Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 1 NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA Heritage in Trust (ACT) May 2015 _________________________________________________________________ The Metric Church? St Stephen’s, Queanbeyan Inside From the President p5 ACT region Heritage Symposium p7 Heritage Diary p 8 Travels and at home with the Trust p9 Heritage Happenings p10 Heritage Festival 2015 report p15 Dirk Hartog - 400 th anniversary p18 Mugga – Mugga Open Day photos p 20 Was St Stephen’s Church in Queanbeyan the only 19 th century Australian church designed in metric configurations? Historian and heritage consultant, Brendan O’Keefe examines this claim which has become part of our local folklore. St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church in Queanbeyan was designed in 1871 by the Reverend Alberto Dias Soares, then the local Church of England minister, and built in the period 1872-74. In his thirty years of practice as an ecclesiastical architect (1859- 88), Soares designed at least fifteen Anglican churches, as well as a number of rectories, school buildings and church halls. 1 St Stephen’s is unique among his ecclesiastical commissions in that it was the only non-Anglican church that he designed. Cont p2
From the President p5 ACT region Heritage Symposium p7 Heritage Diary p8 Travels and at home with the Trust p9 Heritage Happenings p10 Heritage Festival 2015 report p15 Dirk Hartog - 400th anniversary p18 Mugga – Mugga Open Day photos
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a few days previously in which Soares was reported to
have ‘furnished the Presbyterian Denomination at
Queanbeyan with a plan and specifications’, had
‘permitted [himself] to be described in a public
document’ as ‘the Architect’ of ‘their new place of
worship’ and, at a meeting of the Queanbeyan
Presbyterians, had paid his first year’s subscription
‘with best wishes’. The article in question was a report
of the laying of the foundation stone of St Stephen’s.
Campbell warned Soares that, if the report was true,
he had made himself liable to suspension and even
revocation of his licence to practise as a minister.5
No reply from Soares is on file and, in the event, he
was not sacked. Campbell’s letter reveals, however,
that he did not seek permission from his bishop, Mesac
Thomas, to design St Stephen’s. It may thus be
surmised that he saw nothing wrong with providing the
Queanbeyan Presbyterian community with plans and
specifications for the church. On this basis, it seems
rather less likely that he would have designed St
Stephen’s in metric measures to distinguish it from the
Anglican churches he designed. It is possible of course
that he did do this, but if he used metric units for the
design in the belief that the design might otherwise
cause him problems with higher authorities in the
Church of England, then he would surely have sought
permission from Bishop Thomas beforehand.
In an effort to confirm or disprove the alleged metric
dimensions of the church, heritage architect Pip
Giovanelli, in company with the current author, took
measurements of the exterior of the church in
November 2014. It turned out that another heritage
architect, Ken Charlton, had also measured the church
in 1998. Belatedly, yet another set of plans and
measurements were found by the church’s current
minister and handed to Pip Giovanelli in December
2014.6 These last-mentioned drawings are interesting
because they are accompanied by a brief summary of
the church which baldly states that it was ‘built in the
metric system’. The drawings are undated but, as the
accompanying summary goes on to state that the
church’s centenary ‘will be celebrated in 1974’, they
were clearly prepared some time before this. Both the
context and the style and text of the drawings suggests
that they were done earlier in the 1970s.
In referring to the church as having been built to
metric dimensions, these pre-1974 drawings
apparently accepted this as established fact and
accordingly recorded the measurements in
centimetres. The trouble is that the measurements do
not actually confirm that the church was built to metric
specifications. The measurements are mostly odd
numbers of centimetres that do not equate to any
regular number of metres, as might be expected, while
in two important cases they equate to imperial
measures. The exterior width of the church, for
example, is quoted as 762 centimetres, which is
virtually exactly 25 feet. The exterior length of the
church, including the porch and vestry, is given as 1858
centimetres which is almost exactly 61 feet.
St Stephen’s
The only significant measure which the drawings quote
in a regular number of centimetres is that for the
internal width of the nave. This is given as 660
centimetres (ie, 21 feet 8 inches). However, in his
careful measurement of the width of the nave in 1998,
Ken Charlton arrived at a figure of 652.6 cm or 21 feet
4 inches in the imperial system. He also measured the
interior length of the nave as 1220.5 cm or 40 feet, as
against a figure of 1228 cm in the pre-1974 drawings.
Heritage In Trust May 2015
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Ken Charlton and Pip Giovanelli independently
measured the exterior length of the body or nave of
the church as 43 feet 3 inches, while Giovanelli
measured the external width of the church as 25 feet,
the same as the pre-1974 drawings. Charlton did not
take this measure.
There was only one feature of the church for which
Charlton and Giovanelli found any suggestive evidence
of the use of metric units. This consisted of the length
from the front of one buttress to the front of the next,
for the rear four of the five buttresses on the northern
side and for the four buttresses on the southern side.
(There are only four buttresses on this side because of
the presence of the bell tower.) The measure from one
buttress to the next is exactly 3 metres (or 9 feet 10
inches). However, the measure from the front of the
first buttress to the front of the second on the
northern side is 305 cm (or exactly 10 feet). The
spacing between the buttresses would thus appear to
be a mixture of metric and imperial measures. But
when taken with the rest of the measurements for the
church, which look to be definitely imperial, the 3-
metre spacing between most of the buttresses seems
to be purely coincidental.
The three separate measurements carried out on the
church, coupled with other evidence, do not provide
any support for the claim that St Stephen’s was built to
metric specifications. While as a Presbyterian structure
the church is unique in Soares’s corpus of works and its
design and history exhibit several noteworthy features,
the tradition that has grown up about its metric
dimensions looks to be without substance.
Brendan O’Keefe
Brendan O’Keefe is an historian and heritage consultant who
has carried out numerous heritage in Canberra and
Queanbeyan over many years. Photographs provided by the
author.
1 For the buildings that Soares designed, see Ken Charlton, ‘Southern Spires’, Anglican Historical Society Journal, no. 25, April 1998, Ransome T. Wyatt, History of the Diocese of Goulburn, Sydney, 1937, and entries in the NSW State Heritage Register and Inventory.
2 Jan Armour, And this Stone – The story of St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church, Queanbeyan, Queanbeyan, 1974, p. 27. 3 ‘Death of the Rev. Canon A. D. Soares’, The Southern Churchman, vol, 12, no. 4, 15 May 1909, p. 5; Charlton, ‘Southern Spires’, p. 1. 4Rex Cross and Bert Sheedy, Queanbeyan Pioneers – First Study, Queanbeyan, 1983, p. 67. 5 Letter, Charles Campbell, to A.D. Soares, 29 May 1872, Letter Book of Bishop Mesac Thomas, 1872-1874. 6 ‘St Stephens Presbyterian Church Queanbeyan presented by Reg Wolfe, Gary Luton and Arthur Marzalek’, undated.
St Stephen's today
Heritage In Trust May 2015
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From the President
Hello members.
I’m writing this shortly after the completion of yet another successful National Trust Open Day which was held this year at the historic Mugga-Mugga. I know there is a separate report on the Open Day elsewhere in this newsletter but I really have to thank Mary Johnston, Kirsty Guster and Linda Roberts for another fantastic organisational effort. Also, to all the volunteers that helped out on the day, THANK YOU. Your help is always appreciated and this is our one major event of the year where the more help we can get the better.
I’ve mentioned previously the concept of having an ‘Urban Polaris’ cycle event to heighten awareness of our heritage places. We had planned to run it in December of this year. Unfortunately there has been a change in plans and it has been decided to move the event to April next year to coincide with the 2016 Heritage Festival. I will provide more details in future newsletters.
As you would all know, membership is our major source of revenue and I thank you all for supporting the work of the National Trust by being members. The ACT Trust is one of the few remaining Trusts that has a life membership option and it is by far the cheapest. In an effort to bring our rates into line with other organisations and assist in our efforts to remain sustainable, we have decided to increase life membership rates from $750 (single) to $1,137.50 and from $1,200 (household) to $1,662.50. These rates will still be the cheapest offered by any State Trust and the good news is that you can take advantage of the old rates until 30 June 2015. So, if you are thinking about this membership option you’d better lock it in quickly! And while you’re at it, don’t forget our Patron program – if you want to be remembered as an Inaugural Patron you also need to act before 30 June 2015.
Now, without offending any of my fellow Council members I think it is safe to say that none of us are particularly ‘tech savvy’. But it’s OK as help is at hand! Our industrious Office Manager Liz has enlisted the help of her son Andrew to bring the social media side of our website up to speed. Go to our website at nationaltrust.org.au and you will see that we have a
Contents
The Metric Church? St Stephen’s Queanbeyan ___ 1
From the President _________________________ 5
People and Places _________________________ 6
Trusted Recipe ____________________________ 6
ACT & Region Heritage Partnership Symposium _ 7
Heritage Diary ____________________________ 8
Travels and at home with the Trust ___________ 9
Heritage Happenings _______________________ 10
New Council Members _____________________ 11
Keeping up with the times – social networking __ 12
Twitter feed and a Facebook link. And, please make us one of your friends so that we can spread the good work of the Trust to the wider community. Also, in a similar vein, while you’re on the website you will see a link to a podcast from Tony Delroy’s Nightlife radio program which I was a guest on recently. It’s more of national perspective on the Trust but worth listening to, to see what’s happening nationally.
And finally, I met with Minister Greg Hunt recently to discuss the National Trust at a national level and he outlined his vision to set up a National Lottery to help fund Arts and Heritage. Some of you may be familiar with the Heritage Lottery Program in the UK which raises over AUD$700 million annually. The Minister’s vision is still at the concept stage but I would ask that you pass on the idea to your friends and local MPs in an effort to spread the word as I suspect it will be a case of ‘community’ voice and support that will see the idea come to fruition.
Thanks again for your interest and support.
Scott McAlister President
Heritage In Trust May 2015
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People and Places
New members
The National Trust (ACT) warmly welcomes the
following new members:
Robert and Kath Arthur
Freda Hanley and Tim Barton
Su and Rob Bastian
Dianne and Bruce Billings
Rebecca and Grahame Butler
Gary and Frances Coble
Simon Cullen
Peter Le Cornu and Kim Cusack
Jude Dodd
Lorraine Lister and Lada Faith
Leonard and Linda Glare
Kirsty Guster
Brian and Jeanette Henry
Sharyn Sullivan and Barry Hugg
Keith Joyce
Linda Laker
Julie Macklin
Dylan and Francesca Matthews
Bronwyn and Philip McLaren
Anita Lutze and Beverley Murray
Alison Neil
Rod and Joan Nichols
Cheng Phillips
Eric and Cathy Pulford
Sharon Field and Chris Quinn
Roger and Kate Rose
Ronis Chapman and Michael Searle
Marlene Strudwick
Graham and Fiona Thompson
Adriana and Ron Travers
Katherine Campbell and Andy Turner
Ben Kempton and Sarah Webeck
Ian White
Diana White
Life Member: Dr Fiona Rothchilds
Trusted recipe
Curry Paste
With winter starting to emerge from the side
wings, here is an alternative taste to have in the
fridge at the ready for our cold evenings. It is
great to have on hand for the heart-warming
curry and rice but it is also good for stews and
left-over roasts.
Combine
2 tsp malt vinegar
2 cloves crushed garlic
½ cup oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Mix with the following ingredients
2 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp dry mustard
¼ tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp ginger
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cardamom
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tsp sugar
Stir over low heat for approximately 3 minutes
and cool to room temperature.
Makes about 1 cup.
Store in airtight container in fridge.
Use approximately 2 tbsp paste to 500g of meat.
Di Dowling
Heritage In Trust May 2015
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Heritage In Trust May 2015
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Heritage Diary February to June 2015 A selection of heritage-related events of interest to members
Details of National Trust (ACT) events are provided in Travels and at home with the Trust on page 9
Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.
CAS www.cas.asn.au
7 – 11 September INTO 2015 Conference
16th International Conference of National
Trusts Cambridge UK
INTO http://www.internationaltrusts.org/10409
http://www.icntcambridge2015.org.uk/
Wednesday 16
September 6.30 for 7.00pm
CAS/CAR lecture - Bec Parkes, Googong
Heritage Project. Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.
CAS www.cas.asn.au
Saturday 3 October 175th Anniversary Costume Ball
Cooma Cottage Yass
National Trust
6230 0533
Wednesday 21
October
6.30 for 7.00pm
CAS/CAR lecture - Stuart Hawkins, Vanuatu.
Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A,
Union Court, ANU.
CAS www.cas.asn.au
Sat 24 Oct – Sun
8 Nov Tasmania by Coach and Rail U3A More info or EOIs ring Garth Setchell (ph
62901100) during May. Wednesday 18
November
6.30 for 7.00pm
CAS/CAR lecture - Billy O’Foghlu, Iron Age
Music. Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.
CAS www.cas.asn.au
Notes: CAS is the Canberra Archaeological Society. CAR is the Centre for Archaeological Research. CDHS is Canberra and District Historical Society. NAA is National Archives of Australia. INTO is International National Trusts Organisation, U3A is University of the Third Age. Information on events run by organisations other than the
National Trust (ACT) is provided in good faith, but readers should check dates and times with the contacts indicated above.
Travels and at home with the TrustLocal and Interstate National Trust (NSW) and other events
Speaker’s Event - Mark Butz “The intriguing history of Jerrabomberra Wetlands”
Wednesday 20 May 2015 - 5.30pm-7.00pm, Menzies Room, National Archives of Australia Victoria Terrace, Parkes, ACT
Mark is an environmental scientist by training, with a
lifelong interest in history, from the prehistoric to the
recent. His research into the history of the Jerrabomberra
Wetlands area has unearthed many stories beyond those
to do with wetlands and waterbirds. These include the
early days of Duntroon, siting and design of the Federal
Capital, pioneer Australian movie-making, trench warfare
training, soldier settlement, record floods, a doomed
railway, model dairies, a lost lake, some odd urban schemes
and many slender chances that led to the wetlands of today.
Cost: $10.00 NT members; $15.00 non members. Drinks & nibbles included. Bookings closed. Contact NT ACT office 02 6230 0533 or email [email protected]
Jerrabomberra Wetlands
ACT and Region Annual Heritage Partnership Symposium Theme: Sharing Heritage: Create, Change, Cherish
Saturday 18 July 8.30am to 5.00pm Sir Roland Wilson Theatrette, Building 120, ANU,
More information: See flyer on p7 Registrations opening soon. Eric Martin and Associates: ( [email protected] )
Cooma Cottage Market and Car Boot Sale Sunday 31 May 10am – 2pm Cooma Cottage, 756 Yass Valley Way, Yass
Plenty to see. Plenty to buy. 20 stalls plus car boot sale Ring Helen on 6226 3665 or Rick on 0488 963 492
175th Anniversary Costume Ball Saturday 3 October Cooma Cottage Yass
Celebrating Hamilton Hume’s 175th Year at Cooma Cottage Yass and launching the Old Hume Highway 31 Project. An evening of 1840s ballroom dancing, music, food, wine, an Opera Recital, auction, raffle & speeches.
Tickets available on-line from 19 June Ring NT ACT Office on 6230 0533 for details
U3A Tour - Tasmania by Coach and Rail Sat 24 Oct to Sun 8 Nov 2015 Special invitation for National Trust (ACT) members
Travelling mainly by coach, the tour includes at least 5 historic rail journeys plus cruises on the Gordon and Pieman Rivers. It also embraces World Heritage Areas such as Freycinet, Port Arthur, Lake St Clair, Cradle Mountain and The Tarkine, plus visits to a number of historic properties and towns, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) at Hobart, wineries, seafood buffets and a host of other attractions.
Including 3.5 to 5 star accommodation, most meals, all the above and many other attractions, a cost in the vicinity of $4500pp dbl/twin or $5700pp sgl is indicated, plus return air fares from Canberra (for around $450pp if booked early enough).
More information and EOI: Contact Garth Setchell on 6290 1100 during May.
Watch out for future NT(ACT) events including a bus tour to the Bombala area in spring and a visit to Tharwa.
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 10
Heritage Happenings Lake Burley Griffin Guardians This group has been formed to press for conservation of the heritage values of the Lake and surrounds. The NT supports the group.
ACT Supreme Court A meeting has been held between the NT and representatives of the ACT Government who are managing the private/public partnership project for the new ACT Supreme Court. Although details of the two design bids were not revealed, we have been assured that the heritage values of the existing building are being considered in the new design. An opportunity to comment in more detail will be available later in the year.
ACT Supreme Court Photo: Canberra Times
Northbourne Avenue The NT participated in a charrette to consider the future of Northbourne Avenue and the light rail corridor (from EPIC to Russell) and the issues that need to be considered in developing any planning framework for the area.
ACT Planning Review The NT has made a submission on the strategic planning document that considers planning priorities for Canberra. The NT stressed the need for early consideration of, identification of, and respect for heritage places and issues.
Dickson/Lyneham Flats (Northbourne Housing Precinct) The NT is pressing for standing to have its appeal against partial listing of the precinct heard. The problem is that the public notice submission date was after the legal notice expiry date and the NT submission was received by the public notice date. This decision will be considered by 22 May 2015. The NT has also appealed the decision to demolish two towers on the Dickson side but this is being held over until a decision is made on the NT’s standing on the listing proposal.
Grants
The NT intends to submit a proposal for the conservation of the Weetangera Cemetery and possibly Reid Railway Precinct.
Yarralumla Forestry School The NT has been discussing the future of the Yarralumla Forestry School with ACT Foresters. While it is listed, the future of the site is unclear.
Ginninderra Falls The NT continues liaison with the Falls group and Riverview about the long-term proposals for the Falls and the protection of its heritage values.
Forrest Townhouses Forrest town houses by Sir Roy Grounds are included within the Blandfordia 4 Precinct but concern has been expressed to the ACT Heritage Council that the general guidelines are not specific enough to adequately protect the place. Advice received is that it is not a current priority item.
ACT NT Heritage Awards 2015 This will occur again this year and the announcement of the event will occur shortly.
Yarralumla Section 64 The NT has written to ACT Heritage about the dilapidated state of this area – it is a derelict building site despite its heritage listing. The NT is seeking some action to improve the site and protect heritage values. Eric J Martin AM
Heritage In Trust May 2015
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New Council Members
There are three new Council members in 2015. In the last
edition of Heritage in Trust, we introduced Chris Wain,
former Executive Director of the ACT Trust.
In this issue, we make another re-introduction, Bethany
Lance.
Bethany Lance is the former Research Assistant for the
National Trust ACT. She currently works as a consultant
for heritage consulting firm GML Heritage in their
Canberra office. She has been in this position since
November 2012 and since this time has been lucky
enough to work on projects at significant local and
national heritage places for a variety of clients in
Canberra and around Australia. She has also had previous
experience working for the ANU and the National Library
of Australia.
Bethany holds a Master of Liberal Arts, majoring in
Cultural Heritage, from the Australian National University
and has studied cultural heritage; archaeology; building
and object conservation; history; museum and cultural
heritage management; she also undertook professional
practice and an internship with the ANU at Kakadu
National Park as a part of her tertiary education.
Her love of all things heritage stemmed from her
experiences growing up on the farm that Miles Franklin
lived at near Goulburn. Discovering and collecting
artefacts leftover from the Franklin family's time there
was one of her favourite pastimes growing up.
Bethany is looking forward to working with the National
Trust again in a voluntary capacity and contributing to the
great work of the Trust in the ACT.
Bethany Lance (photo: GML Heritage)
Heritage In Trust May 2015
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Keeping up with the times – social
networking!
No doubt you have heard the term ‘social media’, the
interactive way of communicating, using modern
technology. Rather than being static like reading a
newspaper or listening to the radio, social media allows
you to interact, make comments, share information, and
‘have your say’ about pretty much anything you could
imagine and, more importantly, about the things that
matter to you!
To sign up and follow us on Facebook, simply go to
http://www.facebook.com and enter your email and
some personal details to get started, then navigate to
http://www.facebook.com/nationaltrustact and click the
like button near the top of the page.
For Twitter, go to http://www.twitter.com and enter your
name and email, and choose a password to sign up and
then navigate to https://twitter.com/NatTrust_ACT and
click the follow button.
We encourage you to join us on Facebook and Twitter
and look forward to hearing from you!
Like us on follow us on
Liz and Andrew McMillan
KEEP UP TO DATE Subscribe to E News
Are you up with the latest National Trust happenings? Maybe you have been missing out on our E News bulletins! Make sure you are on the E News list to keep up to date with events and find opportunities to contribute to the valuable and important work of the Trust.
Email [email protected] with the subject heading of: Subscribe to E News
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 13
T
Trust Tour Reports
Crookwell and Taralga Day Trip Sunday 1 March
A full busload of National Trust and U3A members and
friends set off on Sunday 1 March for a day’s gentle
exploring of two Southern Tablelands towns, Crookwell
and Taralga. The forecast wasn’t good – storms pending –
but we completed the journey having felt only a drop or
two of rain.
Crookwell was our first destination, population about
2,500 out of the total of 7,500 in the Upper Lachlan Shire.
We were joined on the bus by Sharon Thearle, an
enthusiastic guide from the local Information Centre who
took us on a town tour after morning tea in the park. One
of the streets we drove along was called Roberts St. Was
it just a coincidence that our leader for the day was Linda
Roberts? No, it wasn’t! Linda’s husband, Wayne Roberts,
is descended from the Horatio Roberts who arrived in
Sydney in 1864 as a 4-year old and subsequently opened
the first tavern in Crookwell.
Morning tea in the park at Crookwell
We stopped off at the Lindner Sock Factory and Shop in
the town where we were shown the sock-making
machinery and given a brief and informative talk by
fourth-generation sock maker, Andrew Lindner. Many of
us also indulged in a spot of sock buying.
Andrew Lindner demonstrating his sock-making machine
Lunch was provided at Crystal Brook Lavender Farm which
is a few kilometers off the main road between Laggan and
Taralga. Despite having hosted a concert the day before,
the owners of the farm served a fine array of fresh
sandwiches, cake, tea and coffee to the hungry horde
from Canberra.
The next stop and the main history/heritage fix for the
day was Taralga, population about 370. There is a very
active historical society in Taralga and members had
turned out in force to answer our questions at their
museum which comprises a former church, a slab cottage,
a Nissen hut, a large shed full of equipment, and a dairy
complex. Ken Fleming from the historical society gave us a
brief overview of Taralga’s history, after which we were
free to look at the various buildings and exhibits in the
museum.
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Part of the Taralga Historical Society Museum display
Ken then guided us around the town, pointing out the
many stone buildings in the main street and taking us in
particular to see Christ the King Catholic Church. Sister
Bernadette told us how the building was constructed
within six months in 1934 at a cost of £18,000. This lovely
church is surprisingly large, considering the current
population of Taralga, but at one time the congregation
filled the pews.
Trust Tour Reports
Chifley Walk and Talk Saturday 28 March We met at Chifley shops at 2pm - our guide, Neville Bleakley, nine participants and me as escort - on a perfect autumn afternoon.
Christ the King Church at Taralga
After afternoon tea in the park, it was back into the bus
for the return to Canberra. Thanks to Linda for her
leadership on the day and to the various folk in Crookwell
and Taralga who helped to make the day both informative
and enjoyable.
Wendy Whitham (text and photos)
Gathering for the walk
Neville introduced himself as a long-time resident of Chifley with an interest in the history of Chifley and the broader 'Yarralumla' Valley. We learnt that older residents of the area do not approve of the name Woden Valley, believing it should be named after the Yarralumla Creek running through it so Neville uses the term ‘the Valley’.
After setting the scene before suburban development and identifying landmarks such as watercourses and a former dam, Neville outlined the history of early holdings by soldier-settlers after the First World War - properties including Melrose, Yarra Glen and Yamba (owned by the Eddison family who lost three sons in WW2). The suburb of Chifley was located on the former Melrose property.
We set off for a walk through the streets which we
learned are named after scientists and
educationalists (through a little Googling!). We then
found, much to most people's surprise, the old Long
Gully Road, quite a wide reserve through mature
gum trees but the road alignment is clearly
identifiable in places such as in this photo (next
page).
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Old Long Gully Road once formed part of the route from Cooma to Tumut. It now has a cycle/walking path which we walked along. We stopped at the seat and heritage sign for which Neville had lobbied the government.
At the sign, Neville talked about the Cemetery Road and told us about his interactions with people connected with the early families who had lived in the area. A short walk took us back to the shops past the former Chifley school which Neville told us had a great gym! There is also a site for a future house for autistic children.
Our final stop was in the park at the Chifley shops for coffee and cake from the Chifley Grocer. Thanks to our enthusiastic guide, Neville, we all learnt a lot about the history of Chifley and ‘the Valley’.
Mary Johnston (text and photos)
Heritage Festival Report
The National Trust (ACT) had eight events in the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival which ran from 11-26 April. Unfortunately the walk to the Yankee Hat Aboriginal Art Site was cancelled because of the poor weather forecast for that day. All other events proceeded and we mercifully missed the worst of the weather.
Canberra Brickworks - Saturday 11 April The Canberra Brickworks is of considerable technical value because of the presence in the one location of a number of different kiln types. The Staffordshire kiln, completed in 1915, is especially significant as the only surviving example of this kiln type in Australia. To celebrate the centenary of the kiln, we partnered with the Yarralumla Residents Association to provide two short tours of the Brickworks.
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Dr Peter Dowling told us that the making of bricks goes back at least 7,000 years. The first bricks were sun-dried. Later, bricks were dried by open fires and then in kilns. He explained how the geology of the area had determined the location of the Brickworks. Keith Baker told us about the contribution of the Brickworks to the building of early Canberra including the provisional Parliament House, East and West Blocks, the Melbourne and Sydney Buildings and early brick houses. Thor Diesendorf, who has operated Thor's Hammer at the Brickworks since 1994, provided commentary on the buildings as the groups walked through the site, stopping to look at the Staffordshire kiln and the fan house as well as later kilns of different designs. Thor also talked about the rich history as a creative space for artisans, artists and other community uses since the Brickworks closed in 1976. Marea Fatseas, from the Yarralumla Residents Association, finished the tour with an outline of the plans for development in the area. It would be nice to think that the Brickworks will have a bright future, perhaps, as Thor has suggested, as an Artisan and Designer Hub. Thanks to the Yarralumla Residents Association, Dr Peter Dowling, Keith Baker and Thor Diesendorf for contributing to this event. Mary Johnston
At the Canberra Brickworks
Mugga-Mugga Open Day - Sunday 12 April
This year we partnered with ACT Historic Places to hold the Trust's 5th Heritage Festival Open Day at Mugga-Mugga. With 17 hectares of rural paddocks we had plenty of room to hold various displays, including the ever popular cars of various vintages and makes. Sing Australia Canberra celebrated "Sing Australia Day" with us; the Jumptown Jammers made a big impact with their swing dancing; while the Bush Poets entertained those enjoying Devonshire tea on the deck of the Education Centre.
Tours of the cottage were very popular while one of the features of the event was Dr Jenny Gall's "Hidden Voices" talk and subsequent tours of the cottage where, with the help of Ian Blake and David Game, some of the music that would have been heard in the cottage in the past was re-created. Children were not forgotten, with Noahs Ark Farm Friends and the face painter both well attended. The Australian Great War Association was also there in vintage uniforms to recruit new young members and there were guns as well as nursing memorabilia, courtesy of the Canberra Hospital Foundation, on display.
Gun Display
Thanks to all those who participated, not least the National Trust volunteers who marshalled cars, served Devonshire teas and sausages, and generally made the day run smoothly.
The Open Day is supported by the ACT Government through an ACT Heritage Grant.
Mary Johnston (text and photos)
Heritage In Trust May 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 17
Lenore Coltheart, author of Albert Hall: The Heart of Canberra - Wednesday 15 April
A small, but interested, group gathered in the Menzies Room at the National Archives on Wednesday 15 April to hear Dr Lenore Coltheart speak. We heard how Dr Coltheart became involved in the Albert Hall some years ago - including the role of Di Johnstone, former councillor of the National Trust (ACT) and Secretary of Friends of the Albert Hall. We also heard about the research leading to Dr Coltheart's book about the Albert Hall. But the presentation was much broader than this - Dr Coltheart talked about working with the National Archives and gave us some clues on how to get access to documents of interest. She also gave some insights into how communities can influence governments' responses to heritage issues and some warnings about how heritage places can be 'demolished by neglect'. Dr Coltheart then engaged the small audience in a 'tutorial' by asking what places they valued most around Canberra and why. Nominations included well-known sites such as Lanyon but also some lesser-known ones such as Yarralumla Brickworks, Wybalena Grove, the Hotel Kurrajong and St Patrick’s School in Braddon. There was also discussion on whether heritage could include more modern sites and she outlined criteria that were relevant in addressing more modern buildings and locations. She encouraged those who had an interest in protecting a heritage location to find out more about it including whether there was a heritage listing and, if not, to look at how to ensure conservation and at the process for possible heritage listing. A first step is to look at the ACT Heritage website www.environment.act.gov.au/heritage. All in all, a very enjoyable and useful presentation for which we thank Dr Coltheart. Copies of the beautifully presented book on the Albert Hall are available in the National Trust (ACT) office.
Mary Johnston
A Walk in the Park - Friday 17 April
On a coolish, gloomy, misty, damp morning a small umbrellaed brigade of heritage walkers undertook the Commonwealth Park walk. This involved intermittent history information interspersed with discussions on trees and shrubs, park design, park designers and water management. We started at the initial idea for the park shown on Walter Burley Griffin's 1913 plan, then we walked through Weston's cypress plantings and past Nerang Pool. We greeted Prime Minister Bob Menzies and had a short discussion on his role in the development of the Lake and the Park. Despite inclement weather, the misty vistas added an ethereal quality particularly to the soft autumn colours of the Swamp Cypresses (Taxodium distichum) now having a strong presence in the park along with their knobbly knees. Our walk took us to Rond Terraces past various memorials. We were disappointed with the completely-dry stream valley, admired the visible tangible sculptures but found appreciation of the buried Flugleman sculpture quite challenging. The local bird community of ducks, swamphens and an odd cormorant seemed happy, no doubt because the weather suited them and there were few pesky tourists. Fruit bats were hanging from tree tops and there was plenty of evidence of rabbits enjoying park life. Despite the rather unkempt look of shrub beds and the low water level of ponds, the park was lovely as always and although we ended up with wet feet we all enjoyed the walk.
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