2010 is shaping up as a year of opportunities for Eveleigh Railway Heritage so please give some thought as to what you can contribute to make the best of the opportunities available.

Redfern Waterloo Heritage Taskforce (RWHT) – Terms of Reference

Redfern Waterloo Heritage Taskforce (RWHT) Call for Projects

ATP Conservation Management Plan (CMP) Input

ATP S170 Heritage Register Overview Report & Moveable Heritage at ATP

Redfern Waterloo Heritage Taskforce (RWHT) – Terms of Reference

As I reported in the last Heritage Update, the Minister for Redfern Waterloo has established a Redfern Waterloo Heritage Taskforce that will cover a range of heritage concerns including Railway Heritage at Eveleigh. The Terms of Reference of the new Taskforce have been released and you can read them in full on the REDWatch website Redfern Waterloo Heritage Task Force (RWHT) Terms of Reference.

The main scope of the Term of Reference is:

• Identify opportunities for appropriate and sustainable conservation, adaptive re-use, revitalisation and interpretation of cultural, natural and archaeological heritage in the Redfern Waterloo Area in both the short and long term.
• Identify opportunities to increase community awareness, understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the existing heritage and stimulate greater community initiative and participation in efforts to conserve it.
• Develop and foster links, synergies and networks between stakeholders including all levels of government, community groups, heritage experts, operators, volunteers and enthusiasts.
• Examine opportunities for heritage skills training and employment associated with heritage land uses in the area.
• Determine sustainable and appropriate treatment and techniques for interpretation of heritage in the Redfern Waterloo Area in association with tourism, educational and recreational uses in the wider Sydney and NSW region.
• Enhance wider public understanding of the history of the area and its significance to residents, workers and visitors and the fostering of active links with the community.
• Consider the existing planning and heritage controls and approved and proposed plans for revitalisation in the Redfern Waterloo area and identify opportunities for synergies between sites, organisations, community groups in the development of opportunities to increase appreciation and enjoyment of the existing heritage and public participation in conservation and interpretation. This will include consideration of the values and opportunities associated with both fixed and movable heritage as well as the intangible social and cultural associations.
• Identify, in consultation with the Heritage Office and experts, any additional areas of heritage and cultural significance in the Redfern Waterloo Area not already listed and/or adequately protected.
• Identify funding opportunities for the conduct of Heritage Projects identified and prioritised in accordance with the Terms of Reference for planning, conservation, interpretation, appreciation, reuse and education.
• The activities of the RWHT shall be the subject of a report to the Minister, at the end of 2010.

At the first meeting of the Taskforce it was decided to include a non-government heritage specialist on the Taskforce. Following discussions between Friends of Eveleigh, Wrought Artworks and 3801 Ltd, it has been decided to nominate ATP blacksmith Guido Gouverneur for the position.

The RWA is currently also looking for two Aboriginal representatives for the RWHT. The Expression of Interest for the Aboriginal positions can be found at Expression of Interest - Indigenous seat on Heritage Taskforce.

Redfern Waterloo Heritage Taskforce (RWHT) Call for Projects

The Redfern Waterloo Heritage Task Force has called for Expressions of Interest in Heritage Projects for 2010. To include a wide range of people and areas the RWHT has adopted a project and working party approach to try and achieve a broad and comprehensive treatment of the area’s diverse heritage.

This provides the opportunity for those concerned about Eveleigh Railway Heritage to propose projects which identify opportunities for the active conservation, interpretation and, where appropriate, the adaptive reuse of the heritage of the Redfern Waterloo area. The RWHT advertisement says:

If you have an interest in history and heritage matters and would like to contribute to the conservation of our heritage, you are invited, as an individual or as a working party, to nominate a Heritage Project.  

Individuals who wish to participate but do not wish to nominate a distinct Heritage Project should contact the Heritage Project Manager (details below) who will seek to match interests and skills with proposed Heritage Projects.

Heritage Projects will be assessed and approved by the Taskforce prior to their commencement. 

To be considered by the taskforce all Heritage Project nominations must address the selection criteria available at www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au (under community - heritage).

For further information contact Juliet Suich at the Redfern Waterloo Authority on  9202 9100 or by email at juliet.suich@rwa.nsw.gov.au  

Nominations close Thursday 25 February at 5 pm.

The full text and selection criteria can be found on REDWatch at Redfern Waterloo Heritage Taskforce - Call for 2010 Heritage Projects.

I have put together an draft overview of what some possible projects might look like to help people think about what they might like to propose or be involved in  - you can see it at RWHT Project possibilities - for discussion.

The RWHT and the projects it picks in 2010 provide our best chance for progress on heritage issues across the former Eveleigh Railyards – so I encourage you to think how this opportunity might be best used, and how you and your friends might be able to make the best of this opportunity for Eveleigh Heritage.

ATP Conservation Management Plan (CMP) Input

Godden Mackay Logan (GML) held a public information session / consultation on 7^th December 2009 as part of the revision of the Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the ATP site. GML is looking for feedback from people with an interest in the ATP site to inform its preparation of the new CMP. The new CMP will then be exhibited. They are especially interested in why people consider ATP to be significant and what tangible and intangible components of the site are important. The Australian Technology Park - Conservation Management Plan - Consultation Feedback Form (PDF 302Kb) provides details of the areas on which GML is specifically seeking input. The current 1996 CMP can be found at the bottom of www.atp.com.au/heritage-and-history.

Wendie & Guido have made available their comments to GML. You can see their comments under ATP - CMP Consultation Feedback from Wrought Artworks and this might give you some other ideas of what needs to be considered in the revised ATP CMP.

ATP S170 Heritage Register Overview Report & Moveable Heritage at ATP

Just before Christmas the ATP placed its S170 Register on its website at www.atp.com.au/atp-policies - it was previously could only be obtained from the Heritage Office if someone was aware of its existence. The ATP have also updated the S170 Overview report in December to correct some mistakes and update some information since it was prepared in 2008 and this now is also on the ATP website.

The ATP also issued a Heritage Public Statement (PDF 12KB) before Christmas 2009 putting on record the ATP’s commitment to Heritage. Those interested in the ATP site should keep an eye out for the expression of interest process mentioned in the last paragraph of the statement which said:

The ATPPML Board has also recognised the need to engage with the many committed people who have worked and been part of the ATP heritage at the railway yards over many years. To this end ATPPML will shortly be seeking expressions of interest from the heritage community to establish an ATP volunteer group to be part of the team directly engaged with the preservation and promotion of the heritage at the Park.