EXHIBITIONS, EVENTSANDMORE BUILDING –THEFUTURE CHIEF SECRETARY’S TRUST CAN HELPTHE NATIONAL YOU FIVE WAYS AWARDS TRUSTHERITAGE WINNERS: NATIONAL IN THIS ISSUE: 2018 NOVEMBER – AUGUST SPRING: NATIONAL TRUST NSW NATIONAL MAGAZINE TRUST NSW NATIONAL TRUST MAGAZINE From the President The National Trust of Australia (NSW) Observatory Hill, Millers Point, Sydney 2000 3 BRIAN POWYER GPO Box 518, Sydney 2001 Telephone: (02) 9258 0123 Dear Members, Fax: (02) 9251 1110 The National Trust has a proud record of raising awareness of the value of www.nationaltrust.org.au/nsw heritage, galvanising action to protect it and encouraging the development of President: Brian Powyer CEO: best practice in conservation. Debbie Mills Editor: Angela le Sueur An important aspect of this is the annual National Trust Awards, now Design: Stephen Smedley, Tonto Design nationally recognised as a means of promoting and celebrating all aspects of Editorial Committee: Debbie Mills, Angela le heritage conservation, management and education. This year’s Awards were Sueur, Tara Cheesman, Graham Quint, Anne an outstanding demonstration of excellence and commitment to the care of Weinman The National Trust (NSW) Magazine is published by heritage of all kinds, across a wide diversity of projects undertaken by The National Trust of Australia (NSW). Published individuals, communities, professionals and governments throughout New articles reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Trust. South Wales. We highlight winning entries in this magazine, but to see more and appreciate the full scope of submissions received I recommend that you visit our website – www.nationaltrust.org.au/heritage-awards-nsw-2018. Highlights such as this are a reminder of how integral heritage is to our understanding of self, community and country. By enriching our sense of who we are today, heritage contributes directly to how we shape the future. The National Trust is committed to the preservation, care and enjoyment of all aspects of heritage – built, environmental and cultural, but our responsibilities are immense and our resources severely limited. The Trust is so fortunate that you, our members, understand the need to support our work either through financial donations or/and by giving your time. For much of our heritage, time is running out, and your ongoing support is needed more than ever. A shining example of what can be achieved has been the response by members to our recent, urgent appeal for financial assistance to arrest severe SPRING: AUGUST – NOVEMBER 2018 NOVEMBER – AUGUST SPRING: National Trust structural problems at the 1834 Miss Traill’s House in Bathurst, our priority NSW among many urgent restoration projects. The property received invaluable support from the Central West National Trust Open House Committee which, with a further donation from Bathurst Local Council, raised $55,000 to get the project well underway. Over 800 members have since added their Please join our cause too! support with a tax deductible gift. For more ways NATIONAL TRUST MAGAZINE in which you can provide direct help for this and other urgent needs, please turn to our article on page 8. I leave you with the sentiment expressed by a member who recently donated to one of our appeals. In doing so he shared with us that he was legally blind and, to him, the work and experiences offered by the Trust went IN THIS ISSUE: WINNERS: NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS beyond the visual representation of the past. Going beyond what the eye FIVE WAYS YOU CAN HELP THE NATIONAL TRUST CHIEF SECRETARY’S BUILDING – THE FUTURE EXHIBITIONS, EVENTS AND MORE could see, he said he felt an inner sense of place, identity and belonging. FRONT COVER INTERLOOP SIGN UP NOW AND RECEIVE THE LATEST E-NEWS FROM An installation created by architect/ THE NATIONAL TRUST (NSW) artist Chris Fox Get the latest information for all of the National Trust (NSW)’s Winner – Judges’ Choice, 2018 NSW upcoming events, holidays, tours and special member offers. National Trust Heritage Awards The futuristic interpretation of the It’s really simple – all you have to do is visit nationaltrust.org.au/ recently replaced 1931 timber enews-nsw/ and fill in the form provided. If you want to become a escalators from Wynyard Station is member of the National Trust (NSW), email us at membership@ reminiscent of eight decades of daily nationaltrust.com.au travel through this central Sydney We look forward to sharing with you the stories that matter and the railway station, while designed to take many benefits of your membership. those passing beneath beyond the everyday. For more information see The National Trust (NSW) is committed to protecting your privacy. page 6. Photo: Chris Fox 2 SPRING: AUGUST – NOVEMBER 2018 From the CEO 3 DEBBIE MILLS To our valued members and supporters A core commitment of The National Trust (NSW) is to • The Four in Hand Hotel: Located at 105 advocate on conservation issues. Directed by Graham Sutherland Street, Paddington, the hotel is one of Quint, our Conservation Department works to protect Paddington’s Victorian period public houses built important heritage, whether it be significant buildings by Heinrich Gottfried Theodore Dorhauer. Since and places threatened by demolition or damage, or 1878, the hotel has had a role in the social life of historic precincts and sites whose integrity is at risk due Paddington and the Sydney community, providing to development and other changes. 140 years of service to patrons. Significance can be defined in many ways: the built • The award-winning artwork INTERLOOP: read structure; events that occurred there; environmental more about this on page 6. biodiversity, or the social or cultural importance of a place. With the support of our committees and The National Trust (NSW) also listed the Sirius Building volunteers our efforts, when successful, frequently go in The Rocks, Sydney, on its Register and then beyond the removal of a current threat, to establish nominated the building for State Heritage Register ways of providing longer term protection. Listing. The nomination was recommended for listing Our first step in this process is the research that by the Heritage Council of NSW to the Minister for forms the basis for a listing on the National Trust Heritage, who decided not to list the building on the Register. This non-statutory Register of important State Heritage Register. places is regarded as an authoritative statement on the Our Business Plan has us focused on reviewing historical, social, scientific or aesthetic values of a place. listings from the 1950s through to the 1980s, and It is invaluable as a means of progressing heritage expanding our information resource. We have protection to statutory local government or State developed a database to digitise the listings. That Heritage Register listings. said, we have over 11,500 listings – so this project will Recent successes include the listing of Cliefden Caves take time. near Cowra, which now has State Heritage Register The listings are vital to our conservation campaigns, Listing. In recent months, we have worked extensively one of which you can read more about on page 4. To on our National Trust listings for: receive monthly updates on our advocacy work, see page 2 for details on subscribing to our e-News. • Lucy Osburn-Nightingale Museum: The Nightingale Wing is the oldest building standing On a recent holiday in Hawaii, I within Sydney Hospital, containing the oldest visited Aliiolani Hale in Honolulu, nursing school in Australia and collections of vital former seat of government of the research material. Kingdom of Hawaii. It was designed by Thomas Rowe, an extremely prolific Australian architect whose legacy here includes the Sydney Hospital in Macquarie Street, and the Great Synagogue in Elizabeth Street. NATIONAL TRUST (NSW) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of National Trust (NSW) members will be held from 3:30pm – 5pm on Saturday 24 November 2018 in the S.H. Ervin Gallery, Observatory Hill, Sydney. BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION 2018 Members interested in nominating people for election to the National Trust (NSW) Board of Directors should first obtain an information pack and read the requirements carefully before returning a nomination. To obtain a pack, email [email protected] or telephone (02) 9258 0152. Candidates must be financial members. Nominations must be received by the National Trust (NSW) Office by 5pm, 7 September 2018. SUBMIT YOUR MOTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION Members are welcome to submit motions for consideration at the AGM. Motions must be received by the National Trust (NSW) Office at least 42 days before the AGM, be signed by the member and seconded by another member. Other matters for discussion must be outlined in writing, signed by a member and received by the National Trust Office at least seven days before the meeting. Please contact [email protected] or telephone (02) 9258 0152 if you have any queries. 3 NSW NATIONAL TRUST MAGAZINE TRUST ACTION Chief Secretary’s Building – future unknown 3 BY GRAHAM QUINT, DIRECTOR, CONSERVATION An announcement by the State Government that the last tenant in Sydney’s Chief Secretary’s Building is to move out casts a shadow over the future of the building. Chief Secretary’s Building, designed by James Barnet and constructed 1873–1880, with the fifth floor and dome added by Walter Liberty Vernon in the 1890s. he imposing 1873 Chief Secretary’s insertion of functional, modern spaces, within International Exhibition in 1879, the Chief Building, constructed in the Victorian the skeleton of Barnet’s sumptuous creation. Secretary’s Building was in its final stages of TFree Classical style on the corner of The internal finishes and external fabric have construction. Although nothing came of an Bridge and Macquarie Streets, Sydney, has now been painstakingly repaired and restored by early suggestion to use the building as an ceased to have a State Government function for craftspeople who have matched the expertise adjunct venue, it became one of the most the first time in 140 years.