ANNUAL REPORT 2016–2017 Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 CONTENTS CONTENTS Acknowledgment of Country 2 APPENDICES 110 The Hon Don Harwin MLC From the Chairman 4 Minister for Resources, Minister for Energy and Utilities, From the Executive Director 5 Minister for the Arts, Vice-President of the Executive Council HHT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 133 Level 15, 52 Martin Place Highlights 2016–17 6 SYDNEY NSW 2000 Performance overview 8 Program supporters & partners 198 Our vision, mission, values and approach 10 Admission fees & contacts 200 Index 202 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 12 Corporate partners 204 Dear Minister Our museums 13 Picture credits 205 On behalf of the Board of Trustees and in accordance with the provisions of the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Endangered Houses Fund 21 Act 1984, the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 and the Public Finance and Audit Regulation 2015, we submit for presentation to Parliament the Annual Report of Sydney Living Museums under the statutory authority of the Historic Board of Trustees 23 Houses Trust of New South Wales for the year ending 30 June 2017. Senior management structure 28 SLM divisions 30 Yours sincerely Organisational chart 31 Volunteers 32 Foundation for the Historic Houses Trust of NSW 32 Strategic Plan development 33 Michael Rose AM Mark Goggin Chairman Executive Director FIVE PILLARS 34 Increasing visitation 34 Deepening engagement 52 Investing in our assets 72 Growing revenue streams 92 The Historic Houses Trust of NSW, SYDNEY LIVING MUSEUMS T 02 8239 2288 Investing in people and culture 100 incorporating Sydney Living Head Office F 02 8239 2299 Museums, cares for significant historic The Mint E [email protected] places, buildings, landscapes and 10 Macquarie Street TTY 02 8239 2377 collections. It is a statutory authority Sydney NSW 2000 (telephone for people of, and principally funded by, with hearing disabilities) the NSW Government. This report and all our programs are published on our website sydneylivingmuseums.com.au 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 INTRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY Our museums and places are on Aboriginal land. We acknowledge the First Nations Peoples, the traditional custodians, and we pay respect to the Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We understand and appreciate that Aboriginal peoples have deep and continuing cultural attachment to Country and are the rightful interpreters of their history and heritage. In this spirit, SLM values the diversity of Aboriginal connections to the places and landscapes we care for and is informed by the Aboriginal cultural heritage and identity that underpin SLM’s museums and places. This recognition guides the ways in which we create contemporary conversations and experiences at each of our sites. Darug culture rock painting by Muru Mittigar artist Rhiannon Wright displayed at the Eel Festival. Photo © James Horan for Sydney Living Museums 2 3 ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 INTRODUCTION FROM THE FROM THE CHAIRMAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Michael Rose am Mark Goggin The past year has been characterised by deepening tourists; the most popular cultural heritage activity is ‘to A focus of the past 12 months have been initiatives to position Key sites included Two International Towers, the EY Centre at engagement with our audiences and stronger connections visit history/heritage buildings, sites or monuments’. As SLM as a contemporary institution that offers unique, 200 George Street, Macquarie Bank’s offices at No 1 Martin with the precincts and communities in which our properties the Director-General of UNESCO remarked in a recent considered perspectives on the layers of our shared history. Place, the Calyx structure in the Royal Botanic Garden and an are located. Culture urban future summary, ‘tangible and intangible architect’s studio in the heritage-listed former woolstore on Two examples exemplify this. The Demolished Sydney heritage are integral parts of a city’s identity, creating a pier 8/9 at Walsh Bay. To mark the bicentenary of the NSW I am particularly proud of two of our activities highlighted exhibition at the Museum of Sydney invited reflection on the sense of belonging and cohesion’. We are keen to work with Government Architect’s Office and the Rum Hospital at The in this Annual Report. way in which building development and urban change have government and our cultural sector partners to enhance Mint, the program featured over 20 buildings designed and had regard for preserving buildings that document the city’s The first is the ongoing implementation of an Aboriginal Sydney’s identity and reputation. built by the Government Architect, from Francis Greenway’s mix of Georgian, Victorian, Art Deco, industrial and modernist Action Plan. This calls for our organisation to emphasise the St James’ Church of 1822 to the MCA’s Mordant Wing, The past year has seen the repositioning of SLM within the architecture. The ways in which we navigate the tension historic values of our properties and speak directly of the completed in 2012. NSW Government structure. In late January, coinciding with between renewal and the need to preserve heritage and Eora, Darug and Dharawal cultures and the landscapes the appointment of The Hon Don Harwin MLC as Minister character were brought to light through the revealing SLM has enhanced its reputation for diverse and high-quality in which they are built. At the core of the Plan are the for the Arts, SLM joined the State Cultural Institutions within content of this exhibition. learning programs. Of note is the completion of the two-year calendar of Aboriginal cultural events and an Aboriginal the Arts portfolio. Minister Harwin has shown a keen interest Unlocking Heritage pilot project, which assisted over 22,000 Advisory Committee, which helps us connect with Aboriginal The first event of SLM’s series Aboriginal Sydney Speaks in our activities and has been a visitor to a number of our primary school students to participate in a heritage learning people and communities in ways that are respectful of both reflected on Governor Bourke’s 1835 Proclamation, made properties and events. On behalf of the Trustees, I would program at our sites, either through a Travel Subsidy for those Aboriginal history and contemporary Aboriginal culture at the first Government House, now the site of the Museum like to express our appreciation to Minister Harwin and also from identified socioeconomically disadvantaged schools (see pages 66–7). The objective is to develop a deeper of Sydney. This was the first official document to assert the thank the Minister for Heritage and Environment, The Hon or a unique Convict Sleepover for schools from remote and understanding of the country in which our 12 properties are concept of terra nullius, which sat at the heart of British Mark Speakman SC MP, for his support and guidance while regional NSW. situated. In its second year, the cultural calendar of events occupation of Australia. SLM was part of his portfolio responsibilities. has seen new audiences engage with SLM and provided Intergenerational experiences designed to support shared A panel of leading Aboriginal academic and cultural leaders new opportunities for existing audiences to ‘experience a During the year we said farewell to two Trustees, Alastair learning were a feature of programs developed for children explored the legacy of Governor Bourke’s proclamation whole other life’. In the process, we have deepened our Baxter, who had brought great energy and expertise to the and families at the Justice & Police Museum. In the historic in engaging, moving and at times provocative ways, and own understanding of our sites and their significance. boards of both the Trust and our Foundation, and Professor courtroom, participants role-play the legal process to contributed to a larger interpretation project about the site Grace Karskens, who, as one of Australia’s leading historians, determine a person’s guilt or innocence, based on colourful The second aspect is the enhanced positioning of our of first Government House at the Museum of Sydney. added so much to the scholarship, intellectual integrity and cases from our criminal history. properties in the precincts in which they are located. Whether historical focus of our organisation. I would like to thank both Museums are uniquely placed to draw on collections, it be The Mint and the Hyde Park Barracks as part of convict- A particularly impressive outcome has been the quality of Al and Grace for their outstanding contributions and I look archives and libraries, exhibitions and programs to contribute era Macquarie Street; the Museum of Sydney on the site of staff engagement in workshops to develop the Strategic forward to their ongoing connections to SLM. fresh perspectives on contemporary issues. Our repositioning Sydney’s first Government House and a neighbour of the Plan for 2017–22. The extent to which staff from across the as Sydney Living Museums, which commenced in 2013, is now sandstone edifices of Bridge Street; or Rouse Hill estate, Finally, I express my appreciation for the work of the museums identify with the values and objectives outlined in realising the ambition to position us as a unique institution, capturing our early agricultural history in one of Sydney’s Executive Director, his Executive Team and the staff and the repositioning of SLM four years ago was notable. The Plan with multiple venues linked by the narrative of place that urban growth areas, each property is defined by a sense volunteers who have contributed to the many achievements provides the framework for effective collaboration across the informs each. of place. This sense of place is central to the narrative and of the past year. Their knowledge, passion and genuine organisation to conceive and deliver programs, and to foster experiences we offer at each site.