heritage management strategy 2003 - parks...

H E R I T A G E M A N A G E M E N T S T R A T E G Y

heritage

J U N E2 0 0 3

This strategy has been approved by the Parks Victoria Board for implementation. Its purpose is to set directionsfor Parks Victoria for the management of the heritage places for which it is responsible. The strategy is based on a consultant’s report, which reviewed Parks Victoria’s Heritage Estate and the relationship between the organisation and other heritage managers. The strategy has been developed with input from Parks Victoria staff and the following stakeholders: Heritage Victoria, Department of Sustainability & Environment, National Trust of Australia (Victoria), Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Australia ICOMOS, Shire of Mt Alexander and Victorian National Parks Association.

Further informationFor information on heritage places managed by Parks Victoria please refer to the Park Victoria website at www.parkweb.vic.gov.au

DisclaimerParks Victoria does not guarantee that this strategy is without flaw of any kind and therefore it disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequences, which may arise from relying on any information in this document.

HERITAGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

JUNE 2003

2 Parks Victoria Heritage Management Strategy

Published in June 2003 by Parks VictoriaLevel 10, 535 Bourke Street Melbourne, Victoria 3000

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Parks VictoriaHeritage Management Strategy

Bibliography.ISBN 07311 8333 9

Cover photographs (back left to front right): State Battery Maldon HR, Memorial Port Campbell NP, Werribee Park Mansion, Timber patterns for casting water wheel hub Andersons Mill HR, Wallace’s Hut Alpine NP, Padlock on Court House Steiglitz HP, Lighthouse Wilsons Promontory NP, Quartz roasting kilns North British Mine Maldon HR

Parks Victoria Heritage Management Strategy

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FOREWORD

Parks and reserves managed by Parks Victoria cover 16% of the State, and contain perhaps the largest and most diverse collection of heritage places and objects in the State. This largely park- based collection includes well known places such as Werribee Park and the Dandenong Ranges Gardens as well as significant groups of places representing key aspects of Victoria’s history. These groups of places reflect the key historic themes of mining, coastal shipping, early European settlement of the Port Phillip area, accessing the State’s natural treasures for scientific, recreation or tourism pursuits, defending Colonial Victoria and living in remote areas such as the Australian alps.

In fulfilling its stewardship role of sustainably managing these historic places on behalf of the community, Parks Victoria has developed this strategy to spell out its heritage management direction as much for internal use as to inform other agencies, organisations and the wider community.

The Parks Victoria Heritage Management Strategy has been developed within a framework provided by the Victorian Heritage Strategy, prepared by Heritage Victoria, and the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Cultural Sites Network.

Preparation of this strategy has included consultation with Parks Victoria staff and external stakeholders. The strategy, which sets priorities and standards for heritage management, will be implemented within available budgets and funding arrangements.

As well as defining Parks Victoria’s role in heritage management, the strategy provides direction for better integrating the management of heritage places within Parks Victoria’s management systems. It also confirms the importance that the organisation places on working cooperatively with the community to protect, present and promote heritage places.

The strategy set directions for the next ten years and will be reviewed after five years. Parks Victoria looks forward to working with the community and other heritage managers to implement the Strategy.

Mark Stone Chief Executive Parks Victoria


SUMMARY

Most people are aware of Parks Victoria’s role in looking after the State’s natural areas and open space. Probably not so many know that it is also one of the main managers of Victoria’s historical heritage. Think of Werribee Park, Coolart, Mount Buffalo Chalet and the Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse, to name just a few, and you’re thinking of Parks Victoria managed places.

Cultural heritage protection has been a role of Victoria’s park agency at least since the National Parks Act of 1975. In fact Parks Victoria manages some 40 major historic buildings and complexes, and an amazing 2500 recorded historic places and collections around the State, including huts, mining sites, gardens, lighthouses, cemeteries, court houses, monuments, industrial sites, landscapes and shipwrecks. And there are many more unrecorded places, mostly archaeological, in parks and reserves. These places and objects, our cultural heritage, help people to understand the beliefs, hopes and aspirations of our forebears.

Making sense of this diverse cultural heritage, and helping Parks Victoria to make decisions about its conservation and presentation, is the reason for developing this Parks Victoria Heritage Management Strategy, which establishes actions, priorities and standards for the organisation in heritage management for the next five to ten years. Parks Victoria is committed to managing historic places and objects sustainably for the long-term benefit of Victorians, and for visitors from interstate and overseas. Heritage is an important component of contemporary lifestyles and leisure activities, and contributes significantly to the economy through tourism and education.

This strategy document covers only our non-indigenous cultural heritage. Parks Victoria is also partly or wholly responsible for managing thousands of indigenous cultural sites, which are the subject of a separate strategy.

As well as coming up with a list of actions that Parks Victoria will undertake, the Heritage Management Strategy looks at the legal and policy framework that requires Parks Victoria to manage historic places, and describes other agencies and groups involved in heritage management. It also classifies our historic places into a number of categories – interestingly, mining sites make up just over half of all the recorded places.

Parks Victoria has drawn on the Australian Heritage Commission’s Historic Themes Framework to classify historic sites further. Broad themes, such as “Resource Utilisation”, “Transport”, “Settlement”, have been refined into a set of key historical themes relevant to Parks Victoria. These are:

• Accessing Natural Treasures

• Settling the Port Phillip District

• Mining

• Shipping along the Coast

• Living in Remote Areas

• Defending Colonial Victoria


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While Parks Victoria is committed to caring for all the significant places it manages, these themes will help in deciding on strategic research projects, when conservation works will occur, and presentation of sites to visitors. The themes can also help visitors to put individual sites in context – for instance to realise that although each Victorian goldfield was unique, they had many similarities in their mining methods, administration and development.

The Strategy lists a number of goals and their related actions and targets. It notes that not all historic sites and places currently managed by Parks Victoria should necessarily continue under our organisation, and establishes criteria for assessing their most appropriate management and for deciding on any additional sites that might come under Parks Victoria’s care. The importance of community involvement and partnerships is emphasised, as is sustainable management for historic places, whether managed directly by Parks Victoria or leased to third parties.

The Strategy explains the important concept of compatible use for historic places, and touches on our policy in relation to historic objects (“Moveable Cultural Heritage”). The Burra Charter process guides the management of our historic places and objects; our heritage management practices have been reviewed against the recommendations of the ANZECC Best Practice in Cultural Heritage Management Report. Staff support and training, and the importance of records management, are also stressed.

Strategic Directions will be implemented over a ten-year period, though many procedural actions can be carried out in the first few years. The Heritage Management Strategy will be reviewed after five years, in 2008. Section 12 of the Strategy sets out the program for implementing the actions listed throughout the Strategy.


CONTENTS

Foreword......................................................................................................................... iii

Summary......................................................................................................................... iv

1 Introduction............................................................................................................1

2 Background............................................................................................................2

3 Purpose of the Heritage Management Strategy.....................................................3

4 Statutory, Policy & Administrative Framework......................................................4

4.1 Legislation....................................................................................................................4

4.2 Policy framework……………………………………………………………………………..4

4.3 Heritage managers…………………………………………………………………………...4

5 Parks Victoria’s role as a Heritage Manager.................................................................6

5.1 The Historic Places managed by Parks Victoria..........................................................6

5.2 Thematic framework.....................................................................................................7

5.3 Collections of moveable objects………………………………………………………….....9

6 Parks Victoria’s stewardship role..................................................................................10

7 Consolidating Parks Victoria's Heritage Estate..........................................................12

8 Community Involvement and Partnerships..........................................................14

9 Information, Interpretation and Education...........................................................15

10 Sustainable Management of Historic Places and Objects...................................17

11 Heritage Management Tools and Systems..........................................................21

12 Implementation....................................................................................................23

12.1 Cultural Values Management Program......................................................................23

12.2 Implementing the Strategic Actions...........................................................................23


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Bibliography...................................................................................................................29

Glossary......................................................................................................................... 30

Appendices....................................................................................................................33

1. List of organisations consulted during development of this strategy.............................33

2. Legislation, Policy and Heritage Management Best Practice guidelines......................34

3. Major heritage buildings and complexes managed by Parks Victoria...........................35

4. Historic Places by Parks Victoria district..............................................................................................37

5. Historic Themes Framework................................................................................................................39

6. List of available Heritage Action Statements, Plans and Maintenance Plans.....................................40


1 INTRODUCTION

Parks Victoria has an important heritage conservation role as the manager of the largest and most diverse collection of historic places in the State. The park- based nature of this heritage estate gives a special dimension to the organisation’s heritage management role as compared with, for instance, the role of the National Trust.

The Heritage Management Strategy will establish priorities and actions for Parks Victoria in relation to heritage management over the next ten years. It will also inform the community how Parks Victoria will fulfil the statutory, policy and community imperatives which direct the management of this important collection of historic places and objects. It is proposed to review the Strategy at the end of five years.

The Strategy is a key document for the organisation prepared at a time when staff and financial resources available for heritage management are limited and more effective and efficient management is essential.

Heritage management refers to the planning, maintenance, protection and interpretation of historic places and objects. The term ‘place’ means a site, area, parcel of land, landscape, building or other work, or a group of buildings or other works, and may include components, contents of a building, moveable objects, spaces and views.

Note: The Parks Victoria Heritage Management Strategy is concerned only with the management of non- indigenous historic places and objects.

The CRB Hut at Dinner Plain in the Alpine National Park typifies the park based setting of the majority of Parks Victoria’s heritage estate.


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2 BACKGROUND

Parks Victoria manages 16% of the land area of the State, in parcels ranging from large national parks to individual blocks of reserved land. The non-indigenous cultural heritage associated with this land is widely distributed around the State. It forms a rich tapestry of buildings, structures, gardens and landscapes, industrial sites, shipwrecks and moveable objects which are increasingly valued by the community as tangible links to the past. These places and objects assist people in defining and understanding the beliefs, hopes and aspirations of our forebears, as expressed in this cultural heritage.

The historic places and objects in Parks Victoria’s care have been acquired, identified and assessed over a period of25 years and their general nature and extent are reasonably well known. These places have been transferred to Parks Victoria to manage either as discrete historic reserves, as part of larger parks and reserves or because Parks Victoria (or its predecessors) were the most appropriate protected area management agencies available at the time. However, past decisions to transfer places to Parks Victoria do not require that the organisation will always be the most appropriate manager of publicly owned historic places. Parks Victoria will clarify where it will direct its priorities, and in doing so will identify places which may be more appropriately managed by other organisations.

Heritage is a significant component of contemporary lifestyles and leisure activities. Through tourism it contributes significantly to the Victorian economy. The primary objective of heritage management at Parks Victoria is the protection of these historic places and objects. However, the use of historic places and objects for leisure, tourism and education activities helps fulfil another major objective of heritage management: to communicate the importance of these places and objects, and the stories which give meaning to them, as well as explaining the need for their protection. Consequently we must understand visitor needs and establish strategic linkages with other attractions, tourism organisations and heritage managers so that visitor experiences are worthwhile, satisfying and enjoyable. Sensitive adaptation of historic places for compatible activities is a legitimate conservation approach. Adaptive reuse of historic places is no longer limited to the traditional ‘house museum’ such as Rippon Lea or Lake View at Chiltern.

Parks Victoria is committed to sustainably managing historic places and objects for the long-term benefit of all Victorians. This role complements our more recognised role as a manager of natural values and open space. Integrating heritage management with these other management roles is an important objective for the organisation.

and key external organisations (seeAppendix 1).


3 PURPOSE OF THE HERITAGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

The objectives of the strategy are to:

• define Parks Victoria’s role in heritage conservation and management

• facilitate more effective on-ground management of and reporting about historic places and objects

• provide direction for allocating resources for managing historic places and objects based on significance and historic themes

• provide direction on communicating heritage significance, themes and stories to the broader public.

This strategy document has been developed largely from a consultant report titled Directions in Historic Places Management: Recommendations for Parks Victoria’s Historic Places Strategy (2000). The consultants’ report was developed through a consultative process involving Parks Victoria staff

The Lal Lal Blast Furnace is a rare historic mining feature which has been stabilised and gaps at the top of the masonry sealed to prevent damage from water seeping down through the structure. After this type of once off restoration work is complete very little work is required to maintain structures such as the blast

furnace.


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4 STATUTORY, POLICY & ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK

4.1 Legislation

Parks Victoria’s management of historic places is directed by legislation, Government policy and accepted heritage management best practice (See appendix 2). This includes the enabling land management legislation such as the Crown Land Reserves Act 1978 and the National Parks Act 1975 and the identification and protection legislation, particularly the Heritage Act 1995 administered by Heritage Victoria.

4.2 Policy framework

• The Victorian Heritage Strategy (VHS), released by the Government in April 2000, gives overarching strategic direction for heritage management in Victoria. Parks Victoria has linked its strategy to the actions and strategies set out in the VHS.

• The Burra Charter of Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) is an acknowledged best practice guideline for managing historic places in Australia.

• ICOMOS’s International Cultural Tourism Charter; Managing Tourism at Places of Heritage Significance sets out principles for interpretation and visitor use at historic places.

• The Department of Sustainability & Environment’s Cultural Sites Network advocates a thematic approach to the prioritisation of historic place management.

4.3 Heritage managers

Heritage Victoria administers the Victorian Heritage Register and Inventory (lists of historic places), establishes planning controls for the use of heritage places by others, and has some responsibility for statewide co-ordination of heritage management.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) is the government agency with overall responsibility for public land in the State. Among its broad range of responsibilities, the Department has a very significant role in the management of historic places. It retains direct responsibility for a large number of historic places, but delegates responsibility for managing most of the historic places on public land. Parks Victoria manages the largest proportion of these places; others are delegated to committees of management, including local municipalities, the National Trust and community groups.

In the non-government field, the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) manages 24 properties, which operate as museums open to the public, plus a further 34 properties not open to the public. It also has an important role in identifying historic places, raising community awareness and lobbying.

The following chart explains the relations between the various agencies/groups involved in heritage management in Victoria.


AGENCIES & GROUPS INVOLVED IN HERITAGE MANAGEMENT

ADMINISTRATORS OF HERITAGE LEGISLATION

• Heritage Victoria (State)• Parks Victoria (State)• Environment

Australia (Commonwealth)

• Municipalities (State)

HERITAGE PROPERTY MANAGERS / OWNERS.

• Private (including National Trust)

• Public properties for business

° Government Depts. e.g. Education, NRE, Justice, VicRail, etc.

° Municipal Councils• Public properties for Conservation

° DSE Parks Victoria Forest Service

Land VictoriaCommittees of Management

° Municipal Councils° Managers of

miscellaneous. property:• Heritage Council• Vic Property Group (part of

Treasury & Finance)

4.1.3 Parks Victoria Corporate Plan

The Parks Victoria Corporate Plan 2002- 2005 is a key document for the management of Parks Victoria’s heritage estate. It states that the purposes of the organisation are to:

• Conserve, protect and enhance environmental and cultural assets

• Responsibly meet the needs of its visitors for quality information, services and experiences

• Provide excellence and innovation in park management

• Contribute to the social and economic well being of Victorians.

The Heritage Management Strategy contains many of the detailed actions and directions in the Corporate Plan and will in turn influence future actions which go into the corporate plan.


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5 PARKS VICTORIA’S ROLE AS A HERITAGE MANAGER

Parks Victoria’s distinct role in the management of historic places within Victoria is as the agency that manages the largest and most diverse collection of historic places, predominantly park- based, with conservation as a primary objective.

Parks Victoria’s role in heritage management needs to be guided by the vision statement from the Victorian Heritage Strategy, prepared by Heritage Victoria and released by the Government in April 2000:

‘Victoria’s diverse cultural heritage will be recognised as a key resource of the State, and will be managed in a sustainable way to maximise benefits for the whole community’.

Parks Victoria recognises that community participation, the provision of education and interpretation, and where possible maintaining public access, are all vital aspects of heritage management.

Figure 1 Types of historic places managed by Parks Victoria

Sawmills, logging sites 5%

Major buildings 1%

Habitable buildings 3%

Track, tunnels, cuttings, fences

6%

Graves/Monuments 6%

Huts 9%

Shipwrecks 6%

Sites only 12%

Mining sites 52%

5.1 The Historic Places managed by Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria has a large portfolio of important historic places; some 2500 are listed in our historic places inventory. Almost all these places are on public land. The exception is Glenample Homestead, which is leased by the government for 99 years. Places include 40 major historic buildings and complexes, such as Werribee Park,

Coolart, the Mt Buffalo Chalet, Wonthaggi State Coal Mine and Andersons Mill at Smeaton, which need


to be more intensively managed than some other sites.

Other places of less prominence, but of importance within the portfolio are back- country huts (particularly in the alpine region), mining sites, settlement sites now largely archaeological in nature, transport routes, landscapes, gardens, historic reserves, fences, natural features with a strong community attachment, graves, cemeteries and monuments. Figures 1 and 2, and appendices 3 and 4, give details and examples.

This range of places managed by Parks Victoria is generally not well represented


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in private ownership. In addition the 2500 places in our historic places inventory are only a proportion of the actual number (as yet unknown) in the Parks Victoria estate. Large numbers of unrecorded places, mostly archaeological in nature are known to exist within parks and reserves.

Parks Victoria is also currently responsible for the properties managed by the former Historic Buildings Management Committee, refer to Appendix 3.

5.2 Thematic framework

Parks Victoria has chosen to use the Historic Themes Framework of the Australian Heritage Commission (AHC) to classify the historic places under our care (figure 2). All places within Parks Victoria’s heritage estate were assigned a particular AHC theme. Places falling under more than one theme were assigned to the theme with the greater critical mass of places. Then using a number of factors, including the relative number of places representing a theme, either across the state or within a particular region, the relative importance of the themes’ historical, technological, aesthetic and social value, six key themes were identified. The six key

themes are Mining, Shipping along the coast, Settling the Port Phillip District, Accessing natural treasures, Living in remote areas, and Defending Colonial Victoria. Essentially Parks Victoria manages a critical mass of significant places representing the key themes either across the state or in a particular region.

The key themes and examples of places representing them are listed in table 1. Appendix 5 provides further explanation about the use of historic themes

Parks Victoria will continue to protect all important historic places and objects in its care, but will use the key themes to help prioritise strategic projects.

5.3 Collections of moveable objects

Collections or moveable objects range from artefacts, archives, and material belonging to an individual place to the collection that relates to park management history. A policy has been developed to guide the protection and management of such objects. The guiding principle for the management of moveable objects is that they should remain at the place with which they are associated.


Commemorating events 2%

Appreciating nature 3%

Governing

1%

Defense 1%

Developing cultural institutions 1%

Primary production4%

Dying 2%

Eating & drinking 1%

Educating 1%

Settlement 5%

Resource utilisation 54%

Transport

10%Creating fine gardens 0%

Organised recreation 3%

Struggling with remoteness & hardship

8%

Surveying Victoria 2%

Supplying services 2%

Figure 2 Parks Victoria's Historic Places classified by AHC historical theme

The main historic features at the Collins Settlement site, Sorrento are these graves. The area also contains shell middens left by Aboriginal people. 2003 marks the bicentenary of Collins Settlement, one of the places

representing Parks Victoria’s key historic theme, ‘Settling the Port Phillip District’.


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Table 1 Preliminary list of Key Historic Themes

AHC Thematic Group

AHC Theme

Parks Victoria Key Historic Themes

Places managed by Parks Victoria

1. Tracing the evolution of the Australian environment

1.4 Appreciating the natural wonders of Australia

Accessing natural treasures.

Relates to the history of past appreciation, enjoyment and management of natural wonders. Places include Mt. Buffalo, Buchan Caves, Twelve Apostles, Tower Hill, and Cumberland Scenic Reserve in the Yarra Ranges.

2. Peopling Australia

2.5 Promoting

settlement

Settling the Port Phillip District

Theme related to the settlement of Melbourne before the Gold Rushes. Places include Collins Settlement Site, Woodlands Homestead, Point Cook Homestead, Pontville, Viewbank Homestead site, ruins of settlement sites along drainage lines and within metropolitan parks.

3. Developing local, regional and national economies.

3.4 Utilisingnatural resources

Mining 50% of recorded historic mining sites in the State (predominantly gold mining) and 85% of LCC-recommended Historic Mining Reserves are managed by Parks Victoria.

Parks Victoria has developed the Golden Gateways Strategy for revealing Victoria’s gold mining heritage.

Other significant mining sites are Wonthaggi State Coal Mine. Lal Lal Blast Furnace, Lime kilns at Walkerville.

3.8 Moving goods and people

Shipping along the coast.

50% of light stations, shipwrecks in Port Phillip Bay, marine parks and

adjacent to coastal parks. 50% of 19th

century piers and jetties, Queenscliff Lifeboat Shed, Glenample Homestead

3.16 Struggling with remoteness and hardship.

Living in remote areas

Historic farming and grazing huts, homestead sites and related cultural landscapes in Alpine, Mallee and Central Highlands districts of Victoria.

7. Governing 7.7 Defending Australia

Defending Colonial Victoria

Defence and coastal fortification sites in and around Melbourne dating from the Colonial period. Places include Point Nepean, South Channel Fort and the Point Gellibrand Battery site (Williamstown).


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6 PARKS VICTORIA’S STEWARDSHIP ROLE.

Striving to achieve best practice in heritage management, and communicating required standards of management throughout the organisation, are important aspects of fulfilling our stewardship role.

Parks Victoria must adhere to the Burra Charter Guidelines of Australia ICOMOS and protect historic places under appropriate legislation, as well as ensuring that policy direction and legal mechanisms are available

Parks Victoria staff, volunteers and lessees are our heritage stewards. They need to:

• understand the relevance and implications of cultural significance and heritage conservation practices to the ongoing protection and management of historic places and objects

• appreciate when it is appropriate to undertake heritage conservation activity and use qualified staff or contractors for conserving historic places

• supervise consultants and contractors engaged to perform specialist tasks associated with the conservation and management of historic places and objects.

Goal

• Achieve excellence and innovation in managing historic places and objects responsibly for present and future generations.

The former lighthouse keepers quarters at Wilsons Promontory have been restored and converted for use as tourist accommodation.


Action Targets

6.1 Review and implement essential heritage management operational policy and procedures.

Complete by June 2003

6.2 With other Australian park management agencies, investigate feasibility of holding regular Best Practice Heritage Management Workshops.

Feasibility by 2003, workshop by 2004 and then ongoing

6.3 Review capability of staff, volunteers and lessees involved in heritage management and ensure that they are appropriately skilled.

• Skill audit of staff completed by June 2003.

• Program for upgrading capacity of staff, volunteers and lessees in heritage management 2003- 2010.

6.4 Investigate the use of provisions of the Heritage Act to allow Parks Victoria staff to enforce regulations to protect historic places and objects.

Feasibility analysis completed by June 2005 .

6.5 In conjunction with DSE, develop a program for the reservation of historic places.

Program developed by December 2003.

6.6 Prepare and implement plan for communicating Parks Victoria’s role in heritage management.

Communication plan by December 2003; Implementation2004 - 2007

6.7 Review heritage management strategy within three years and then every five years;.

Review by 2006 and then 2011

6.8 Work with Heritage Victoria and Tourism Victoria in implementing a strategic and coordinated approach to heritage management between government agencies.

Regular meetings with Heritage Victoria and Tourism Victoria and recognition of Parks Victoria’s Heritage Management Strategy in tourism and heritage programs and strategies.

6.8 Continue to support Parks Victoria Heritage Management Team to ensure a co-ordinated and state-wide approach to heritage management.

Regular meetings of the Heritage Management Team

Located near Mt. Hotham, the Monarch Battery is part of an important collection of

historic mining plant and equipment found in the more remote mountainous regions

of the State. The 2003 bushfires have provided an opportunity to improve our

understanding of these sites and determine the feasibility of improving public access.


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7 CONSOLIDATING PARKS VICTORIA’S HERITAGE ESTATE

One of the main tasks of this strategy is to clarify for Parks Victoria and the wider community the types of historic place for which the organisation is the most appropriate manager. Clarification of this will allow us to identify the places that we will continue to manage, the places which we will seek to have transferred to more appropriate managers, and the types of places for which we may accept responsibility in the future.

Historic places such as those within parks or reserves recommended by the Land Conservation Council (LCC) or Environment Conservation Council (ECC) are clearly the types of places for which Parks Victoria is the most appropriate manager. Such places, particularly those with heritage values that should be displayed or interpreted, set within a landscape, add a special dimension to Parks Victoria’s heritage estate.

Historic places such as individual historic buildings in built-up urban areas, or places isolated from other parks, reserves or public open space, which are not retained in public ownership for display or interpretation of their heritage values, may be more appropriately managed by other agencies. Criteria have been developed to clarify the places for which we will assume long- term management responsibility.

Over time there will be changes to Parks Victoria’s heritage estate and to the relative importance of the parts of that estate. We need to periodically review the places that we manage and work with other managers to ensure that a range of places are adequately protected.

More appropriate managers may be identified for certain places, and Parks Victoria may be given additional places to manage, for example the additional parks and historic reserves recommended in the recently-approved ECC Box Ironbark report.

Additions to the estate, arranged through DSE, would also be dependent on the availability of sufficient resources and the relationship of additional places to the current Parks Victoria estate.

The following criteria will be used for determining the places which should make up Parks Victoria’s heritage estate

• The focus for Parks Victoria’s existing heritage estate will be on places:

• in established urban or non urban parks and reserves or LCC/ ECC recommended parks and reserves, or

• located in an area where Parks Victoria has a management presence and are required or intended to be accessible to the public.

• Seek, in consultation with DSE, to transfer the management of historic places to other managers where those places are:

• Small town allotments isolated from a park and located in an area where Parks Victoria does not have a management presence,

• Not required/intended to be accessible to the public, and more appropriate for a community or commercial use,

• Do not represent one of the key themes of the Parks Victoria heritage estate,

• Could be more appropriately managed by a historic property lease manager.

• In addition to places acquired through LCC / ECC recommendations or the development of metropolitan open space, consider accepting responsibility for additional historic places which:

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• are located in an area where Parks Victoria has a management presence,

• are recommended or intended to be accessible to the public,

• represent one of the key historic themes of the Parks Victoria heritage estate,

• are determined to be important in completing a comprehensive

state-wide system of representative historic places,

• are not small township allotments.

Goal

• To clarify the type of historic places to be managed by Parks Victoria.

Action Target

7.1 Using agreed criteria, identify places, including HBMC properties, that could more appropriately be managed by others.

Places suitable for management by others identified by Dec 2003 and alternative managers sought 2004 - 2010.

7.2 Review the nature of the heritage estate every five years Complete review of ParksVictoria’s heritage estate by 2008.

The Courthouse at Steiglitz is used to interpret the history of the township and surrounding goldfield. Parks Victoria will generally restrict its management of historic buildings to those within parks and reserves, which can be used for

management purposes or are intended to be accessible and interpreted to the public


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8 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS

Parks Victoria is keen to raise awareness about its heritage estate and to involve the community in managing historic places and objects. We can involve the community in all aspects of heritage management including planning, conservation works and presentation. Community ownership and understanding will contribute significantly to conserving historic places and objects.

We will pursue partnerships with other management and heritage agencies, Tourism Victoria, local government, the private sector and the community over the longer term to maximise the effectiveness of the management of historic places. Historic places are only one aspect of our environment, and their

management has to be co-ordinated with the management of the other values making up our overall environment.

Parks Victoria recognises that the private sector, particularly at the local level, has expertise which can play an important part in assisting with the management of historic places.Goal

• To involve the community, private sector tourism businesses, other government agencies and local government in fostering protection, community ownership and sustainable management of historic places and objects.

Action Target

8.1 Explore how to support existing volunteer groups and create new groups to assist with the management of historic places and objects (including grants, newsletters etc)

Plan to better support volunteer groups developed by June 2004. Feasibility studies on creating new groups completed by June 2005 and new groups formed 2005. Implemented 2005 - 2010

8.2 Enable the community where appropriate to have input into heritage planning documents.

Requirements for public submissions incorporated into appropriate heritage planning documents

8.3 Inform private sector tourism businesses about the value and importance of historic places and objects

Regular updating of heritage information on the Internet and at historic places consistent with Parks Victoria’s Levels of Service beginning 2003/04.

8.4 Foster tourism activities that will protect historic places and objects. Provision for protection of heritageincorporated into tourism guidelines.

8.5 Explore options for developing partnerships with other government agencies and local government.

Relevant state agencies and local government participating in developing initiative projects for key historic themes as defined in table 1.

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9 INFORMATION, INTERPRETATION AND EDUCATION

Interpretation plays an important role in developing people’s understanding of Australia’s past history, and past and contemporary expressions of beliefs, hopes and aspirations.

Interpretation, where possible involving local communities, will be used to facilitate and encourage public awareness and support for the long-term protection of historic places and objects, particularly those representing key historic themes.

Parks Victoria is one of the few organisations that can tell a wider historical story by interpreting landscapes it manages as a whole. This can be achieved by the presentation of thematically linked places as part of the broader cultural landscape. In particular, themes can help explain the relationship between Victoria’s history, the current landscape and environmental change.

Some of the key themes are best reflected in landscapes rather than at

specific places, though individual places can provide a convenient focus for the interpretation of a broader landscape. Landscapes enable a higher and more appropriate level of management for historic places which, while appearing individually less significant, are components of a distinctive landscape of greater importance, for example the mining landscapes of Central Victoria.Goals

• To assist the community and visitors to understand and appreciate the dynamic relationship between Victoria’s history and the ways in which the current landscape and environment have developed.

• To use the key themes, where appropriate, to determine strategic projects in managing and presenting historic places and objects.

• To become a leading presenter of the historic places and objects within its heritage estate which represent the key historic themes outlined in table 1.

The Mt Alexander Diggings Project has improved access to and interpretation of the historic mining remains such as the Garfield Waterwheel foundations, located within the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park. The diggings project has been developed in partnership with the Mt Alexander Shire and the local

community.


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Action Target

9.1 Develop and implement initiatives projects for the key themes of mining, shipping along the coast, settling the Port Phillip District, living in remote areas, accessing natural treasures, and defending Colonial Victoria.

• Initiatives for mining implemented by 2003.

• Complete coastal shipping strategy by 2003 and initiative implemented by June 2005.

• Complete settling strategy by 2005 and initiative implemented by June 2007.

• Complete remote Living strategy by 2007 and initiatives implemented by June 2009.

• Complete natural treasures strategy by 2009 and initiative implemented by June 2011

9.2 Develop and implement the heritage II&E component of the Parks Victoria’s overall II&E strategy.

Complete by Dec 2003 and implement 2004 – 2010 as part of Parks Victoria’s II&E strategy

9.3 Develop a program of events and activities for promoting understanding and support for Parks Victoria’s heritage management.

Develop a program of launches, openings and interpretation activities by June 2004 and implemented 2004-2010

9.4 Review the key themes in the first three years and then every five years.

Complete review by 2006 and then 2011

The Nowingi Tank, located within the Murray Sunset National Park, was used to load gypsum into trucks.

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Features such as this help us understand the story of past land use within the surrounding area


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10 SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF HISTORIC PLACES AND OBJECTS

Ongoing heritage conservation works

Parks Victoria must provide for ongoing conservation work on its heritage estate. The amount and nature of ongoing conservation works required can be described as routine (regular, ongoing, day to day), periodic (annual and once off), minimal (irregular and once off) and none. Figure 3 explains the categories and shows an estimate of the percentage of the estate requiring each category of work.

The allocation of scarce resources for heritage management can often be

dominated by requirements for major and expensive restoration work at a few key sites. Places managed by Parks Victoria requiring this type of major maintenance include the Gabo Island Lightstation, Andersons Mill, Days Mill and Woodlands Homestead.

As well as using its own resources Parks Victoria will seek government initiative resources for major conservation and management work. Application for initiative funding will be determined using the key historical themes.

Figure 3 Heritage Conservation Activity Types

None

18%R

outine 5%

Periodic 14%

Routine, (regular day to day maintenance)

Periodic, (regular or once off maintenance /repair

Minimal 63%

Minimal, (occasional maintenance/repair to some places)

None

The following criteria will be used for allocating resources for ongoing conservation activity.

Relative significance

Relative cultural significance, as defined in the Burra Charter of Australia ICOMOS, is the most important criterion for prioritising ongoing conservation work. It is widely used in Australia and overseas by managers of historic places

in both government and the private

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sector. There is an accepted process for assessing and ranking historic places of national, state, regional or local significance.

Risk to heritage value

Assessment of the level of risk to heritage values will help determine the need for conservation action. Level of risk is determined by physical condition, environmental threats, visitor pressures or potential opportunities lost if no action is taken.


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Levels of visitor service and public use demand

Parks Victoria’s Levels of Service Framework sets standards for the provision of visitor facilities based predominantly on visitor numbers.

Financial management benefit

Another factor to be considered is how likely the proposed conservation works are to reduce future management/maintenance costs to Parks Victoria without compromising heritage values. In Burra Charter terms, the conservation action reduces the frequency of future conservation works, or leads to a compatible use; for example by facilitating leasing to an appropriate external user, by reducing recurrent maintenance requirements or by facilitating compatible re-use of the place.

Compatible management of Indigenous, natural and heritage values

Parks Victoria will continue to develop complementary management processes (such as the development risk assessment process) that integrate the management of natural, Indigenous and historic values. It is important to ensure that there is no potential for conservation and presentation of one set of values at the expense of another. However it will sometimes be necessary to make informed management decisions involving some level of compromise based on an understanding of all the values of a place.

Contribution to the social and economic well being of all Victorians

The potential for a place to contribute to the well being of the community, for example through encouraging tourist activity, will be considered.

Goal

• To provide for ongoing heritage conservation activity according to best practice heritage management principles.

Parks Victoria’s management of Woodlands Homestead is supported by the Friends Group, who run guided tours and hold monthly theatrical portrayals of the role of the

Chaffey’s in the history of the property

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Action Target

10.1 Continue to develop a 3 year rolling Cultural Values Management (CVM) program of management activities using agreed criteria to prioritise the allocation of resources

3 year CVM program developed by December 2003 and program reviewed annually

10.2 Ensure that historic places and objects are adequately provided for in future park management plans by contributing to a review of, and update, the Park Management Plan Kit.

Heritage management provisions incorporated into the updated park planning kit.

10.3 Review, and if necessary update, provisions in the Levels of Service Framework for the management of historic places and objects.

Develop procedures for using the Levels of Service provisions for historic places by Dec 2003 and communicate them to staff by June 2004 .

10.4 Target external grants programs for major works projects. • Places identified requiring

major works by Dec 2003.• Sources of grant money

identified by Dec 2003 and reviewed annually.

10.5 Provide for recording and managing historic objects in the CVM program

10.6 Seek to reduce reliance on external grants for major works funding.

3 year program developed by October 2003 and reviewed annually as part of the CVM program.

Review mechanism for provision of major works funding and develop options for obtaining

r e gul a r f unding by D e c 2004.

Parks Victoria has embarked upon a project to catalogue and properly store moveable historic objects such as this clay mould, which is part of the important collection of moveable objects at William Ricketts Sanctuary.


Compatible Uses for Historic Places

Compatible uses can improve sustainability and allow public access and/or interpretation of historic places and objects. Such uses can be allowed only on a scale and frequency appropriate to protecting the significance of the place and its interpretive potential.

Potential uses range from continued traditional use (unlikely in most Parks Victoria managed historic places) to compatible commercial, community and management uses, and interpretation, which may include interpretation for tourism of vacant buildings or ruins.

Leasing of major buildings to allow public access and use is an established process for Parks Victoria. Lessees of significant historic places need to be carefully chosen to ensure that uses are

compatible with, and contribute to the protection of, significant historic values, other environmental and cultural values, and community requirements.

The use of historic places in parks and reserves for education and tourism can protect heritage values by improving the recognition and understanding of their importance. The Mt. Alexander Diggings project is protecting important historic places and generating resources to maintain them through tourism, and the historic Kiosk at Ferntree Gully (Dandenong Ranges National Park) is in use as an Educational Centre.

Goal

• To conserve historic places and promote community participation and understanding of heritage values through use of historic places.

Action Target

10.7 Develop mechanisms for establishing additional or expanded compatible uses for appropriate under-utilised historic places.

Establish a new or expanded use for one significant historic place each year

10.8 Develop operational policy and procedures to assist Parks Victoria staff to manage lease agreements and to monitor the use of historic places.

Procedures developed for staff to monitor use of historic places by Dec 2004.

Parks Victoria will seek to attract compatible commercial activities to compliment its role of providing access to and interpretation of places such as Andersons Mill at Smeaton


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11 HERITAGE MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND SYSTEMS

The organisation’s current heritage management practices have been reviewed against the recommendations in the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) Best Practice in Cultural Heritage Management (Historic Heritage in Parks and Protected Areas) Report. The following heritage management tools and systems are being put into place to ensure that Parks Victoria is at the forefront of heritage management best practice:

Parks Victoria’s Historic Places Inventory

The historic places inventory is still at a developmental stage. The inventory of some 2500 historic places which includes description, history and cultural significance, has been integrated into the Parks Victoria Asset Management System. As the Asset Management System is further developed, the inventory will be used to monitor condition and risk to heritage values as well as to record and program conservation works.

Moveable objects at historic places are an integral part of a place, and their presence at a site should either be noted in the heritage inventory or catalogued using the Parks Victoria moveable objects cataloguing database.

Heritage Planning Documentation

Parks Victoria has developed a range of heritage planning documents which are compatible with both the organisation’s planning framework and the Asset Management System. The following heritage planning documents will be used to guide Parks Victoria’s cultural values management program:

• National Parks Act Management Plans are required by the National Parks Act 1975. They explain the context, values, risks and broad strategies that apply to a particular

park or reserve. These plans explain how environmental, cultural and visitor values and activities will be integrated.

• Heritage Action Statements are brief strategic documents which specify a desired management outcome for a place and a list of major tasks that will be initiated to achieve that outcome (See appendix 6 for a list of available heritage action statements, plans and maintenance plans.)

• Heritage Action Plans (conservation management plans) provide full documentation of heritage values, risks, opportunities, constraints, objectives, conservation policy and actions.

• Heritage Maintenance Plans prescribe the ongoing annual maintenance activities for individual historic places or discrete groups of places.

Research

Research is necessary to assist in understanding the history of land use, establish the cultural significance of some of the historic places managed by Parks Victoria, determining the most appropriate type of conservation activity or providing information for interpretation education and publication.

Any new land area added to Parks Victoria’s estate may require research. Such areas will be assessed, and if necessary surveyed, for historic places as a matter of priority, and no ‘clearing up’ of structures or man-made features (buildings, fences, ‘rubbish’) will occur until an assessment is complete.

Performance Measurement

Measuring performance is an integral part of effective management, and is required for evaluating performance. Parks Victoria is engaged in a whole-of- government process to develop appropriate performance measures.


A key measure of heritage management performance is the condition of places in the Parks Victoria’s heritage estate. Eventually the assessment of management performance might involve periodically measuring change in condition and integrity of fabric, and appropriateness of use. To achieve this, however, measurable benchmarks must be established.

Parks Victoria’s visitor satisfaction and community perception monitoring should

be reviewed to ensure that it is appropriate for the heritage estate.

Goal

• To develop and maintain tools, systems, policies and guidelines to facilitate effective and efficient conservation and management of the historic places and objects managed by Parks Victoria.

Action Target

11.1 Progressively upgrade Parks Victoria’s heritage inventory including cataloguing moveable cultural heritage

Program developed by December 2003 and implemented 2004 -2006.

11.2 Use Asset Management System to program works Program works using the AMS by July 2006

11.3 Review and progressively upgrade existing operational policies and procedures for the management of historic places and objects.

Review and program for upgrading complete by December 2003

11.4 Develop and implement a communication strategy for policies, plans and strategies to ensure that they are easily accessible and widely available.

Communication plan completed by March 2004. Existing plans and strategies placed on the web by December 2004.

11.5 Record the condition of a representative group of historic places as a benchmark for developing performance measures for heritage management.

Condition of an agreed number of places documented by December 2003.

11.6 Develop performance measurement criteria including condition for heritage management within accepted government and Parks Victoria framework.

Performance measures developed by June 2004 and rolling program of measurement conducted 2004 - 2010.

11.7 Review and update procedures for the preparation of Heritage Action Plans and Statements and Heritage Maintenance Plans.

Procedures updated by December 2003

11.8 Review current program and develop and commence a 3-year program for Heritage Action Plans and Statements and Heritage Maintenance Plans.

Review completed and program developed by December 2003 and implemented 2003 – 2010

11.9 Establish feasibility of developing a Parks Victoria Heritage Research Partners Program

Feasibility completed June 2004 and if appropriate implemented

11.10 Identify research priorities, available funding and implement a research program.

Research priorities identified by December 2004, funding sources sought 2004 – 2010, partnersconduction research 2004 – 2010


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12 IMPLEMENTATION

The strategy will be implemented over a ten-year period with a major review of strategic directions after five years.

12.1 Cultural ValuesManagement Program

Projects within the annual heritage management program can be split into two areas: planning & information projects and on-ground heritage conservation activities. The annual budget for the heritage component of Parks Victoria’s Cultural Values Management Program varies between$1.0 and $1.25 million. Currently around

25% of this allocation is used for planning and information projects and 75% is used for on-ground conservation activity. Over the next five years the proportion of the annual program used for planning and information projects will reduce to 20% with a corresponding increase in on-ground heritage conservation activity.

12.2 Implementing the Strategic Actions

The actions detailed earlier in this document will be implemented in the sequence detailed in the following table.

Parks Victoria will care for all the significant historic places that it manages and progressively give priority to the interpretation and promotion of places representing Key Historic Themes. From 2003 to 2005 priority

may be given to places such as the Queenscliff Lifeboat Shed which is one of the places managed by Parks Victoria representing the key historic theme Shipping along the Coast

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STRATEGIC DIRECTION STRATEGIC ACTIONS FROM 2003 TO 2011

2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11

Heritage Stewardship.

• Implement essential operational policies and procedures.

• Plan and facilitate an Australasian heritage management best practiceworkshop.

• Develop and implement a skill enhancement program for Parks Victoria staff, volunteers and lessees.

• Arrange for use of Heritage Act provisions by Parks Victoria staff for protection of historic

places and objects.

• Develop and implement, through the Department of Sustainability and Environment, a program for the reservation of historic and cultural features reserves

• Review Parks Victoria’s Heritage Managemen t Strategy

• Review Parks Victoria’s Heritage Manageme nt Strategy

• Work cooperatively with Heritage Victoria and Tourism Victoria in implementing a strategic approach to heritage management.

• Support the operation of Parks Victoria’s Heritage Management Team to ensure a coordinated approach to heritage management within Parks Victoria.

. • Develop and implement a communication plan that makes Parks Victoria staff and the wider community aware of the organisations role in heritage management


STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS STRATEGIC ACTIONS FROM 2003 TO 2011

2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11

Consolidating Parks Victoria’s heritage estate.

• Identify places more appropriately managed by other

agencies / groups

• Seek alternative managers for places that do not need to be managed by Parks Victoria.

• Review the make up of the Parks Victoria Heritage Estate.

Community involvement and partnerships

• Develop a plan for improving support for volunteers.

• Develop criteria for public input into heritage planning

processes.

• Investigate feasibility of establishing new friends groups.

• Implement proposals for improving the involvement and support for volunteers.

• Implement new requirements for public involvement heritage planning processes.

• Provide access, interpretation and educational information to assist tourism activities based on the strategic directions provided by Parks Victoria’s Levels of Service Framework

• Foster tourism activities that are compatible with the protection of historic values.

• Investigate and where appropriate develop partnerships with other agencies for heritage initiatives projects.


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Information, Interpretation and Education.

2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11

• Implement initiative projects for places reflecting a Mining historical theme.

• Develop a strategic approach and implement initiative projects for a Shipping along the Coast

historical theme.

• Develop a strategic approach and implement initiative projects for a Settling the Port Phillip

historical theme.

• Develop a strategic approach and implement initiative projects for a Living in Remote Area’s

historical theme.

• Develop heritage component for II&E strategy.

• Develop a program of public events to educate people about Victoria’s heritage.

• Implement heritage component of Parks Victoria’s II&E Strategy.

• Review PV’s key historic themes

• Implement a program of public events.

• Develop a strategic approach and implement initiative projects for the Accessing Natural

Treasures historical theme.

• Review PV’s key historic themes

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2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11

• Implement a three-year rolling Cultural Values Management Program.

Sustainable management of historic places and objects.

• Ensure that there is adequate provision for the management of historic places within park management, setting, open space and master plans.

• Ensure that the Levels of Service Framework makes adequate provision for historic values.

• Identify and target external grants for major works.

• Provide for the cataloguing and recording of moveable historic objects in the Cultural Values Management Program.

• Seek to reduce reliance on external grant funding.

• Develop process for establishing new or expand compatible uses for historic places.

• Develop policy and procedures to assist staff in managing and monitoring leased property.


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2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11

• Progressively upgrade Parks Victoria’s heritage inventory.

Heritage management tools and systems

• Use Asset Management System to program regular maintenance and repair work for historic places.

• Review and progressively upgrade operational policies and procedures.

• Develop and implement a process to make heritage policies, plans and strategies easily accessible and widely available.

• Record condition of a group of places as a bench mark for measuring performance.

• Review and update procedures for preparation of heritage actions plans and statements.

• Develop criteria run a rolling program for measuring heritage management performance.

• Implement a three-year program for preparing heritage action plans, statements and heritage maintenance plans.

• Establish feasibility of developing a heritage research partners program.


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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Heritage Council, March 2000, Victorian Heritage Strategy; knowing, communicating, protecting and managing Victoria’s diverse cultural heritage, Department of Infrastructure, Melbourne.

Australian Heritage Commission, 2001, Australian Historic Themes; a framework for use in heritage assessment and management, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.

Australia ICOMOS, 1999, The Burra Charter; The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance with associated guidelines and code on the Ethics of Co- existence, Australia ICOMOS Inc., Burwood Victoria.

Hague Consulting Ltd. & Kelly, M., February 2001, ANZECC Best Practice in Cultural Heritage Management (Historic Heritage on Parks & Protected Areas), unpublished ANZECC Working Group report for National Parks and Protected Area Management Benchmarking and Best Practice Program, National Parks & Wildlife Service, New South Wales and Department of Natural Resources & Environment, Victoria

Pearson, M., Marshall, D. & Wight, I., August 2000, Directions in Historic Places Management; recommendations for Parks Victoria’s historic places strategy 2000 – 2003, unpublished report for Parks Victoria.


GLOSSARY

Action Task(s) that will be undertaken to implement the strategy. Actions have been developed for each of the strategic directions of stewardship, consolidating Parks Victoria’ s heritage estate, community involvement & partnerships, information, interpretation and education, sustainable management and heritage management systems.

ANZECC Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation

Council Asset Management System A computer based information system used for keeping records

andreporting on the use, current condition, status maintenancerequirements and cultural values for both contemporary built assets, such as visitor facilities, and historic places.

Australia ICOMOS Australian arm of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, a non-government professional organisation concerned with the development and promotion of the philosophy, terminology, methodology and techniques of cultural heritage conservation.

Australian Heritage Commission The Australian Heritage Commission (AHC) is a statutory body of theCommonwealth Government administered within the Australian and World Heritage Group of Environment Australia. The commission administers the Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975; which establishes the Register of the National Estate. The commission develops policy, direction and priorities for and promotes heritage conservation throughout Australia.

Australian Historic Themes Framework The AHC Historic Themes Framework is a tool to assist in theidentification, assessment, interpretation and management of heritage values. The framework comprises nine theme groups, each of which encompasses a network of more specific themes. The themes can help stimulate a broader understanding of places, their historical context and their relationship to other places.

Burra Charter The Burra Charter is set of definitions and guidelines which establishes a standard of practice for people who provide advice, make decisions about, or undertake works to places of cultural significance

Committees of Management Committees of management are appointed under the Crown LandReserves Act 1978 to take responsibility for the management of the parcels of public land.

Community perception monitor A statistical measure of the community’s satisfaction with the wayParks Victoria is managing the parks, open space and reserves for which it is responsible. Surveys, conducted by market research companies, are used to measure community satisfaction

Compatible use Means a use which respects the cultural significance of a place and involves no, or minimal, impact on cultural significance.

Condition of places Condition of historic places is assessed against the expected function of the place, which can range from a fully functioning building or structure to a ruin where the expected function is to achieve stability.

Crown Land Reserves Act 1975 Provides for the reservation and establishing regulations for crown landrequired for public purposes such as for conservation of areas of natural, historic or archaeological interest.

Cultural significance Cultural significance means aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value of a place for past, present or future generations.

Cultural Heritage Non indigenous cultural heritage refers to built structures and their surrounds; gardens; trees; cultural landscapes; shipwrecks; sites of important events; commemoration sites; contents of buildings; significant relics; objects; artefacts; records; knowledge; stories


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and traditions associated with human activity in the parks and reserves managed by Parks Victoria.


Cultural sites network A framework developed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, which sets out the priority historic themes relating to the administration and management of public land.

Cultural Values Management Program The program is the sum of all planning, research and on ground worksundertaken by Parks Victoria to identify protect and manage both the Indigenous and historic places managed by Parks Victoria.

Development Risk Assessment Process A Parks Victoria guideline, which is used to assess the impact of anydevelopment or management activity on the natural, historic or indigenous values on land managed by Parks Victoria.

Environment Conservation Council The Environment Conservation Council replaced the LandConservation Council. Its role like its predecessor was to provide advice to the Victorian Government on the use of public land. The Victorian Environment Assessment Council has now replaced it.

Goal Goals have been developed to guide what has to be achieved for each of the strategic directions of stewardship, consolidating Parks Victoria’ s heritage estate, community involvement & partnerships, information, interpretation and education, sustainable management and heritage management systems.

Heritage Act 1995 The Heritage Act provides for the protection and conservation of places and objects of cultural heritage significance. It provides for the establishment of the Heritage Council, Victorian Heritage Register and Inventory as well as for obtaining permits for works affecting historic places, shipwrecks and objects

Heritage Management Team The heritage management team is made up of representatives from theParks Victoria regions and corporate divisions. The team is responsible for providing inspiration and leadership for heritage management within the organisation, advising on the management of historic places and objects, ensuring a coordinated statewide approach to heritage management within Parks Victoria, and monitoring the Cultural Values Management Program.

Heritage Victoria Is the division within the Department of Infrastructure that administers the Heritage Act 1995 and supports the activities of the Victorian Heritage Council.

Historic Buildings Management Committee

Is a committee of management appointed under the Crown Land Reserves Act with responsibility for the management of 20 heritage properties. The committee was set up to manage these properties in order to protect their heritage values.

House museum A house museum refers to a building and its contents that has been kept or restored/reinstated to an historic period in order to present the place to the community as it was during that period.

Indigenous heritage Indigenous heritage refers to Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Information, Interpretation & Education Within Parks Victoria Information, Interpretation and Education (II&E)are core methods for communicating with people about the values, features and issues of Victoria’s parks, bays, waterways, reserves, historic places and other protected areas.

Information is factual material that conveys or imparts knowledge and is generally designed to reach a broad audience who may or may not visit parks.

Interpretation is a means of communicating ideas, feelings and values that helps people enrich their understanding of Victoria’s natural and cultural values. It is generally orientated around people thinking of, or actually visiting parks.

Education is largely a formal process of teaching skills, knowledge and concepts that lead to greater understanding of Victoria’s natural and cultural values. It generally targets students, teachers and others with a commitment to learn.


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Levels of Service Framework The levels of service framework is a tool for systematically managingvisitor facilities and services in a sustainable fashion. It aims to define standards, provide for a range of recreational activities, better manage visitor expectations, provide the right service in the right place and provide facilities and services that are sustainable.

Moveable cultural heritage Movable or portable cultural heritage is an important part of the culturalvalue of many of the historic places that Parks Victoria manages. Movable items may furnish a place, help us to interpret the history of its use and tell us something about the people who were associated with its past.

Park Management Plan Kit Guidelines for the preparation of management plans for parks includedin the schedules to the National Parks Act 1975.

Park-based Refers to historic places set within larger areas or landscapes which are managed by Parks Victoria for recreation or conservation of natural values as well as for their cultural heritage values

Place, historic place Place means site, area, landscape, building or other work, group of buildings or works, and may include components, contents, spaces and views.

Target Measure by which Parks Victoria will demonstrate that it has achieved the actions listed in the heritage management strategy.

Victorian Heritage Register Is a register of places, objects, archaeological places and relics,historic shipwrecks, which have been assessed as being of State significance and are protected by the statutory provisions of the Heritage Act 1995.

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APPENDICES

Appendix 1 List of organisations consulted during the development of the strategy

Flora & Fauna Division, Department of Natural Resources & Environment.

Heritage Victoria, Department of Infrastructure.

Tourism Victoria.

National Trust of Australia (Victoria)

Australia ICOMOS

Royal Historical Society

Victorian National Parks

Association Dandenong Gardens

Trust Aboriginal Affairs Victoria

Museum of Victoria

Mount Alexander Shire

Indigo Shire


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Appendix 2 Legislation, Policy and Heritage Management Best Practice

Legislation

• National Parks Act 1975

• Parks Victoria Act 1998

• Crown Lands (Reserve) Act 1978

• Heritage Act 1995

• Planning and Environment Act 1991

Government Policy & Directions

• Victorian Heritage Strategy, 2000

• Victorian Regional Tourism Development Plan, 1997

• Parks Victoria Proposed Corporate Plan 2002/03 to 2004/05

• Management Agreement 2001-2006 (Parks Victoria and DSE)

• DSE Cultural Sites Network.

• Victoria’s Arts, Theatre & Cultural Heritage Tourism Plan 2002 – 2006.

Heritage Management Best Practice

• Burra Charter of Australia ICOMOS, 1999.

• ANZECC Cultural Heritage Management: Historic Heritage on Parks & Protected Areas Best Practice Report, April 2000

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Appendix 3 Major Heritage buildings and complexes managed by Parks Victoria

This schedule comprises the most prominent or substantial heritage properties currently managed by Parks Victoria, and is derived from an analysis of the Parks Victoria Database of Historic Places, verified against knowledge of the National Parks Policy and Strategy Division heritage management staff. It includes all places where considerable ongoing management resources are required (whether the place is directly managed or lessee occupied). Properties may consist of one or a number of buildings. The list includes:

• habitable or potentially habitable buildings

• functioning or potentially functioning buildings (leased or directly managed)

• large or extensive and fundamentally intact historic building complexes

• places with ongoing staff presence, and visitor access and interpretation

It does not include static single structures such as towers or bridges, nor small randomly visited or seldom used huts, for which periodic management attention is typically required. Also, it does not imply that all places of high heritage value managed by Parks Victoria are necessarily included in this list.

1. WERRIBEE PARK 14. POINT COOK HOMESTEAD (Leased)

2. COOLART 15. MOUNT BUFFALO CHALET (Leased)

3. WOODLANDS HOMESTEAD (HAPprepared and EOI sought)

16. GLENAMPLE HOMESTEAD (Leased)

4. DAYS MILL (HAP and Business Options paper being prepared)

17. YARRA BEND GOLF CLUBHOUSE(Leased)

5. ANDERSONS MILL (HAP and Business Options paper being prepared)

18. STUDLEY PARK BOATHOUSE(Leased)

6. NYERIMILANG HOMESTEAD(management plan being prepared)

19. WONTHAGGI STATE COAL MINE

7. GABO ISLAND LIGHT STATION(management plan being prepared)

20. ELDORADO DREDGE

8. WILSONS PROMONTORY LIGHT STATION

21. MALDON STATE BATTERY

9. STEIGLITZ (CATHOLIC CHURCH, ANGLICAN CHURCH)

22. PIPEMAKERS PARK (Buildings leased)

10. STEIGLITZ COURTHOUSE 23. CAPE NELSON LIGHT STATION(Leased)

11. FORT NEPEAN / FORT PEARCE 24. CAPE SCHANCK LIGHT STATION(Leased)

12. SOUTH CHANNEL FORT 25. CAPE OTWAY LIGHT STATION(Leased)

13. WATTLE PARK (Chalet leased) 26. POINT HICKS LIGHT STATION(Leased)


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(Note: Properties shown in italics are leased.)

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Historic Buildings Management Committee Properties

In 1999, the properties listed below, previously managed by the Historic Buildings Management Committee, were transferred to Parks Victoria. Although the organisation is committed to caring for these places, Parks Victoria is not the most appropriate manager for all these buildings, some of which are in urban settings in major centres isolated from other land managed by Parks Victoria. A review determined that they would be more appropriately managed by other community groups or local government.

1. FORMER CARLTON COURTHOUSE (Leased) 2. FORMER LANCEFIELD COURTHOUSE(Leased)

3. FORMER CASTERTON COURTHOUSE(Leased)

4. FORMER GISBORNE COURTHOUSE, LOCKUP AND STABLES (Leased)

5. FORMER MACARTHUR COURTHOUSE(Leased)

6. FORMER JAMIESON COURTHOUSE(Leased)

7. FORMER SKIPTON COURTHOUSE, (Leased)POLICE RESIDENCE & STABLES

8. FORMER AVOCA POLICE RESIDENCE, LOCKUP AND POWDER MAGAZINE (notleased)

9. FORMER SMYTHESDALE COURTHOUSE(Leased) & STABLES

10. FORMER ELTHAM COURTHOUSE (Leased)

11. FORMER DAYLESFORD COURTHOUSE, RESIDENCE & LOCKUP (Leased)

12. FORMER TOONGABBIE MECHANICS INSTITUTE (Leased)

13. FORMER MALDON COURTHOUSE (lease to be

arranged once current works are complete)

14. FORMER DRYSDALE FREE LIBRARY(Leased)

15. FORMER BEAUFORT COURTHOUSE (Leased) 16. FORMER HEXHAM SCHOOL (Leased)

17. FORMER YAKANDANDAH COURTHOUSE(Leased)

18. FORMER LOWER HOMEBUSH SCHOOL(Leased)

19. FORMER WOODEND COURTHOUSE (Leased) 20. FORMER GEELONG TELEGRAPHSTATION (Leased)

Other habitable or usable Historic Buildings

1. HAWKESTOWE 2. WM RICKETTS SANCTUARY RESIDENCE& GALLERY

3. YAN YEAN CARETAKERS COTTAGE 4. PONTVILLE

5. DODDS HOMESTEAD 6. ST. KILDA PIER KIOSK (leased)

7. SOUTH CHANNEL PILE LIGHT 8. HEATHCOTE POWDER MAGAZINE

9. ST KILDA BOWLING CLUB HOUSE (leased?) 10. TOWER HILL VISITORS CENTRE

11. POWER HOUSE CLUB ROOMS, Albert Park(leased)

12. WESTERFOLDS MANOR

13. CHESTERFIELD FARM (leased) 14. QUEENSCLIFF LIFEBOAT SHED

15. FERNTREE GULLY KIOSK


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Appendix 4 Historic Places by District

Region District Major Places Places Types Key Themes

WEST Mallee Graves; fences/stock yards/sheep dips; huts/house sites/camp sites; water supply/bores/wells/tanks; mining/salt works; recreation sites; natural

Living in Remote Areas

West Coast Nelson & Cape Otway Light stations, PMR Caves, Tower Hill, Glenample

Shipwrecks and jetties; light stations; natural sites; sawmills/tramways/winches; house and settlement sites; pastoral (fences, yards); recreation sites; graves/cemetery; court houses.

Accessing Natural Treasures; Shipping Along the Coast; Living in Remote Areas

Grampians Lal Lal; Jubilee; Zumsteins; Andersons Mill; Avoca police residence; Heatherlie Quarry

Court houses; bridges/tracks/roads; cemeteries/graves; charcoal production; sawmills & eucalyptus distilleries; Lock ups; mines/ quarries; memorials/cairns; hut/house/settlement sites; natural features; water supply; nursery sites (saw pit gully)

Accessing Natural Treasures; Mining.

EAST Alpine Grant, Oriental Claims; Mt Murphy; Mt Wills; Cassilis, Mt Buffalo Chalet.

Bridges; chalets; gardens; gold mining; huts; markers/cairns; natural sites; house/settlement sites; saw mills; tracks; water supply; fire tower; recreation.

Mining; Accessing Natural Treasures; Living in Remote Areas

East Gippsland

Gabo and Point Hick Lightstations, Buchan Caves.

Graves/cemetery; mining; marker/cairn; military; natural features; saw mills; fire towers; maritime industry; shipwrecks; light stations.

Accessing Natural Treasures; Shipping Along the Coast; Living in Remote Areas.

West Gippsland

Walhalla, Wonthaggi, Walkerville,Toongabbie, Wilsons Prom Lightstation, Noojee Trestle Bridge.

Bridges; cemetery/graves; gold mining/coal/limestone; farm/fences; huts; lightstations; saw mills/tramways; ship wrecks; lightstations; camp sites; military; maritime industry (whaling); settlement sites; tracks; natural sites.

Mining; Shipping Along the Coast; Accessing Natural Treasures.

39


Appendix 4 Cont

Region District Major Places Places Key Themes

CENTRAL Basalt Plains Steiglitz,Woodlands.

Churches; courthouse; gold mining; settlement related sites; natural sites.

Mining, Settling the Port Phillip District.

Central Highlands

Cumberland scenic reserve, Jamieson Court House

Bridges; cemetery; court house; gold mining/quarries; huts; natural wonders; marker/cairn; water supply; sawmills; hut/camp/settlement/hotel sites; tracks.

Mining, Accessing Natural Treasures, Living in Remote Areas.

Murray Central

Maldon, Beechworth; Castlemaine, Eldorado; Days Mill; Maldon battery.

Charcoal; eucy distilleries; court houses; gold mining; hut/house/settlement sites; fire towers; state battery.

Mining

CITY & BAYS City & Bays Werribee; Coolart; Point Cook, Geelong Telegraph Station, Fort Nepean; Cape Schanck & McCrae Lightstations.

Courthouses; light stations; jetties; military; homestead/house/settlement sites.

Settling the Port Phillip District; Shipping Along the Coast; Defending Colonial Victoria.

MELBOURNE METRO

Melbourne Metro

Warrandyte, Dandenong gardens; Kurth Kiln.

Gold; court houses; gardens; natural sites; saw mills/charcoal; recreation facilities; settlement sites; water supply.

Settling the Port Phillip District; Mining.


40

Appendix 5 Historic Themes Framework

The AHC Historic Themes Framework has nine interlinking theme groups (see figure 3).

The Framework emphasises the human activities that produced the places people value,and the human responses to Australia’s natural environment. This helps to relate places to the historical processes and stories associated with them.

The themes are generic and designed to be applied and interlinked regardless of the time period of the place. They are worded to be gender- and age- inclusive.

As well as being used to assess importance and help determine management priorities, themes will be used to:

• stimulate a broader understanding of places, their historical context and their relationship to other places

• focus on the range of historical values of a place and how these values are represented physically

• identify historical associations not physically apparent or previously identified

• allow plotting and analysis of the distribution of places associated with similar themes and time periods

• reveal through interpretation the layers of history over different periods in one place, and the multiple stories associated with the place

• help market places in different regions with common themes.

The themes are non-hierarchical and one place may reflect several themes. The themes and this non-hierarchical relationship depict the integrated, diverse and complex human experience.

Figure 3 Theme Groups in the AHC Historic Themes Framework

Peopling Australia

Developing local,

regional and

national economies

Marking the phases

of life

Building s

ettlements, towns and

cities

Developing Australia’s cultural life

PLACETracing

evolution of Australian

environment

Working

Educating

Governing


40

Appendix 6 List of available Heritage Action Statement, Plans and Maintenance Plans

Actions from Heritage Action Statements and Plans are implemented over time through the Cultural Values Management Program. However the inclusion of an action in an Action Statement or an Action Plan does not automatically imply that the action will be funded. The completion of an action depends upon the availability of resources and organisational properties.

Heritage Action Statements

Place Region Year prepared

Walkerville Lime Kilns. East 1998/9

Andersons Mill West 1998/9

Steiglitz Historic Park, Central 1998/9

Woodland Homestead, Central 1998/9

Eldorado Dredge. Central 1998/9

South Channel Fort. City & Bays 1998/9.

SCM Wonthaggi, East 1999/2000

Red Robin Mine. East 1999/2000

Days Mill & Farm. Central 1999/2000

Point Nepean, City & Bays 1999/2000

Werribee Park City & Bays 1999/2000

Wilsons Prom Lightstation East 2000/01

Point Hicks Lightstation East 2000/01

Poverty Point Bridge East 2000/01

Viewbank Melbourne Metro. 2000/01

Pontville Melbourne Metro 2000/01

Point Cooke Homestead City & Bays 2000/01

Buchan Caves East 2001/02

Grant Historic Area East 2001/02

Zumsteins Pise Cottages West 2001/02

Queenscliff Boat Shed City & Bays 2001/02

McCrae Lightstation City & Bays 2001/02

Farm Vigano Melbourne Metro. 2001/02


Heritage Action Plans

Place Region Year prepared

St. Kilda Bowling Club. City & Bays 1998/9

Gabo Island addendum. East 1999/2000

Wilsons Prom addendum East 1999/2000

Andersons Mill. West 1999/2000

Woodlands Homestead. Central 1999/2000

Days Mill & Farm Central 2000/01

Howqua Hills Area East 2000/01

Glenample Homestead West 2000/01

Grand Duke Mine, Timor West 2000/01

Mt Buffalo Chalet East 2000/01

Reservoir Hut, Mt Buffalo East 2000/01

Gowar School site, Maldon Central 2000/01

Garfield Waterwheel site, Chewton Central 2000/01

Sericulture site, Castlemaine Central 2000/01

Pioneer Cemetery, Chiltern Central 2000/01

Warby Falls, Weir & Race Central 2000/01

Point Nepean Forts addendum City & Bays 2000/01

South Channel Fort addendum City & Bays 2000/01

Kurth Kiln Melbourne Metro 2001/02

Point Cook Homestead City & Bays 2001/02

Collins Settlement Site City & Bays 2001/02

Heatherlie Quarry West 2001/02

Wilsons Creek, Eildon Central 2001/02

Mt Alexander Diggings National Heritage Park Central 2001/02

Beechworth Area mining sites Central 2001/02

Castlemaine Burial Sites Central 2001/02

Butts Reserve, Maldon Central 2001/02

Oriental Claims, Omeo East 2002/03


42

Conservation Plans

The following conservation plans were prepared prior to 1998. Since 1998 Conservation Plans have been called Heritage Action Plans. A number of these Conservation Plans are due for review, and the status of policy recommendations may need to be verified.

Place Region

South Channel Pile Light (1998) City & Bays

Coolart (1997) - conservation analysis and policy City & Bays

Cape Schanck Lightstation City & Bays

Pipemakers Park (1996) City & Bays

Chesterfield Farm (1997) Melb Metro

Pontville – significance and policy Melb Metro

William Ricketts Sanctuary Melb Metro

Yarra Bend Park Melb Metro

Wattle Park Melb Metro

Alfred Nicholas Gardens Melb Metro

George Tindale Gardens – conservation analysis Melb Metro

Stuchbury Farm Melb Metro

Happy Hollow Farm Melb Metro

Kurth Kiln (1996) Melb Metro

Nowingi Mine Tank (1998) West

Mopoke Hut (1998) West

Cape Otway Lightstation West

Cape Nelson Lightstation West

Lal Lal Blast Furnace (c. 1978) West

Jubilee Mine, West

State Coal Mine, Wonthaggi East

Gabo Island Lightstation East

Wilsons Promontory Lightstation East

New Works Area, Lakes Entrance East

Historic sites in the Walhalla Historic Area East

Eldorado Dredge Central

Wallaby Mine, Beechworth Central

Maldon State Battery Central

Heathcote Powder Magazine (c. 1980) Central


Heritage Maintenance Plans

Place Region

Red Robin Mine East

Gabo Island Lightstation East

Point Hicks Lightstation East

Wilsons Promontory Lightstation East

Historic buildings at Steiglitz Central

Woodlands Homestead Central

Point Cook Homestead City & Bays

Cape Otway Lightstation West

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