University of Wollongong Research Online Faculty of Social Sciences - Honours Theses University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2019 Maintaining Heritage: understanding the importance of shack maintenance practices within the Royal National Park coastal cabin communities Georgia Holloway Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/thss University of Wollongong Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorise you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of the author. 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For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] Maintaining Heritage: understanding the importance of shack maintenance practices within the Royal National Park coastal cabin communities Abstract Heritage management has made a shift toward recognising the ‘intangible’. However recent research argues that this shift is still fragmented by enduring philosophies of heritage as artefactual. Maintenance of heritage buildings, in particular, illustrates the debates around material (‘tangible’) or vernacular processes (‘intangible’) of management. This thesis explores the heritage management of three heritage listed coastal cabin (shack) communities within Sydney’s Royal National Park. Here cabin owners are faced with challenges of the extreme maritime environment and no road access, meaning that all maintenance materials are carried on foot. Yet official management of shacks is still largely based on the appearance of shack materials via an audit. The project aimed to understand how vernacular shack maintenance practices could be a form of heritage. Employing a mixed method approach, the study included semi-structure and walking interview with 12 shack owners. The results offer insights into heritage significance arising from practices and embodied actions. Through a non-representational framework attention is giving to the multiple meanings of shack maintenance practices. The findings highlight the significance of ernacularv maintenance practices, and suggest, with future research, a new management approach incorporating both the tangible and intangible is possible. Degree Type Thesis Degree Name Bachelor of Science (Honours) Department SGSC Advisor(s) Associate Professor Nicholas Gill Keywords heritage, maintenance, materials, material city, shacks, cabins, national park, conservation, management “Maintaining Heritage: understanding the importance of shack maintenance practices within the Royal National Park coastal cabin communities” Georgia Holloway Supervisor: Associate Professor Nicholas Gill A thesis submitted in part fulfilment of the requirement of the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science in the School of Geography and Sustainable Communities 2019 I Abstract Heritage management has made a shift toward recognising the ‘intangible’. However recent research argues that this shift is still fragmented by enduring philosophies of heritage as artefactual. Maintenance of heritage buildings, in particular, illustrates the debates around material (‘tangible’) or vernacular processes (‘intangible’) of management. This thesis explores the heritage management of three heritage listed coastal cabin (shack) communities within Sydney’s Royal National Park. Here cabin owners are faced with challenges of the extreme maritime environment and no road access, meaning that all maintenance materials are carried on foot. Yet official management of shacks is still largely based on the appearance of shack materials via an audit. The project aimed to understand how vernacular shack maintenance practices could be a form of heritage. Employing a mixed method approach, the study included semi-structure and walking interview with 12 shack owners. The results offer insights into heritage significance arising from practices and embodied actions. Through a non- representational framework attention is giving to the multiple meanings of shack maintenance practices. The findings highlight the significance of vernacular maintenance practices, and suggest, with future research, a new management approach incorporating both the tangible and intangible is possible. III In memory of my grandparents Fred and Molly Holloway, who thought they built a shack but instead made a home. And for my parents, whose efforts have kept the memories alive. Acknowledgement of Country I would like to acknowledge the Dharawal people as the Traditional owners of the land on which this research was conducted. I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of Australia, they have never ceded sovereignty. Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Nick Gill. Thank you for your patient guidance, constant encouragement and thoughtful advice. Your input has been immensely helpful in articulating what I could not. It has been a privilege working with you, thank you for accommodating my countless emails. Thank you to each of the 12 participants who contributed to this study, without your stories this thesis would not have been possible. I would like to express a special thank you to the Royal National Park Coastal Cabins Protection League; your support of this project has been invaluable. I am so grateful for the Little Garie, Era and Burning Palms communities who have provided such unique insights into shack life. I must also thank other staff members from the School of Geography and Sustainable Communities who were always willing to chat and answer my questions over the year: Jenny Atchison, Elyse Stanes, Chantel Carr, Laura Hammersley and Michael Adams. My interest in human geography is credited to the incredible passion and knowledge of the School staff. Thank you for always encouraging students. A big thank you to my fellow honour’s student Dom Pezzutto; your text messages of encouragement always came at the right times. Last but not least, I would like to thank my incredible family, friends and partner Chris whose endless support encouraged me throughout the year. Chris, thank you for sticking with me through three degrees. Special thanks go to Jason, Naomi, Anna and Georgia for rallying me to the library – the Pomodoro is finally off. IV Acronyms List NPWS – National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW – New South Wales OEH – Office of Environment and Heritage PL – Protection League (named changed to ‘Royal National Park Coastal Cabins Protection League’) PoM – Royal National Park, Heathcote National Park and Garrawarra State Recreation Area Plan of Management (2000) (NWS NPWS 2000) RNP – Royal National Park RNP CCPL – Royal National Park Coastal Cabins Protection League (name changed from the ‘Protection League’) RNPCCP – Royal National Park Cabins Conservation Plan (Draft) (Ashley 1994) SHR – State Heritage Register Notes - Participants refer to ‘lease’ and ‘license’ interchangeably in their responses throughout this thesis. It should be noted that shack owners have only ever held licenses for their cabins. - This thesis adopts the term ‘shack owners’ to refer to the people who maintain and use the shacks within the Royal National Park communities of Little Garie, Era, and Burning Palms. - Similarly, participants may refer to ‘owning’ their shack, it should be noted that within the current National Parks and Wildlife Service license shack owners are referred to as “the claimed owners of shacks” (NSW NPWS 2000; OEH 2019; RNP CCPL 2019). Ownership of shacks has not yet been determined by any court proceedings. - ‘Sic’ has been used where appropriate to clarify incorrect terms. V Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................... III Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. IV Acronyms List ......................................................................................................... V Notes .............................................................................................................................. V List of Figures ...................................................................................................... VIII List of Boxes .................................................................................................................. IX List of Tables ................................................................................................................