Engineering surveys have indicated that the ruins heritage values and the property is still available to are vulnerable, particularly to forces of high winds. the public through guided tours and open days. Following the assessment of EOIs a shortlist of “I would like to acknowledge the incredible responders will be invited to tender for the project. contribution that a dedicated group of volunteers, The procurement process will adhere to the and the Youth Futures organisation, have made to the site’s operation and maintenance of its beautiful guidelines contained in the Treasurer’s Instructions gardens over many years,” he said. for Tasmanian Government procurement, with some exceptions due to some State Government “As part of the requirement for the lease, the processes that are not available to PAHSMA as a existing arrangements are ensured for Youth Futures. I would also like to assure those Government Business Enterprise. The details of volunteers and the community that the site will the process are provided in the Request for continue to be afforded protection through existing Expression of Interest (REOI) documentation heritage protection legislation. available from the PAHSMA website at www.portarthur.org.au/REOI Advertisements seeking expressions of interest will be published in the Mercury, Examiner and Advocate newspapers on Saturday 26 October. Port Arthur’s Penitentiary was once the biggest building in Tasmania and today is the most photographed structure of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site. Initially built as a flour mill and granary, it was constructed as a timber-framed building with a brick and stone ‘skin’ and later converted to a penitentiary. Entally House is now available for lease. Photo: Parks and Wildlife Service Bushfires in the 1890s destroyed the timber frame, leaving the walls as self-supporting ruins. “The State Government will also work with the successful proponent to ensure opportunities for Further information and documentation is available public access and for the ongoing involvement of at www.portarthur.org.au/REOI volunteers.”

Mr Wightman said that when the Expression of Interest process is completed, the management, maintenance and security of the site will continue to be overseen by the PWS. Heritage Bulletin: October 2013 4

Tasmanian Heritage Council annual report The program provides grants of up to $1,000 to The Tasmanian Heritage Council annual report for assist the co-ordinator to meet expenses 2012-13 is now complete. It is available for associated with delivering the training (for instance download from our website at management fees, accommodation, venue costs www.heritage.tas.gov.au and promotion). For further information contact the Hydro newsletter TBCITB on 6223 7804 or [email protected] The latest edition of the Hydro Cultural Heritage Program Newsletter is available and includes stories about Lake Margaret, Tarraleah Museum, and the Pumphouse Point re-development. The newsletter can be found at http://www.hydro.com.au/about-us/publications/cultural- heritage

Grants

ANZAC Centenary Local Grants Program

Funding available from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 Grants up to $10,000 The ANZAC Centenary Local Grants Program will assist and encourage communities across Australia to undertake their own ANZAC Centenary projects that commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women in the First World War. Funding is provided through Federal Members of Parliament to support projects in their electorate commemorating the First World War.

The input of the local community is a key priority of this program, and each Member of the House of Representatives and representatives of the local community selected by them, will provide key input into the assessment of proposals against this priority. For further information visit http://www.anzaccentenary.gov.au/grants/

Heritage Skill Transfer: Assistance for training coordinators Tasmanian Building and Construction Industry Training Board Grants up to $1,000

The Tasmanian Building and Construction Industry Training Board (TBCITB) has developed a program to encourage the transfer of knowledge and skills from experienced practitioners in the heritage sector to the people working in the building and construction industry, particularly in relation to If you would like to contribute information, advertise an upcoming event, subscribe to receive this newsletter materials, techniques or strategies to repair, via email, or cancel your subscription, please contact conserve, renovate or maintain heritage buildings. Robyn Shaw, Communications Co-ordinator, on 6233 2067 or [email protected]

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