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Thanks are extended to the following people for their contribution to the Forum. The various speakers Russell Mullett, descendent of the Gunai/Kurnai of Gippsland Dr Jane Lennon, heritage consultant Ian Stapleton, Historian & Educator Dr Ruth Lawrence, Outdoor & Environmental Education, La Trobe University Bendigo Peter Jacobs, Alps Parks Victoria James Hackel, Parks Victoria Philip Ingamells, environmental educator Rob Kaufman, heritage consultant Discussion group coordinators James Hackel, Chris Smith, Catherine Bessant Kate Nelson Neville Wale John Hawker Helen Page Anne Sedgley Helen Martin Poster presentations Chris Smith and Anne Sedgley, Huts in the High Country Andrew Swift, In search of golden footprints Juliet Bird National Trust of Australia (Victoria) – presented by Bryn Davies Rod Atkins, Australian Alps National Parks www.hutsvictoria.org.au Forum rapporteur Peter Hiscock Forum Planning Committee Peter Hiscock Helen Martin Neville Wale John Hawker Anne Sedgley Forum Coordinator & report design Jane Andrews Sponsors Heritage Council, Heritage Victoria, Australian Alps National Parks, East Gippsland Shire Council, Parks Victoria Photographs Front cover photos supplied by: Anne Sedgley All other images and graphs thanks to individual authors (as specified) Special thanks to all the local support, especially the Omeo Historical Society, Mesley Restaurant, Old Country Kitchen, Golden Age Motel, Omeo Bakery and Blue Duck Inn Front images Bushwalkers walking east towards the Bluff, Victorian Alps Wallace’s Hut Omeo Court House Mt Feathertop from the south, from Hotham Table of contents Omeo Court House reception/tour ................................................................................................1 East Gippsland Shire & Omeo Historical Society ................................................................1 Day forum ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction to the Heritage of the High Country Forum......................................................2 Program ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Speakers..............................................................................................................................6 Aboriginal cultural heritage and meaning of landscape.......................................................8 Heritage on high, reflections on designating alpine heritage places..................................10 Colourful characters of the High Country...........................................................................20 Environmental history of the High Country ........................................................................24 Cultural heritage in the Alps...............................................................................................29 Alpine National Park Management Plan............................................................................40 Climate change and Victoria’s Alpine National Park..........................................................45 Poster presentations ................................................................................................................... 51 Huts in the High Country – heritage under threat ..............................................................51 In search of golden footprints ............................................................................................52 National Trust of Australia (Victoria)..................................................................................53 Strategic Directions for the Australian Alps national parks................................................57 Victorian High Country Huts Association...........................................................................60 After dinner speaker.................................................................................................................... 61 Gold & landscapes – a ramble...........................................................................................61 Workshops .................................................................................................................................. 63 Summary ...........................................................................................................................63 1. Greater Alpine Parks Management Plan Review - a chance to have your say ...65 2. Tourism and recreation........................................................................................65 3. Cultural Heritage: The tangible contributions to our alpine heritage of recreational use (walking, skiing), grazing, mining and hydro power...................66 4. Education and interpretation................................................................................69 5. Natural heritage and landscape...........................................................................70 Omeo – a distinctive heritage ............................................................................................71 Omeo Justice Precinct.......................................................................................................72 Walk up Day Avenue .........................................................................................................74 Self-drive tour.............................................................................................................................. 76 Heritage of the Bogong High Plains, Saturday 16 May 2009 ............................................76 Report on the driving tour of the heritage of the High Country ..........................................81 Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the Heritage Council of Victoria does not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Heritage Council of Victoria or the Victorian Government. © Heritage Council of Victoria, 2009. This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Copyright for all images and graphs is vested in the speaker (author) unless otherwise stated. Permission to use them should be sought from the speaker (author). Published by the Heritage Council of Victoria P O Box 2392, Melbourne 3001 November 2009 Also published on www.heritage.vic.gov.au 978 0 9806217 5 4 – print 978 0 9806217 6 1 – online 978 0 9806217 7 8 – CD-ROM Heritage of the High Country Forum, 15 May 2009 Heritage Council of Victoria, www.heritage.vic.gov.au R OMEO COURT HOUSE RECEPTION/TOUR East Gippsland Shire & Omeo Historical Society Helen Martin, Planner & member of the Heritage Council E The Forum began on the evening of 14 May with a reception hosted by the Omeo Historical Society and East Gippsland Shire. This took place in the wonderful ‘new’ Court House (1893) – designed by Government architect A. J. Macdonald – warmed by a magnificent fire and, as time went on, by increasingly animated conversations. Councillor Trudy Anderson, on behalf of East Gippsland Shire and as a local (Benambra) resident, welcomed all the forum delegates. Graeme Deveson, President of OHS, outlined the history ofC the Omeo Justice Precinct, which is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. Neville Wale, for the Heritage Council and the Landscape Advisory Committee, thanked the two organisations for their hospitality and described the programme for the next two days. After an opportunity to view the historic displays and the court records stored in the new Court House, OHS members Graeme Deveson and Jeff Cooper took delegates on a guided tour of the whole precinct. This includes the 1862 Court House (Alfred Howitt, as Police Magistrate, onceE inhabited the rear two rooms), a log gaol and attached police cookhouse, a police house and police stables. The VHR statement of significance describes it as ‘the most intact example of a 19th Century police and court complex known to survive in Victoria’. Even though it was a ‘brisk’ Omeo night, tour participants enjoyed exploring its attractions. Brett Lee, another OHS member, entertained those of the party who preferred to remain by theP fire, sharing his immense knowledge of the history of the Omeo district. T I O N 15 May 2009 1 F DAY FORUM Introduction to the Heritage of the High Country Forum ONeville Wale, Chair of the Landscape Advisory Committee, Heritage Council of Victoria Welcome to this the sixth annual Landscape Forum on Cultural Landscapes of the Landscape Advisory Committee of the Heritage Council. The Heritage Council is set up under the Heritage Act to advise the Minister and is responsible for the Victorian Heritage Register which lists post contact or non indigenous cultural heritage places of State significance. These places include buildings, shipwrecks, designed landscapes such as botanic gardens and avenues of honour, and some broad-scale landscapes such as Tower Hill and Bells Beach. R The program began last night with the function hosted by East Gippsland Shire and the Omeo Historical Society at the Court House in Day Avenue. I am sure all who participated would wish me to express our thanks