Heritage NSW

The Singleton Watermills Archaeological Site and Moveable Heritage at Kurrajong, have been listed on the State Heritage Register. Built in the early 1800s by the Singleton brothers, this archaeological site has the remains of one of the earliest examples of watermills in NSW. Aboriginal cultural heritage is also present at the site, with evidence of travel found along little Wheeny Creek. This significant place has the potential to reveal more information about local Aboriginal culture, the and development of watermilling and associated trade and travel routes of the Hawkesbury region. You can see two surviving millstones from the site at nearby Kurrajong Memorial Park.

📸 Heritage NSW and Les Dollin

One of the earliest and most traumatic frontier conflict events between First Nations people and NSW’s colonial population, the Appin Massacre, has been recognised through a State Heritage Register listing.

The Appin Massacre Cultural Landscape encompasses topography and natural features that have sacred significance to the Dharawal traditional custodians and the Gundungarra people.

The heritage-listed site in Appin, in Sydney’s south west, recognises the truth of a past injustice where Dharawal and Gundungurra people were massacred by the British military at the command of Governor Lachlan Macquarie on 17 April 1816.

The State Heritage Register listing provides an opportunity for truth telling, healing and reconciliation. It reclaims First Nations history from the colonial story and ensures that these historical events of colonial Australia do not fade from the national memory. Protecting this landscape supports the continuation of cultural practices and community wellbeing for the local First Nations people.

📷 View northwest over Quarter Sessions Road. Credit Heritage NSW
📷 Ponds Creek valley from Mount Britain. Credit Heritage NSW
📷 View southeast from Gundungurra Clutural Route. Credit Heritage NSW

Blue Plaques NSW nominations are now open!

Know of an interesting event or noteworthy person in New South Wales? Blue Plaques NSW wants to hear from you!
Blue Plaques tell stories from our history that are interesting, fun, and quirky, along with more sombre stories that should not be forgotten.

To find out more please visit blueplaques.nsw.gov.au

Heritage NSW congratulates the first ever $1 million Activating State Heritage grant recipient. The State Heritage Listed Windy Station Woolshed made history on Wednesday at the inaugural Heritage PitchFest held at The Mint in Sydney.

Clare Lee, Manager of Agritourism at the Romani Pastoral Company, blew everyone away with their conservation and re-adaptation pitch for Windy Station Woolshed located in the Liverpool Plains region just south of Tamworth. They were the only regional finalist against four other worthy participants including Bondi Surf Club, Horsley Estate and the Corrimal Coke Works.

The four went head-to-head in front of a live audience of more than 1,300 people as well as the panel of expert judges. Afterward over 900 people voted online for the pitch they felt had the most merit.

Windy Station Woolshed’s proposal will soon start the process to conserve and re-adapt the site that will eventually be transformed into a multi-purpose events space, accessible for the entire community, both nationally and internationally.
We are looking forward to sharing more updates as the project progresses.

The Activating State Heritage Grant is one category of the $5 million in funding offered in the 2023-2025 Heritage Grant funding. For more information visit our website. Grants close 12pm on Friday 2nd December

📷 Grant Recipient Clare Lee, Manager of Agritourism at the Romani Pastoral Company with the judging panel (l to r) Dr. Caroline-Butler Bowden, Annie Tennant, Frank Howarth AM and Natalie Vinton
📷 Clare Lee and the judging panel in the courtyard of the Mint, Sydney, where PitchFest was held
📷 Frank Howarth AM opening the envelope
📷 Clare Lee and her husband reacting to the announcement
Photos by Tim Pascoe

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Heritage NSW Local Government heritage grant supports local governments to improve local heritage outcomes. The NSW Government is providing $25,000.00 to local councils who are best placed to understand their community and their connection to heritage. This year’s grant funding will offer local councils greater flexibility to meet the needs of their community as it combines several previously offered local government categories into a convenient single application.

Applications are closing soon! For more information, including guidelines and how to submit your application, head to the Heritage NSW website at http://ow.ly/RL4f50LEim2

Applications close at 12:00noon on Friday 2nd December 2022

There is only 1 week left to submit your applications for the 2023-25 Heritage Grants Program.

There are several categories, including Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, Caring for State Heritage, Community Heritage Grants and Local Government Heritage Grant. With more than $5 Million available to fund projects that engage the community with the unique heritage of NSW.

Applications are closing! http://ow.ly/R6YV50LLGRE

For more information, including guidelines, Frequently Asked Questions and how to submit your application, head to the Heritage NSW website at http://ow.ly/3HkS50LLGWf or call 02 9873 8500

Applications close at 12:00noon on Friday 2nd December 2022

Hear from one of our past grant recipients, The Australian Milling Museum, who received a Community Heritage grant.

The grant provided the funding needed for the museum to plan, create and deliver its first ever online virtual tour, as well as twelve education modules that support NSW and Australian curricula.

The education modules are pitched to primary school students in NSW to learn (from their classroom) about Australia's grain milling origins and history, including Aboriginal experiences 65,000 years ago, to colonial and nation-building contributions of economic, technological, social and cultural influence, to our present-day milling industry.

This project filled a major gap in community knowledge and understanding of NSW's (and more broadly Australia's) grain milling history and provided the ability to deliver a universally accessible virtual tour of Tremain’s Mill that will increase engagement and appreciation of this unique part of NSW heritage.

📷 Screenshots from Virtual Tour of Tremain’s Mill. Courtesy of Australian Milling Museum

Do you have a project which could benefit from a Heritage NSW grant?

Applications are open for the 2023-25 Heritage Grants round. For more information, and to apply head to our website -> http://ow.ly/ZF2V50LLuSf

Applications close 12:00pm Friday 2 December 2022

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Only 1 week left to book your FREE tickets to Heritage PitchFest!

The 4 shortlisted applicants, Bondi Surf Club, Corrimal Coke Works, Horsley Estate and Windy Station Woolshed will be pitching their ideas for heritage activation for their chance to be awarded $1million in matched funding. The finale will culminate in a vote by everyone in the audience, and those watching online, for the most worthy project.

Details:
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Date: Wednesday 30 November 2022
Location: The Mint Sydney, 10 Macquarie Street

Bookings are FREE and ESSENTIAL and can be reserved via the link in bio. When booking, please indicate if you will be attending the event in person or watching the live stream remotely.

For further information, please get in touch with the Heritage NSW Team via email
[email protected]

📷Bondi Surf Club Render - Lockhart Krause Architects - Doug and Wolf Visualisation
📷 Corrimal Coke Works - Legacy Property
📷Horseley Estate - Sam Kerfoot
📷Windy Woolshed - Romani Pastoral Company

Museums of History NSW Bondi Surf Club Corrimal Coke Works Windy Station Woolshed

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Hear from Scone Neighbourhood Resource Centre, a past recipient of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage grant.

The Scone Neighbourhood Centre utilised the grant funds to build on their highly successful 2020 NAIDOC week activity to host an interactive cultural art project for local students, facilitated by local Aboriginal artists and local Aunties.

The Centre engaged with a diverse group of people of all ages in their local community, to raise awareness of Aboriginal culture and artwork for our youth. The inter-generational setting enabled the artists and the local Aunties to share their stories and experiences with the students, all while creating amazing artwork and weaving.

The final artworks are on display at the Scone Neighbourhood Resource Centre.

📷 Students from kindergarten through to year 12 from local schools in the Upper Hunter participated in the art workshop, creating these beautiful pieces.
📷 Michelle Earl, faciltator of the workshops, painted the base and outline of the eagle. The students then came in and added their colours and ideas to create the works.
📷 Working under proud local aboriginal woman Michelle Earl students were provided a fantastic experience painting aboriginal art while listening to Michelle tell stories about her culture.
📷 One of three works created, Kangaroo
📷 One of three works created, Turtle
📷 One of three works created, Eagle
All images courtesy of Scone Neighbourhood Resource Centre

Do you have a project which could benefit from a Heritage NSW grant?
Applications are now open for the 2023-25 Heritage Grants round. For more information, and to apply head to our website -> http://ow.ly/bLOh50LJ9B2

Applications close 12:00pm Friday 2 December 2022

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Hear from recent grant recipient Curious Legends about how their project benefited from a NSW Heritage Community Engagement grant.

The project, known as the Onebygamba Project aimed to engage families to learn and participate in traditional culture in an appropriate way. The project worked to share and preserve the intangible cultural heritage of the Worimi Community, local to Newcastle.

A focal point of the project, Gimbay Gatigaan – meaning “Friendly Mudcrab” in the Katang language - was a large-scale outdoor production created with Worimi participants. Specifically targeting mainstream audiences, Curious Legends created unique feature puppets that were specific to Worimi cultural heritage (pictured). Curious Legends told us that the Worimi mob have started calling the LED-lit pelican “Spirit Bird” and have requested that this creation accompany them at cultural engagements.

Mitchell Reese, Artistic Director of the project, has said that, “Our job as storytellers has been to work with this community to share their stories with the wider community. Our hope is that through the Onebygamba Project, and the Gimbay Gatigaan performance, everyday Australians have been able to experience Worimi culture on a deeper level.”

📷 Auntie Theresa and Worimi dancers photographed by Mick Ross
📷 Vahid Roser (Curious Legends) and Worimi Dancers with Stingray photographed by Mick Ross
📷 Mitchell Reese (Curious Legends) and Pelican photographed by Mick Ross

Do you have a project which could benefit from a heritage grant?
We are currently accepting applications for the 2023-25 Heritage Grants round. For more information, and to apply head to our website -> http://ow.ly/osVN50LEajm

Grant applications close 12:00pm Friday 2 December 2022

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Don’t miss out!

The 2023-25 Heritage Grants Program has more than $5 million available for projects that will activate and celebrate heritage. There are several categories, including Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, Caring for State Heritage, Community Heritage Grants and Local Government Heritage Grant.

Applications are closing soon! For more information, including guidelines and how to submit your application, head to the Heritage NSW website at http://ow.ly/X2XI50LEiaR

Applications close at 12:00noon on Friday 2nd December 2022

The NSW Government will be hosting the first ever Heritage PitchFest event at 2pm on Wednesday 30 November at The Mint Sydney. Shortlisted applicants from all over NSW have been invited to pitch their best ideas on heritage activation for their chance in getting $1 million of grant funding. The finale will culminate in a vote by everyone in the audience, and those watching online, for their favourite pitch.

Details:
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Date: Wednesday 30 November 2022
Location: The Mint Sydney, 10 Macquarie Street

Bookings are FREE and ESSENTIAL and can be reserved via http://ow.ly/JW2q50LC0bb. When booking, please indicate if you will be attending the event in person or watching the live stream remotely.

For further information, please contact the Heritage NSW PitchFest Team via email [email protected]

When booking, please indicate if you will be attending the event in person or watching the live stream remotely.

She was a tireless champion for education 📚 Bessie Robinson, while managing the Victoria Hotel – now The Old Vic Inn – and raising four children, never stopped fighting until a public school opened for the kids of Canowindra. Nurse, teacher, publican, activist… she was known as ‘the mother of Canowindra’. Bessie Robinson’s story truly deserves to be recognised and celebrated through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/lJSo50Lg4Mo.
📷 Courtesy of the Rygate Family Collection

This is the kind of success story that could have inspired one of the movies played in his own cinema in Albury 📽️

When Betro Abicare arrived in Melbourne in the late 19th century, he had no other choice but to hit the road and hawk ‘fancy goods’ from farm to farm.

His hard work paid off and, after settling down in Albury, he established a successful draper’s business. He then built ‘The Big Store’, a two-storey building that took retail trade in Albury to new heights when it opened in 1912, and the Regent Theatre, which opened in 1927.

This inspiring figure of the Lebanese community is now celebrated and honoured through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/sXKL50Lg4y7.

📷 © Mark Abicare

The Little Company of Mary Sisters founded the Calvary Hospital in Wagga Wagga in 1930 🏥. The Little Company of Mary was founded in 1877 by Mary Potter when she was only 30 years old. In 1884, she was introduced to Sydney’s Archbishop, Patrick Francis Moran, who invited the order to establish a local congregation in Australia. It was an exemplar of 19th century Catholic women’s orders.

Putting community first, the Sisters focussed on praying for the sick and dying and providing practical assistance to people in need through their healthcare ministry. It is wonderful to see these selfless women celebrated and honoured through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/eEI250LtYBY
📷 Courtesy of Calvary Riverina Hospital archive

📢 Applications for the George Proudman Fellowship close on 11 November 2022 📢 Sponsored by the stone industry and NSW Government, the successful Fellow is awarded up to $12,000 towards individual skills enhancement for the benefit of heritage stonemasonry in Australia. The fellowshsip provides opportunities for a stonemason to travel overseas to gain experience that may not be readily available in Australia. See the webpage for eligibility and how to apply https://www.publicworks.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/the-george-proudman-fellowship-2023

George Proudman was a Master Mason of the NSW Department of Public Works in the 1970s and 1980s. George was instrumental in promoting, advocating and revitalising the craft of traditional stonemasonry in NSW.

📷 Daniel Just Photography/Shutterstock

Dr Charles Perkins dedicated his life to achieving civil rights and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

A proud Arrernte and Kalkadoon man, he was one of the first Aboriginal students to attend the University of Sydney. In 1965, he embarked on the ‘Freedom Ride’, a 15-day bus journey through regional NSW and changed Australia’s history for ever.

It is an immense privilege to be able to recognise and celebrate the story of Dr Charles Perkins through the NSW Blue Plaques program (link in bio)

📷 Courtesy of National Archives of Australia

“Go out and climb mountains” ⛰️

These are the words Professor Leech used to inspire and motivate his students at the University of Sydney.

And that’s what he did himself when he became engineer-in-charge of the newly formed Scientific Services Division of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme.

This great scientist was also involved in researching and testing the now universally used aviation black box.

He has been honoured and celebrated with a NSW Blue Plaque (link in bio).

📷 © Jan Freimanis

This is the story of an architect and a bishop who worked together to create an extraordinary building 🏡

When Sydney Linton became the first Anglican Bishop of Riverina in 1883, he quickly realised he needed the help of a great architect to build him a house adapted to the climate of Hay.

John Sulman, a renowned architect based in Sydney, designed Bishop’s Lodge to catch the breezes and counter the floods.

The flood-proofing of Bishop’s Lodge was put to the test in October 1891, when the river rose 25 feet above the summer level. Although the flood waters inundated half of the land around the house, it remained four feet above the floodwater.

Today Bishop’s Lodge is one of Hay’s main attractions, and I’m very happy to see the story of John Sulman and Bishop Sydney Linton celebrated through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/m3MN50Lg4HO.

📷 Courtesy of Bishop’s Lodge Historic House Collection

He’s considered by many the father of modern surfing 🏄‍♂️

Accomplished swimmer born in Hawaii in 1890, Duke Kahanamoku visited Australia in 1914 to perform sprint-swimming demonstrations.

He agreed to add a surfing demonstration to his itinerary and roused many locals to take up this sport relatively unknown outside Hawaii.

Today, his demonstrations on the Northern Beaches are widely credited with elevating surfing into one of Australia’s much-loved pastimes, as well as a successful professional sport.

I’m so happy to see this surfing legend celebrated and honoured through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/b4FE50LcKI0

📷 Courtesy of Northern Beaches Council Library Local Studies

Thanks to this man the heart will go on 💓

Dr Mark Cowley Lidwill invented the world’s first cardiac pacemaker after discovering electricity could be used to set the pace of the human heart. Since then, this miracle of medical technology has saved innumerable lives.

He migrated to Australia in 1894 and started his career as a general practitioner at Cook House, in Beecroft in Sydney’s northern suburbs.

This medical pioneer, who also invented a portable machine to induce anaesthesia, is honoured and celebrated with a NSW Blue Plaque http://ow.ly/4exc50L8LvJ.

📷 Courtesy of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians

More than 180 years old and still standing! 🌉

Is it fair to say that Lennox Bridge in Parramatta is the masterpiece of David Lennox, a bridge-builder and master stonemason who arrived in Australia in 1828?

Some would argue it may be the first Princes Bridge over the Yarra River in Melbourne. This was his largest bridge, featuring a stone arch spanning 46 metres.

As superintendent of bridges in NSW, then in Victoria, David Lennox built so many bridges, roads, and wharves throughout his career. Many of which are still standing.

Thank you Mr Lennox – it’s a pleasure to see your story celebrated and honoured through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/RzTu50L9O2Z.

📷 Courtesy of State Archives and Records Authority of New South Wales

Soon after World War I broke out in Europe, between 80 and 100 Camden women started gathering every Tuesday to support Australian troops abroad 🎖️

The Camden sewing circle’s output during World War I was remarkable. Altogether, they produced more than 20,300 articles in 40,000 volunteer hours during World War I.
When World War II was declared in 1939, branch members quickly reconvened. Between 1940 and 1946, the women of the Camden Red Cross made more than 25,000 articles in 45,000 hours of volunteering.

These amazing women are celebrated and honoured through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/KLcO50L5pJi.

📷 Courtesy of Camden Historical Society and Camden Library


Camden Council Camden Council Library Services

She wrote the only Australian children’s book to have remained continuously in print since its publication… in 1894! 📚

Ethel Turner was filled with dreams of becoming a novelist from an early age, and she found inspiration in the peaceful bushland of Killara, on Sydney’s Upper North Shore.

One of Australia’s few unquestioned children’s classics, Seven Little Australians has sold several million copies in English. It has been translated into at least 13 languages and adapted for film, television, and stage.

In 2019 the manuscript, held in the State Library of NSW, was placed on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register.

Ethel Turner is celebrated and honoured through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/AERY50L5pG4.

📷 © Peter Poole. Image courtesy of National Library of Australia

Big blue windows into the beyond 🎨

We are celebrating one of Australia’s most renowned artists of the 20th Century - Brett Whiteley 🖌 His artworks pay homage to the most famous harbour in the world – Sydney Harbour ⛴. The signature style of elongated lines, bodies and movement trails, as well as his love of aquamarine blue, make Whiteley’s works instantly recognisable🌊 His art will always be associated with the new era of modern techniques and seem to capture in vivid colour the true essence of the modern Australian landscape.

Award winning artist Brett Whiteley, is honoured and celebrated with a NSW Blue Plaque http://ow.ly/Yv2150L5pyR.

📷 ©William Yang. Image courtesy of National Library of Australia

Does the creator of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie need an introduction?

May Gibbs (1877-1969) is one of Australia’s greatest literary icons 📚 A contemporary of Miles Franklin, she included drawings of her famous gumnut babies on a series of postcards for the soldiers of World War I.

When she published the first release of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie in 1918, she was not expecting to sell 17,000 copies. Little did she know it was only the first of many successes in an amazing contribution to children’s literature.

She truly deserves to be celebrated and honoured through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/ZoLa50L5poT.

📷 Portrait of May Gibs c. 1916. Image Courtesy of National Library of Australia


May Gibbs' Nutcote May Gibbs

Thank you for your koala-ty contribution to one of Sydney’s greatest landmarks, Sir Hallstrom! 🐨

An apprentice cabinetmaker turned millionaire, the inventor of the ‘Silent Knight’ refrigerator was one of Taronga Zoo’s greatest benefactors.

In addition to his interest in the zoo, Sir Edward Hallstrom (1886-1970) made countless donations to a wide range of projects, especially for medical research. Large sums went to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for cardiac research.

He’ll be soon celebrated and honoured through the NSW Blue Plaques program http://ow.ly/BTmo50L5pc1.

📷 Sir Edward Hallstrom, with a Koala at Taronga Park Zoo - Courtesy of the National Archives of Australia

Aviation pioneer Nancy Bird Walton was awarded a commercial pilot’s licence at just 19 after deciding to learn to fly at only 15 years old. While her parents initially objected to her decision – she never took no for an answer!

The story of this extraordinary woman is being celebrated and recognised with a newly installed plaque in the mid north coast town of Kew through the NSW Blue Plaque program.

To find out more visit the Blue Plaques website https://blueplaques.nsw.gov.au/

📷 Courtesy of National Library of Australia

Heritage NSW is looking for talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to join our team to help protect, conserve and celebrate Aboriginal, environmental and built Heritage in NSW.
We have a mix of temporary and ongoing roles working from flexible locations across NSW (Regional and Metro).

Current Opportunities Available:
Policy - Director Policy & Strategy
Policy - EO10 Senior Policy Officer (Targeted)
Policy - EO9 Senior Policy Officer (Targeted)
Programs - EO10 Aboriginal Team Leader Heritage Programs
Programs - EO7 Aboriginal Heritage Officer
Aboriginal Business Support Officer
Aboriginal Manager Assessments
Aboriginal Senior Assessments Officer E10
Aboriginal Senior Assessments Officer E09 (Talent Pool)

Applications close Monday 24th October 11:55 pm.

We will be holding virtual information sessions on Monday 10th and Wednesday 19th October 2022
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
To register, contact Jordan Boney on M: 0447 058 127 or E: [email protected]

Looking for something different to do on the weekend?

Our friends at Sydney Living Museums are presenting Sydney Open.

On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 November, go behind the scenes at more than 50 of the most significant and inspiring buildings and spaces across the CBD and Greater Sydney.

Explore some of the newest and most innovative buildings in the city, such as the impressive Quay Quarter Tower, and rediscover heritage gems, including Government House and the Anzac Memorial. Join a guided Focus Tour to learn the secrets and stories of buildings and spaces across the CBD, in Parramatta and beyond.

Tickets are available now so book online today!
https://slm.is/sydney-open

📷 Quay Quarter Tower. Architect 3XN, developer AMP Capital, artwork Roof for stray thoughts (detail) by Olafur Eliasson. Photo © Brett Boardman for Sydney Living Museums

Only a week to go to get your expressions of interest in for the $1 million Activating State Heritage Grant!

This new grant is designed to promote and encourage public engagement with our State’s heritage by encouraging owners to invest in heritage activation. We are looking for applications which demonstrate a better use of space, engage the community in heritage, contribute to community wellbeing and support economic activity and vibrancy within our local areas.

The first stage of this process, submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI), closes 12:00pm Wednesday 5 October. So be sure to visit https://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/grants, and lodge your EOI before it’s too late!

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Curing country after the Black Summer Bushfires.

Earlier this month, Heritage NSW collaborated with the community and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to help revive a climate battered area – the Jounama Creek trail in Kosciuszko National Park, near Talbingo township. The area has been identified by the local Aboriginal community as an area of cultural significance.

During the devastating Black Summer bushfires in December 2019, a lightning strike set off a series of intense wildfires. Starting from the Ellerslie pine plantation, the fire spread and decimated a staggering 334,000 hectares of native Australian bushlands. This was more than 30% of the entire Kosciuszko National Park area.

The heavy rains that followed dealt a double blow to the lands. The fires had cleared out all the leaf litter and vegetation, meaning the soil wasn’t able to soak up the rains. Without this natural protection to slow its progress, the fast-flowing waters caused serious damage to Aboriginal stone artefacts in the area. These ancient cultural artefacts were washed out of their resting places and onto the Jounama Creek trail.

Recognising the seriousness of both the environmental and cultural impacts, Heritage NSW sourced 200 tree saplings. Heritage NSW coordinated a team to distribute the saplings, working to protect the site from further soil erosion.

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Heritage NSW & NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

📷 Shane Herrington/HeritageNSW & John Spencer/DPE