Challenges in the Landscape Memories of conserving historic heritage in the NSW park system 1967–2000 Disclaimer: The Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW has prepared this publication in good faith exercising all due care and attention, but no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the relevance, accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of this publication in respect of any particular user’s circumstances. Users of this publication should satisfy themselves concerning its application to, and where necessary seek expert advice in respect of, their situation. This publication was written by Caroline Ford. © State of NSW and the Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW. The Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW and the State of NSW are pleased to allow this material to be reproduced for educational or non-commercial purposes, provided the meaning is unchanged and its source is acknowledged. Aboriginal readers are warned that this publication contains the names and images of some Aboriginal people who are deceased. Published by: Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW 59-61 Goulburn Street PO Box A290 Sydney South 1232 Ph: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard) Ph: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests) Ph: 1300 361 967 (national parks information and publications requests) Fax: (02) 9995 5999 TTY: (02) 9211 4723 Email: [email protected] Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au Cover photo: Kinchega Woolshed, Kinchega National Park (Mike Cufer, DECC) ISBN 978 1 74232 334 3 DECC 2009/436 June 2009 Challenges in the Landscape Memories of conserving historic heritage in the NSW park system 1967–2000 NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change Acknowledgments This publication is the outcome of research by current and former DECC employees and consultants over an extended period of time. Sharon Veale did the initial research and managed the project in its early stages, and Damian Lucas managed the oral history phase of the project. Gabrielle Werksman (nee Zilber) conducted archival research and Jennifer Cornwall conducted interviews with the present and former NPWS staff whose biographical chapters are in part two. Denis Byrne provided ongoing support and advice. This publication benefits from the feedback received from a number of DECC staff who reviewed earlier versions of this document and provided insightful comments. Thank you to Jason Ardler, Bronwyn Batten, John Beattie, Steve Brown, Helen Clemens, Bob Conroy, Russell Couch, Robert Goodman, Reece McDougall, Michael McFadyen, Katrina Stankowski and Natalie Vinton. Thank you also to those who provided images: Michelle Ballestrin, Megan Bowden, Jo Caldwell, Harry Creamer, Vanessa Duncan, Kay Elphick, Michelle Haines, Caroline Lawrance, Sonia Limeburner, Brett McLennan and Rosie Nicolai. We are particularly grateful to the nine present and former NPWS staff who agreed to be interviewed for this publication. Geoff Ashley, Neville Burkett, Eric Claussen, Denis Gojak, Alistair Henchman, Joan Kent, Ross McDonnell, Mike Pearson and Sharon Sullivan each provided honest and perceptive assessments of their experiences at NPWS, which form the basis of this publication. Each person generously reviewed and provided comment on early draft chapters and assisted in photo sourcing and identification. 2 Challenges in the Landscape: memories of conserving historic heritage in the NSW park system 1967–2000 Contents Acknowledgments 2 Abbreviations, acronyms and definitions 4 Foreword 6 Introduction 7 PART ONE: OVERVIEW 15 1.1 Origins: the NPWS and heritage principles 16 1.2 Management: the NPWS approach to historic heritage 29 1.3 Collection: Historic heritage in the park system 39 PART TWO: BIOGRAPHIES 51 The first NPWS heritage specialists 52 2.1 Sharon Sullivan 54 2.2 Michael Pearson 58 Regional and field perspectives 63 2.3 Alistair Henchman 65 2.4 Eric Claussen 69 2.5 Ross McDonnell 74 2.6 Neville Burkett 79 Historic Resources Unit 84 2.7 Geoff Ashley 86 2.8 Joan Kent 90 2.9 Denis Gojak 94 PART THREE: CASE STUDIES 99 3.1: Hill End 101 3.2: Royal National Park huts 111 3.3: Quarantine Station 124 3.4: Kosciuszko huts 132 Conclusions 142 Afterword 144 Bibliography 149 NPWS publications and unpublished reports 151 NPWS plans and strategies 152 Annual reports 153 Oral history 153 Appendix: NPWS corporate structures 154 3 Abbreviations, acronyms and definitions AHC Australian Heritage Commission AHIMS Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System AIAS Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies (replaced by Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) in 1989) Burra Charter Charter developed and adopted by Australia ICOMOS which establishes principles for the conservation of places of cultural significance. The charter was adopted in 1979 and revised in 1988 and 1999. CHD Cultural Heritage Division (NPWS from 2000), subsequently Culture and Heritage Division (DECC from 2007) CHSD Cultural Heritage Services Division (NPWS) 1995–99 conservation Used in this publication to refer to all the processes of looking after an item so as to retain its cultural significance. It includes maintenance and may, according to circumstances, include preservation, restoration, reconstruction and adaptation and will be commonly a combination of more than one of these. CRA Comprehensive Regional Assessment DEC Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) 2003–2007 DECC Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW from 2007 HAMP Heritage Asset Maintenance Program HARP Heritage Asset Revitalisation Program (replaced HAMP, 2009) HHIMS Historic Heritage Information Management System HHT Historic Houses Trust historic site Reserve established under the National Parks and Wildlife Act to protect and promote cultural heritage. A site may contain both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage. HRU Historic Resources Unit (NPWS) 1984–94 ICOMOS International Council on Monuments and Sites. The Australian branch is known as Australia ICOMOS KHA Kosciuszko Huts Association NPW Act National Parks and Wildlife Act 1967 and subsequently the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW) – also referred to as ‘the service’ in this publication and often by interviewees as ‘National Parks’. The NPWS ceased to exist as a separate agency in 2003 when it became part of the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). In 2007 this department became the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC). The NPWS is still used as a public brand for on-park activities and management and is used in this publication to refer to the on-park activities and polices of DEC and DECC as well as the earlier separate agency. park system The collective of protected lands in NSW which are, or have been, managed by the NPWS, including national parks, state recreation areas, state conservation areas, nature reserves, marine parks, Aboriginal areas and historic sites. It includes, where relevant, some designations, such as state parks, which are no longer managed by the NPWS. POM Plan of management RFA Regional Forest Agreement SHR State Heritage Register 4 Challenges in the Landscape: memories of conserving historic heritage in the NSW park system 1967–2000 [While creating national parks] as natural things, the service ended up getting, ironically, a huge significant collection of a heritage that talks about the sadness, the loss, the joy, the ordinary history of Australia that’s been picked up along the way coincidentally as part of creating national parks. 1 Geoff Ashley, interview with Jennifer Cornwall (Sydney: 18 November 2005) 5 Foreword The landscapes of the park system of New South Wales are cultural landscapes. They have been walked over, occupied, cared for, cultivated, transformed and imagined by Aboriginal people for thousands of years, and by settler Australians since 1788. Some parts of the reserve landscape contain physical traces of their former uses, in the form of modified vegetation, clearings, roads, pathways and built structures. Cultural heritage and natural heritage are interconnected and the management of all landscapes requires an integrated approach. Cultural heritage dating from after 1788 is generally referred to as ‘historic heritage’. Challenges in the landscape brings to life the experiences, memories and observations of nine NPWS employees who worked on the conservation of historic heritage between 1967 and 2000. They were among the specialists who demanded and guided the protection of historic heritage places, and the rangers and senior managers charged with the allocation of resources and on-the-ground management of these places. The insights of these staff members reveal the complexities in managing landscapes for both their natural and cultural heritage values. For contemporary and, no doubt, future park staff their stories provide a fascinating picture not only of how historic heritage was managed in the past but also of the principles and beliefs that underwrite park management. What follows does not attempt to be an authoritative history. Rather, it strives to recreate the atmosphere and challenges that formed the working environment of historic heritage staff in the first three decades of the agency’slife. We would like to thank those individuals who shared their thoughts, memories and experiences with us. Their honesty has enhanced a publication which encourages us to think critically about past, present and future management practices of