THE INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE of the CULTURAL VALUES of the AUSTRALIAN ALPS REPORT to the AALC Jane Lennon and Associates May 1999 CONTENTS CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................... 5 Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................. 8 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................11 2. EXISTING INFORMATION ON CULTURAL VALUES OF THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS NATIONAL PARKS ...................................................................................................................................12 2.1 Victoria:..............................................................................................................................................12 2. 2 New South Wales ..............................................................................................................................15 2.3 Australian Capital Territory ............................................................................................................16 2.4 Commonwealth of Australia.............................................................................................................16 2.5 Other...................................................................................................................................................17 2.6 Cultural Heritage Values in the Australian Context:.....................................................................17 Aesthetic value ......................................................................................................................................17 Historic value.........................................................................................................................................17 Scientific value ......................................................................................................................................18 Social value ...........................................................................................................................................18 2.7 Summary of Cultural Site Information ...........................................................................................19 3. CULTURAL THEMES, FEATURES AND ATTRIBUTES THAT DISTINGUISH THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS IN AN INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT..............................................................20 3.1 Historic Themes relating to the Australian Alps ............................................................................20 3. 2 Themes expressed in the Alps cultural landscapes ........................................................................21 3.3 National Estate values .......................................................................................................................23 3.4 World Heritage values.......................................................................................................................24 3.5 The Assessment of World Heritage Cultural Values......................................................................25 Outstanding universal value ..................................................................................................................25 Cultural Continuity................................................................................................................................26 Combined cultural and natural value.....................................................................................................27 Test of Authenticity...............................................................................................................................28 Is there evidence to apply the conceptual continuum argument to the Australian Alps? ......................30 3. 6 Are the Australian Alps of outstanding universal value? .............................................................31 4. CURRENT AUSTRALIAN THEMATIC METHODOLOGY FOR WORLD HERITAGE ASSESSMENT.............................................................................................................................................34 5. TOWARDS A NEW APPROACH TO THE ASSESSMENT OF INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CULTURAL VALUES OF THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS. ..........................36 Step A: Identify themes of outstanding universal value relating to cultural values in the Australian Alps ...........................................................................................................................................................36 1.Theme: Traditional human settlement and land use ...........................................................................37 • New sub-theme: Continuity of a seasonal land use pattern ...................................................................40 2. Theme: Artistic expression................................................................................................................41 3. Theme: Religious expression.............................................................................................................42 4. Theme: European expansion of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries ..........................................42 • New sub-theme: Transhumance. ...........................................................................................................44 • New sub-theme: Utilizing alpine resources- spoiling, restoring and improving....................................45 • New sub-theme: Scientific research in alpine areas ..............................................................................46 Step B: Identify Places in Alpine Areas Where Further Work Is Needed To Determine Whether They Are The Best Global Expressions Of The Themes Of Outstanding Universal Value ..............47 Step C: Determine, which of those places identified in Step B have integrity and authenticity and identify existing legal protection and management mechanisms.........................................................49 Step D: Evaluate the significant places selected in Step C by consideration of their global context, and identify those essential and/or integral to a theme of outstanding universal value. ...................50 Step E: Assess the places selected in Step D against World Heritage Convention definitions and criteria. .....................................................................................................................................................54 Summary:.................................................................................................................................................62 Conclusion:...............................................................................................................................................63 6. FURTHER RESEARCH ........................................................................................................................64 7. REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................66 8. TABLES ...............................................................................................................................................72 Table 1 – Victorian Historic Places Section Database for Alpine Parks ...................................................73 Table 2 – Register of the National Estate –listings for Alpine Areas ........................................................74 9. APPENDICES......................................................................................................................................75 Appendix 1: Australian Heritage Places Principles..............................................................................76 Appendix 2: Criteria for the inclusion of cultural properties in the World Heritage List (UNESCO 1999: Part C, paragraphs 23-42)................................................................................................................78 Appendix 3 – Global Themes and Sub-themes relevant to forested areas of Australia ....................84 Theme: Evolution of landforms, species and ecosystems under conditions of stress............................84 Theme: Climate Change and its impacts ...............................................................................................84 Theme: Traditional human settlement and land use ..............................................................................84 Theme: Artistic expression....................................................................................................................84 Theme: Religious expression.................................................................................................................84 Theme: European expansion of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries ..............................................84 A. Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Themes, Sub-themes and Potential Forested Places .....................85 Theme: Traditional Human settlement and land use .............................................................................85