NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (NSW) CLASSIFICATION and CRITERIA RESEARCH , ISSUE ANALYSIS AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT for recommendation to The National Trust of Australia (NSW) Submitted as Part of the Requirements for the MASTER OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT (BUILDING CONSERVATION) The University of New South Wales Graduate School of the Built Environment Catherine Macarthur 1995 Graduate Project - Catherine Macanhur 1995 UNSW ational Trust of Australia (NSW) Classi tication and Criteria "I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a sub­ stantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of a university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgment is made in the text." Signed Catherine Rose Macarthur Graduate Project - Catherine Macarthur 1995 UNSW National Trust of Australia (NSW) Classification and Criteria NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (NSW) CLASSIFICATION and CRITERIA Research, Issue Analysis and Policy Development for recommendation to The National Trust of Australia (NSW) Page ABSTRACT 1 INTRODUCTION 2 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 5 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 6 DEFINITIONS and ABBREVIATIONS 7 PART A RESEARCH 11 1.0 Brief history of the National Trust of Australia (NSW) and the Register . 12 2.0 The Conservation Division of the National Trust of Australia (NSW) 20 3.0 Assessment Criteria - The Conservation Division Technical Committees 23 4.0 Assessment Criteria - National Trust Registers of Australia 31 . - 5.0 Assessment Criteria - Other heritage lists in NSW 38 PARTB ISSUES 46 Discussion of Issues and Recommendations 1.0 Should the Trust continue its classification role? 49 2.0 What should the Trust classify? 55 3.0 Criteria for classification by the Trust 78 4.0 Process for classification by the Trust 88 5.0 Recommendations 99 ATTACHMENTS for PART B BIBLIOGRAPHY PARTC POLICY The draft model policy on classification (stand alone document) Graduate Project - Catherine Macarthur 1995 UNSW National Trust of Australia (NSW) Classification and Criteria APPENDICES ASSESSMENT CRITERIA OF THE FOLLOWING; A UNESCO - World Heritage Listings B AHC - Register of the National Estate C State Heritage Inventory (NSW) - (proposed) - Heritage Council Register (NSW) - Section 170 Heritage and Conservation Registers - Heritage Studies - Local and Regional - LEP and REP Heritage Schedules D RAIA - 20th Century Buildings List (NSW) E National Trust and State/Territory Government i) NSW - Department of Urban Affairs and Planning ii) ACT - ACT (Planning and Environment) Act 1991, and ACT National Trust worked example iii) Vic - National Trust iv) Vic - Historic Buildings Council v) Qld - Queensland Heritage Act 1992 vi) Tas - National Trust vii) Tas - Historic Cultural Heritage Bill 1994 viii) WA - National Trust ix) WA - Heritage Council x) SA - Heritage Act 1993 Graduate Project - Catherine Macarthur 1995 UNSW National Trust of Australia (NSW) Classification and Criteria INTRODUCTION ABSTRACT This graduate project investigates the role, criteria and process for classification of heri­ tage items for placing on the National Trust of Australia (NSW) Register. The problems facing the Trust with regard to classification are associated with change, in regard to a more comprehensive understanding of heritage, more rigorous assessment expectations, establishment of other lists since the first Trust register was published, and a general reduction in the available volunteer work force since the 1970s and 1980s. The report is divided into three parts containing research, issues discussion and a draft policy on classification. Part A The research has been limited to the Australian National Trusts and State, Terri­ tory and Commonwealth legislative procedures. Other Registers in New South Wales have been considered. Part B Issues are discussed under the following four sub-headings (i) Should the Trust continue its classification role?, (ii) What should the Trust classify?, (iii) Criteria for classification by the Trust, and (iv) Process for classification by the Trust. Each issue is followed by recommendations leading towards a policy statement. Part C The draft model policy on classification is intended to be a stand alone docu­ ment. The Report concludes that the Trust should maintain its Register and continue to identify and assess heritage in New South Wales, as it is the only independent and comprehen­ sive state based heritage register in New South Wales. The Trust should also retain its existing committee structure, and establish work programs which seek to address heri­ tage places otherwise under-represented in the Trust Register, and those places not clearly the responsibility of a government authority. These places include Migrant, post­ contact Aboriginal and twentieth century heritage places. Specific attention should also be given to identifying the heritage of specific geographical areas of New South Wales and typological studies. Work programs will need to address the availability of the volunteer work force. In striving for consistency and minimising duplication of heritage resources, the Trust should use the State Heritage Inventory (SHI) Historical Themes and Evaluation Criteria, when formally adopted by the Minister of Urban Affairs and Planning. Should the State Heritage Inventory be established as an effective State Government managed heritage list, the question of the Trust classification role should be revisited. Appendices form an important part of the Report. Examples included in Parts A and B may require reference to the appendices. Graduate Project - Catherine Macarthur 1995 UNSW National Trust of Australia (NSW) Classification and Criteria INTRODUCTION 2 INTRODUCTION The Report investigates the role, criteria and process for classification of heritage items for placing on the National Trust of Australia (NSW) Register. The problems facing the Trust with regard to classification are associated with change, in regard to a more comprehensive understanding of heritage, more rigorous assessment expectations, establishment of other lists since the first Trust register was published, and a general reduction in the available volunteer work force since the 1970s and 1980s. Heritage Registers and Legislative Change It has been found that identification of heritage items and maintaining of a heritage regis­ ter or list, is currently undertaken by a number of government and non-government bodies. The National Trust of Australia (NSW) was the first heritage register in Australia being first published in 1967. The introduction of Federal and State heritage legislation in 1975 and 1977 respectively, and the subsequent New South Wales Heritage System Review in 1992 has resulted in greatly changed responsibilities for heritage management in New South Wales. Community and professional bodies have also established their own heritage lists. With the exception of the National Trust of Australia (South Australia), all National Trusts in Australia continue to actively maintain a register. A number of State and Territories governments have also recently established heritage registers. The New South Wales Department of Urban Affairs and Planning has stated that a State Heritage Inventory will be established, however it is not intended to be a register necessarily affording statutory protection. Part A outlines the nature of the above lists and relevant assessment criteria used. Until such time as the State Heritage Inventory is properly established and purpose clearly defined, the New South Wales Trust Register should be actively maintained as it is the only State based independent heritage register in New South Wales. Even when operational the State Heritage Inventory will be subject to political change in regard to management and funding, a fact which further supports the existence of an independent classification role for the New South Wales Trust. Part B discusses the reasons for the National Trust of Australia (NSW) continuing to maintain a Register and other related issues. Under Represented Heritage A number of sectors of heritage in New South Wales are identified in this report as being under represented in the Trust register. Of these, post-contact Aboriginal sites, migrant heritage places, and twentieth century places were highlighted as categories requiring greater Trust recognition. Typological heritage studies resulting in classifications will also continue to be a highly relevant activity for the Trust. Heritage Assessment Criteria Assessment Criteria for assessing heritage significance have been developed in detail at a State, Territory and National level over the past five years. Recently introduced heritage legislation in most States and Territories in Australia has generally incorporated assess­ ment criteria based on recent criteria development, and consequently a number of National Trusts have adopted the same or similar criteria for compatibility and con­ sistency. In many cases the State or Territory assessment criteria are a modified version of the assessment criteria established by the Australian Heritage Commission for the Graduate Project - Catherine Macarthur 1995 UNSW National Trust of Australia (NSW) Classification and Criteria INTRODUCTION 3 Register of the National Estate. In New South Wales the Heritage Act 1977 New South Wales was written before recent criteria development, and as such does not include