Heritage in Trust May 2013

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NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA Heritage in Trust (ACT) May 2013 _________________________________________________________________ Photo: Margaret Hadfield and colleagues in front of her mural at Queanbeyan Museum The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum One of the best and most important museums in the local region is the Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum in Farrer Place, Queanbeyan. Over the last decade, the museum has undergone a remarkable renaissance and recently received high commendation from the NSW Museums and Galleries Standards Program. In the 1990s, however, the museum had fallen on hard times. Among the volunteers who kept the museum going, enthusiasm was waning and numbers dwindling. And while the museum held valuable and interesting material, its exhibits looked tired and in urgent need of refreshing, rearrangement and reinterpretation. Capping off the institution’s decline, rising damp in the historic museum building forced its closure in the late 1990s. The museum’s renaissance began in 2002. In that year, local historian Gillian Kelly and husband Gordon embarked on a major program of renewal and rejuvenation at the museum. Queanbeyan City Council dealt with the rising damp and, with some professional museum advice and assistance, the transformation of the museum began. cont p2 Inside Heritage suburbs: Ainslie p 18 Tharwa Bridge- engineering heritage p 19 Travels with the Trust - Book Now p 11 Heritage at risk p 9 What's on? Member Events p 7 Heritage Festival Reports p 12

description

Territory publication of the National Trust in the Australian Capital Territory

Transcript of Heritage in Trust May 2013

Page 1: Heritage in Trust May 2013

NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA

Heritage in Trust (ACT) May 2013

_________________________________________________________________

Photo: Margaret Hadfield and colleagues in front of her mural at Queanbeyan Museum

The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum

One of the best and most important museums in the

local region is the Queanbeyan and District Historical

Museum in Farrer Place, Queanbeyan. Over the last

decade, the museum has undergone a remarkable

renaissance and recently received high commendation

from the NSW Museums and Galleries Standards

Program. In the 1990s, however, the museum had

fallen on hard times. Among the volunteers who kept

the museum going, enthusiasm was waning and

numbers dwindling. And while the museum held

valuable and interesting material, its exhibits looked

tired and in urgent need of refreshing, rearrangement

and reinterpretation. Capping off the institution’s

decline, rising damp in the historic museum building

forced its closure in the late 1990s.

The museum’s renaissance began in 2002. In that year,

local historian Gillian Kelly and husband Gordon

embarked on a major program of renewal and

rejuvenation at the museum. Queanbeyan City Council

dealt with the rising damp and, with some professional

museum advice and assistance, the transformation of

the museum began.

cont p2

Inside

Heritage suburbs: Ainslie p 18

Tharwa Bridge- engineering heritage p 19

Travels with the Trust - Book Now p 11

Heritage at risk p 9

What's on? Member Events p 7 Heritage Festival Reports p 12

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The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum

A mutually beneficial relationship was established with

the Canberra Institute of Technology’s Museum

Practice course, informative and attractive new

exhibits were created and, to mark the museum’s

regeneration, a new colour scheme and logo were

adopted.

The pioneering work by the Kellys has been continued

and expanded by the Museum Society’s past President,

Kerrie Ruth, and by the current president John

McGlynn. Through their efforts in partnership with the

City Council, the museum has been highly successful in

securing grant funding. A large heritage grant from the

Commonwealth Government provided funds for

improvements to the museum building, including

restoration of the museum’s original timber flooring

and the welcome installation of a proper heating

system and insulation.

Further grants from the federal and NSW governments

funded the construction of the museum’s new ‘passive

storage’ building. Standing unobtrusively between the

museum and the Queanbeyan Printing Museum, the

building was cleverly designed by architect Peter

Overton to store artefacts that are not on display – as

well as the museum’s extensive archives – in

conditions of stable temperature and humidity.

Crucial to the revival of the museum has been

generous and ongoing financial and other support from

Queanbeyan City Council. Indeed, it has undertaken a

shared role of management and development with the

Museum Society. The Council regards the museum as a

major tourist attraction and an important educational

facility for locals and visitors alike, in relation to the

history of the city and its district.

The museum has also benefited from significant

support of another kind. Its resurgence has depended

on the skills and labours of an energetic and

committed band of volunteers and from the

contribution of staff and students of the CIT’s Museum

Practice course. In working on the museum’s

collections and exhibits, the students have gained

invaluable practical experience in museology.

From the editors

Welcome to the first on-line edition of

Heritage in Trust. You’ll find all your old

favourites here including information on

forthcoming tours and other activities. While the

need to reduce costs was a major reason for

Heritage in Trust going on-line, there are real

advantages for members in terms of the currency

of information, the range of articles we can bring

you and the number of colour photos. The Trust

is, of course, still looking after those members

who don’t have email or internet access.

The not-so-good news about the financial

situation is balanced by good news about the

Centenary Rally, the organisation of which is

proceeding well. ABC TV and radio personality,

Mark Carmody, has been appointed as the Rally’s

ambassador and we can expect to see his smiling

face more often as the Rally gets closer. The Trust

also had a very successful Heritage Festival with

good attendances at most events, including a

substantial representation of young people at the

Environa visit. More on Heritage Festival events

below.

We look forward to hearing your views on the

new on-line Heritage in Trust. Please email

([email protected]) or write to the

Editors with your views and suggestions.

Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum

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The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum

Prominent among the works in which the students

have been involved has been the conservation of the

museum’s blacksmithy. Retrieved from a local rural

property, the structure has been restored to working

order by a skilled CIT team led by Robert Cooke.

It has been to the enormous advantage of the Museum Society and the people of Queanbeyan that the Society was able to acquire the former Police Sergeant’s Residence for museum purposes in 1981. The building is a multi-roomed structure that provides space for a number of exhibitions. It is also of historic interest in its own right. A handsome brick building, it was purpose-built in 1875-76 almost certainly to a design by the NSW Colonial Architect, James Barnet. The building’s history and significance are now explained in a series of attractive interpretive signs composed by museum volunteers. And on the rear wall of the museum compound, Canberra artist Margaret Hadfield has completed a 30m by 2.5m historic mural of local people, streetscapes, buildings and activities, drawn from the work of Beaufoy Merlin and other 19th century photographers.

Overall, the aim of the museum is to tell the story of the town of Queanbeyan and its district over more than two centuries. This of course includes the history of Aboriginal occupation and use of the district before and after white settlement. Another exhibition charts Queanbeyan’s early European history from discovery and settlement to its establishment as a town. Other exhibitions cover bushrangers in the district, the town’s medical history and wheat experimenter William Farrer and his de Salis relations, complete with family artefacts. There is an ever-changing gallery of early photographs from the museum’s large

photographic collection. With the assistance of Council staff, this collection is currently being digitised by museum volunteers.

As Queanbeyan existed long before the establishment

of the ACT, the museum not surprisingly has much to

do with Canberra. The museum’s displays deal with

pre-ACT Canberra, they cover Queanbeyan’s role in the

foundation and building of the national capital, and

they consider the effects that Queanbeyan and the

national capital have had on each other. One of the

museum’s treasures is a framed collection of 35

photographs by Russian-born photographer Harry

Krantz which shows the federal capital in 1926.

Apart from the permanent exhibits on display, the

museum has mounted a series of temporary

exhibitions. The series, which is ongoing, has included

exhibitions on invention and innovation, people from

the town and district who enlisted in the world wars,

and local entertainment, including the much-missed

School of Arts Café.

What promises to be one of the most important and

fascinating temporary exhibitions that the Society has

ever presented will open in September this year.

Entitled ‘Halloran’s Way’, it will feature plans,

photographs, objects and documents from the vast

archive of Henry F. Halloran, planner of Environa and

the Canberra Freeholds Estates.

Blacksmith's shop

Farrer Piano

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The Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum

The collection, on loan from the Huskisson Museum,

will be shown exclusively in Queanbeyan, with most of

the material on display never having been seen by the

public before. The exhibition will be of such a scale

that it will be put on in the Q, the Queanbeyan

Performing Arts Centre.

The Queanbeyan Museum is open from 1.00 to 4.00pm

on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but groups are

welcome to visit the museum at other times by

appointment. Contact [email protected] or

go to www.queanbeyanmuseum.org.au.

Brendan O’Keefe

Brendan O’Keefe is an historian and heritage consultant who has carried out numerous heritage projects in Canberra and Queanbeyan over many years. Photos provided by the author.

From the President

The National Trust enters a new phase in its history

and is making changes to be relevant, sustainable and

yet still support National Trust members and the ACT

community in ensuring our heritage is identified and

conserved in the most appropriate manner.

The Council has decided to:

Have the Heritage in Trust and Trust News distributed by electronic means.

Reduce costs, which in the immediate term has seen a delayed replacement of Bethany Lance.

Seek ACT Government support through the budget to explore ways we can work with ACT Government in a range of initiatives for the mutual benefit of both.

We will be exploring a range of initiatives to enable us

to maintain a financially sustainable future. The

support of members through this transition phase is

critical.

We have seen the departure of a few members of our

team and the National Trust’s thanks are extended to

all for their valuable contribution.

Bethany Lance, our Heritage Research Officer, has

decided to take on a full time position. Bethany

brought a younger view, enthusiasm and capability to

the position and her dedication and effort are

commended and thanked.

Sandy Blair has resigned from Council after several years, but will remain Chair of the Heritage and Grants Committee. Sandy has an enormous depth to her heritage expertise and her links to ANU were also beneficial for the National Trust. We are pleased she will continue as Chair of the Heritage and Grants Committee.

Although Bill Lewis was a Councillor for only a short

time he was an important link with the Car Clubs,

essential for the Rally, and also provided a sound

business contribution to Council. This has left the

Council with two vacancies which we will now consider

filling.

Eric Martin AM President

New Council member biography

Mary Johnston completed a BA at the University

of Sydney and worked in educational research at

the University before moving to Canberra in 1978.

After working at ANU in social sciences research

and completing a Graduate Diploma in Statistics at

the then Canberra College of Advanced Education,

she worked in the College administration. She

then joined the Commonwealth public service and

worked in various roles in education, social

services, health and employment.

Since retiring Mary has been enjoying life on a

small property near Bungendore where she and

her husband, Richard, have a house dating back to

the 1830s which they have renovated and

extended. She has enjoyed travelling in Australia

and overseas and volunteering both locally and

with the National Trust, particularly on the Tours

Committee. Mary has been a member of the

Trust for many years and even met her husband

on a National Trust tour of Balmain in Sydney!

A full list of Council members can be found on the

website www.nationaltrust.org.au

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Australia ICOMOS 2013 National Conference – Centenary of Canberra

Registrations Now Open

Imagined pasts..., imagined futures… ‘Imagined pasts, imagined futures’ is an exciting multidisciplinary conference that coincides with the centenary of Canberra and the array of cultural activities, performances, exhibitions and events that are planned for Canberra in 2013. Australia ICOMOS is partnering with the Museum of Australian Democracy in the unique setting of Old Parliament House to explore how heritage participates in the ‘imagined communities’ and ‘imagined geographies’ of nations and communities in a globalising world. Taking the imagining of the city of Canberra as our inspiration, the conference encourages a focus on imagination, innovation and creativity. Conference activities will feature special events that showcase Canberra’s unique cultural, historical and political heritage — from indigenous heritage futures, to the imagined frontiers of science and the heritage of political debate and satire! Pre and post conference activities will explore the heritage and cultural landscapes of the region, including its fantastic cool climate wines and produce.

Dates: Thursday 31 October–Sunday 3 November 2013 Venue: Museum of Australian Democracy @ OPH Early bird registration for ICOMOS Members (Full and Associate) $495, Non- members $595. Register at http://www.aicomos.com/2013-canberra-

centenary/registration/

ACT and Region Annual Australian Heritage Partnership Symposium The Centenary of Canberra – 2013

‘A Centenary of Celebrating Heritage’ Accessing, presenting and interpreting heritage places

and their collections that have contributed to 100

years and more in Canberra and the region.

Hosted by Australia ICOMOS, Canberra Archaeological Society, Donald Horne Institute for Cultural Heritage University of Canberra, Institute of Professional Practice in Heritage and the Arts ANU, and National Trust of Australia (ACT). Saturday 20th July 2013; Time: 8.30am to 5pm. Venue: Sir Roland Wilson Building Theatre,

Bldg 120, ANU campus. Cost: $70 full

$50 members of host organisations, $30 concession & full-time students. Sessions include how to reach the non-believer and bureaucratic and boring- where's the fun in Canberra?

Enquiries: [email protected].

Register at National Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au

Contents

Queanbeyan and District Historical Museum ______ 1 From the President __________________________ 4 Welcome to Mary Johnston New Councillor_______ 4 ACT and Region Heritage Symposium ____________ 5 Australia ICOMOS 2013 Conference _____________ 5 2013 National History Challenge ________________ 5 People and Places ____________________________ 6 What's On- National Trust events_______________ 7 Canberra Day Oration _________________________ 7 From the Executive Director ____________________ 8 Heritage Happenings __________________________9 Heritage @ Risk______________________________ 9 Launch of Merry Go Round Sign ________________ 9 C100 Heritage Events calendar________________ 10 Travels with the Trust_______________________ 11 2013 Heritage Festival Report_________________ 12 Trust Tours Reports - Bungonia Day Trip _________ 16 Donate to the Trust _________________________ 17 Heritage Suburbs: Considerable heritage of Ainslie_18 Concise history of the bridge over the Murrumbidgee

at Tharwa_________________________________ 19

History Challenge 2013

The 2013 National History Challenge is open.

This year's theme is Legends, Fact and History. Within that theme students are welcome to explore legends and facts about the national capital as Canberra celebrates its centenary. To enter the National Trust special category Australia's Heritage in the History Challenge visit: http://historychallenge.org.au/contest-information/special-categories/australias-heritage/

Entries close on Friday 30 August 2013.

The National Trust acknowledges the support of our Corporate Members and Benefactors :

Old Parliament House Library Patinations Conservation Services ContentGroup Slater & Gordon

Benefactor: Mr Rob McL. Johnston

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People and Places

New members

The National Trust (ACT) warmly welcomes the

following new members:

Robert and Anne Alchin Verity Anderson Raymond and Gwenda Barge Sue and Stuart Barnetson Roger and Anna Birch Greg and Kerry Bolt Brian and Lydia Buchtmann Charlie and Roslyn Chan David and Lyndall Cross Margaret Davies Stephen Donkersley Anne & John Dormer Brian & Maureen Dowling Janet Elliot Margaret Fearn Terry and Anne Forde Lois and Barry Fordham Yvonne and Geoff Gillett Bruce and Kay Harvey Ann Heard Raymond and Margaret Hemsworth Richard & Diane Jackson Jacky Fogerty and Marcus James

Anne and Colin Lane Mary Lawley Susan and Neil Le Quesne Jeanette and Brendon McCormick Christine White and Craig McGregor Helen McKinnon Christine Melican Helen Moore Barry Cameron and Janet Mountseer Rob Painter Lynn Parry Christine Paterson Patricia and John Rigg Jean and Barry Schwarzer Anne and Erik Simmul Tony and Jean Singer Greg and Cathy Spencer Mathew Trinca Ian and Lisa Westwood Fung Hsien Wong Lin Stapleton and Gerhard Zatschler

The Members page is an information page for all current and prospective members of the National Trust ACT. Our aim is to pass on any information that may be of assistance to members and also to notify members of activities that have been organised by the various committees of the ACT National Trust.

Volunteer with the Trust

Do you have some spare time? Interested in heritage?

Do you have skills in administration, data entry or

research, natural, Indigenous or cultural heritage

expertise, event and/or volunteer management? The

ACT National Trust welcomes offers of assistance from

members. Call Liz at the office on 6230 0533 or email

[email protected].

Trusted Recipe

Canberra Cake (Walnut, apple, carrot and honey cake)

This cake was specially created for the Big 100 Party for Canberra’s Centenary. It is a healthy soft cake made with ingredients sourced from our region. In August we will go back to the menu from the opening of Parliament. Makes 1 x 1.5kg cake, 20cm in diameter.

Ingredients 250g Sassafras walnuts

250g Pialligo apples peeled, cored and diced

3 Kitanodai carrots from Cowra

300g Demeter biodynamic bakers flour from Gunnedah

250g Murrumbateman honey

4 free range eggs from Harmony Hills farm near Canberra

200ml Homeleigh Grove extra virgin olive oil

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp ground ginger

2 tsp bicarbonate soda

Method

1. Sift flour with spices and bicarb soda 2. Gently mix liquids into dry ingredients 3. Bake at 130°C for 1 hour 4. Test with a skewer – if it comes out clean, cake is cooked through

Cream cheese lemon icing 125g light cream cheese

2 tbs icing sugar

1 tsp lemon rind

Cream together and ice top of the cake when cool.

Recipe courtesy of http://www.canberra100.com.au/memorabilia/canberra-cake/

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What's on? Member and Friends Events

Join us on Wednesday 17 July at the National Archives for

"On the Ice. Working in Antarctica on the historic huts of

Scott and Shackleton". John Kemister, Large Technology

Conservator at the Australian War Memorial, will give a

presentation on the practical aspects of work on the huts

and artefacts, camp life, life in Antarctica, the scenery and

environment.

In 2011 John took leave to work for the New Zealand

Antarctic Heritage Trust, conserving the historic huts and

artefacts of Scott and Shackleton at Cape Evans and Cape

Royds, on Ross Island, Antarctica.

Watch the ACT website www.nationaltrust.org.au for the

latest notice of events in the 2013 calendar. Further

information on all events will be included in e-news, or

you are welcome to contact the Trust office. New

members are specially invited but all members and friends

are welcome. Please RSVP for all events through the Trust

office on 6230 0533, by email to

[email protected] or online.

Recent events included An evening with Allen Mawson,

well known Canberra historian and writer, on Wednesday

22 May hosted in conjunction with Friends of the National

Museum which was attended by 93 people. Allan gave an

enjoyable, informative and provocative talk looking into

the fascinating history of Old Acton from prehistoric to

modern times and how the heritage values of the Acton

area might be affected by the new development proposals

for the West Basin. This was followed by drinks and

nibbles and conversation as the audience discussed some

of the points raised in the presentation.

KEEP UP TO DATE

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 and are

kept up to date with events, have access to National Trust

media releases and opportunities to contribute to the

valuable and important work of the Trust.

Email [email protected] with the subject

heading of: Subscribe to E News

The Old Acton Bachelors' Quarters

Canberra and District Historical Society

Canberra Day Oration:

Celebrating the Centenary

The special Centenary edition of this annual event, held

on 12 March in the theatre of the National Library of

Australia, was enjoyed by a nearly full house of

enthusiastic centenary celebrators. The Orator was Geoff

Page, well-known and widely read local poet and recipient

of several major literary awards.

Geoff first visited Canberra in 1959 and came to live here

in 1964. His talk Canberra: my first forty-nine years in the

‘City of Curves’ recalled the city as he had experienced it,

with particular reference to poetry, jazz and teaching.

A captivating slide show ran behind Geoff, showing us

then and now images of places dear to the hearts of

Canberrans. Geoff finished by reading us some of the

poems he has written about Canberra over the years. If

you missed this entertaining talk, Geoff has a shorter

version of his memoir in the reputed to be 'extensively

illustrated' NLA publication: Canberra Then and Now,

available from the NLA shop.

Helen Cooke

Do you have a friend travelling overseas? Tell them about the advantages of joining the National Trust including free entry into over 2000 National Trust properties around the world.

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From the Executive Director

To Restore or to Evolve

With the National Trust’s Centenary of Canberra event

coming up quickly (Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October)

there has been much activity around old vehicles including

launches and media shoots. This has resulted in me

rummaging around in the dusty corners of my shed to find

a suitable historic vehicle to display. At one event I took a

polished and restored BSA motorcycle and to another I

took an ex-army BSA that was used and abused by the

Australian army through the 1960s and early 70s.

The restored and shiny BSA was photographed by a

television crew and appeared on the news while the

shabby, as-used BSA got very little attention. In fact the

shabby bike is reputed to be quite a famous vehicle which

has travelled around the world as the original factory

demonstrator, resulting in sales of thousands of military

motorcycles in many exotic places. It had also been the

feature of the world’s largest motorcycle show at Earles

Court before seeing service in the Australian army.

A number of people asked “why don’t I restore it back to

original ?” By this, I suppose people think that the army

drab paint, that was roughly applied when it came to

Australia to cover the immaculate shiny dark green suited

to European warfare, should be replaced.

Immaculate and shiny would not be how I remember the

tough little bikes battling though the bush in exercises at

Puckapunyal or doing duty escorting military convoys and

foreign dignitaries near enough to 50 years ago. Each

scratch and layer of drab paint is a trophy and “restoring

it” would result in a significant loss of history.

When I look at the BSA I see, or imagine I see, all of its

history in every scratch and poorly applied layer of

camouflage paint. When I ride it, I rejoice in the strength

of those 20 solid English Clydesdales gently chuffing away

every time I hit a steep hill or strong headwind which leave

my 40 hp RZ whatsit oriental show pony in a frenzy of

scrambling for ever decreasing lower gears.

This made me think of historic properties such as Gold

Creek. The original aim of TAMS was to remove all of the

later additions to the house and retain and restore the

original small cottage section.

With each addition, no matter how unsuitable

contemporary critics judge it, an old house is an evolving

tapestry, building up layers of patina and character

reflecting the changing uses and needs of its users.

To remove those layers now would be unfortunate for

future generations who may appreciate its evolution,

rather than our flawed attempt to recreate the past.

Surely we should retain all facets of our rich and varied

history and not lose the important stages and

developments of our cultural heritage.

Note to National Trust members: If you have any vehicle

from 1913 to the present day and you would like join the

Centenary of Canberra Rally, as long as the vehicle is

registered or has club registration, your National Trust

membership qualifies you to enter. We will also need lots

of volunteers to help over the weekend of the Rally so

please note the dates in your diary now: 19 and 20

October.

Chris Wain

Launch of C100 Rally

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Heritage Happenings

Bethany Lance, Heritage Research Officer for the ACT

National Trust for the last two years, was farewelled in

April at a well attended event at the Trust Office. Bethany

has taken up a full time position to further her career in

heritage but retains her interest in the National Trust.

She has recently reported an update on the ANU historic

buggy shed which featured in last year’s Heritage @ Risk

program. This has now been fully restored and will be

featured in a future article in Heritage in Trust.

Although Bethany has left, heritage work will continue

under the Heritage and Grants committee headed by

Sandy Blair.

Current heritage projects include:

Southern Centenary Border Walk brochure and on site

signage - these are near completion

National Trust Self-Guided Tour’s Smartphone App

Registered Tree App (National project)

We will report more fully on these projects in future issues

of Heritage in Trust.

2013 Heritage @ Risk

The National Trust (ACT) has launched the 2013 Heritage

@ Risk program. The Heritage and Grants Committee

invites members to nominate any ACT places of heritage

value which they consider to be at risk and a brief

explanation as to what is the risk.

Nominations close at the National Trust (ACT) office on 15

June 2013

Margaret Reid launches Merry-go-round sign

National Trust (ACT) patron, The Hon. Margaret Reid AO,

unveiled the new Canberra Tracks interpretive sign at

the Merry-go-round in Garema Place, Civic, on Monday

15 April. The Trust had received a grant of $3,500 from

the ACT Heritage Grants Program to develop and install

the sign. In unveiling the sign, Mrs Reid said that she

recognised the need for just a short speech, as many

children on their first day of school holidays were eager

to have a ride on the 1914 Merry-go-round. Parents

appreciated the availability of free rides!

The interpretive sign is the first in the Canberra Tracks

suite of heritage signs to have a QR code, whereby the

public can view more history and photos of the much

loved Civic landmark using digital technology.

Mrs Reid also launched the Trust’s significant

contribution to the Canberra and Region Heritage

Festival. See page 12 for reports on the very successful

Trust Heritage Festival activities.

Photos Linda Robers

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CANBERRA CENTENARY 2013

A SELECTION OF HERITAGE-RELATED EVENTS FROM MAY TO DECEMBER

For more events and for more details on the events listed in the table, including bookings, ticket prices, etc, go to www.canberra100.com.au and click on “See events”.

Date and time Location Event

Until 10 June National Library The Dream of a Century – the Griffins in Australia’s Capital –

exhibition

Until 16 June National Portrait

Gallery

First Ladies: Significant Australian Women 1913 to 2013 – art

exhibition

Until

13 October

National Museum

of Australia

Glorious Days: Australia 1913 – exhibition

Until

31 December

Cockington Green The Original Canberra House – a model version of the original

‘Canberra House’

14 May

7-9pm

National Archives Picturing the Past – Seeing Canberra’s Stories – launch of Cbr

and District Historical Society’s photographic collection on-line

19 May

2-4pm

Mugga Mugga Sylvia Curley Oration: Music in Early Canberra

20 June

9am -5pm

Tuggeranong

Homestead

Conversations at Tuggeranong Homestead: Historians share their

diverse visions of Australian history – seminar

20 July

8.30am-5pm

ANU ACT and Region Annual Australian Heritage Partnership

Symposium, A Centenary of Celebrating Heritage – a one day

symposium

16 August –

17 August 2014

National Library Canberra: Then and Now – historic photos matched with modern

day photos

29 August

12.30-1.30pm

ANBG Centenary Chats: The History of Haig Park – Eric Martin – talk

31 August

1.30-3.30pm

Mugga Mugga

Life on the Limestone Plains: Touring our Sites 2013 – Lanyon,

Calthorpes and Mugga Mugga – a 3-program series examining the

changing face of life on the Limestone Plains

28 September

1.30-3.30pm

Calthorpes’ House

Life on the Limestone Plains: Touring our Sites 2013 – Lanyon,

Calthorpes and Mugga Mugga (see 31 August)

19 – 20 October

Various National Trust (ACT) Centenary of Canberra Car Rally

26 October

1.30-3.30pm

Lanyon

Life on the Limestone Plains: Touring our Sites 2013 – Lanyon,

Calthorpes and Mugga Mugga (see 31 August)

31 October –

3 November

Museum of Aust

Democracy (OPH)

Australia ICOMOS 2013 National Conference – Centenary of

Canberra – Imagined pasts…, imagined futures… - a four-day

conference

7 November –

10 March 2014

National Library Mapping our World – Terra Incognita to Australia – display of

international and Australian maps that inspired the idea of

Australia

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Travels with the Trust

ANU Classics Museum Monday 22 July 1.30 – 4pm

Established in 1962 the ANU Classics Museum is one of

Canberra’s cultural gems. The collection spans the

Mediterranean and beyond. The objects are beautifully

displayed since the Museum’s refurbishment. These

range from fine Roman glass tableware and jewellery,

ancient pots dating back 5,000 years, beautiful glossy

Greek vases, Greek coins from the time of Cleopatra and

Roman coins depicting Julius Caesar, to domestic ware

and interior decor from Pompeiian villas destroyed by the

eruption of Vesuvius. The tour of the Museum will be

followed by afternoon tea.

Meet: A D Hope Building, ANU Cost: $25 NT & U3A members; $35 non-members Bookings essential: 6230 0533 or email

[email protected]

Borobudur and Beyond August 2013, 7-8 days

Jogjakarta is a quiet (by Indonesian standards) university

town in the centre of the island of Java. It was the centre

of ancient Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms and is the site of

a number of world heritage listed ancient monuments,

including Borobudur and Candi Prambanan.

It is envisaged that the tour would include:

visits, with English speaking experts, to Borobudur, Candi Prambanan and other Hindu/Buddhist temple sites around Jogjakarta;

an evening performance of the ‘Ramayana’ ballet at Candi Prambanan;

a visit to the Sultan’s palace and adjacent historical sites;

an overnight tour into the hinterland around Jogjakarta, possibly to the Dieng plateau;

batik shopping time;

accommodation in a four star hotel/cultural centre in a traditional Javanese village near Jogjakarta;

all fares, accommodation and meals.

Cost per person twin share: $3950 Single Room supplement: $500 Expressions of interest: Phil Dalley at Travelmakers in Bailey’s Corner ,Civic, License No: TA18800538 Phone: 6247 4444 Leader: Michael Hodgkin Phone: 6258 4943

_____________________________________

Upcoming Tours

The Tours Committee is planning a number of tours for later in the year including the following:

Sunday 13 October, Blandfordia 5 and Bass Gardens guided walk

Sunday 3 November, 8th

Reid Open Houses and Gardens

Sunday 17 November, Lake George bus trip with Graeme Barrow, author of ‘Magnificent’ Lake George: The Biography

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

_______________________________________________ National Trust of Australia (ACT) Office

PO Box 1144 Civic Square ACT 2608

Telephone 02 6230 0533 Fax 02 6230 0544 Email [email protected] Net www.nationaltrust.org.au ABN 50 797 949 955 Opening times 9.30am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday Office Location 1st Floor, North Building [above Canberra Museum & Gallery], entry from Civic Square, Canberra City

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________ Patron

The Hon. Margaret Reid AO

President

Eric J. Martin AM

Executive Director

Chris Wain [email protected]

Office Manager

Liz McMillan [email protected]

The e-magazine is produced and edited by Maree Treadwell and Wendy Whitham assisted by Dianne Dowling and Helen Cooke. The Publication Group is chaired by Scott McAllister.

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2013 Heritage Festival Report

The theme of this year’s Canberra and District Heritage

Festival, which ran from 13-28 April, was community

milestones. The National Trust was an important

contributor to the festival, with events ranging from the

3rd Ainslie Open Houses and Gardens, the Return of the

Bellows to the Ginninderra Blacksmith’s Workshop, Tony

Powell’s stimulating presentation at Albert Hall,

excursions to Environa, Oaks Estate, the Rose Garden,

Magna Carta Place and Bungendore, to the popular open

day at Elm Grove. The open day itself attracted over 350

visitors.

Many thanks to the volunteers who contributed to the

success of these events.

Eric Martin, Linda Roberts and Wendy Whitham report

below on particular events

Linda Roberts

Thinking differently about heritage –

Tony Powell presentation, 21 April

Tony Powell, NCDC Commissioner from 1974 - 1985

and a major player during a growth period of

Canberra, provided an interesting presentation on

‘Thinking Differently About Heritage’.

He opened within a world context of Angkor Wat,

Persepolis and the Pyramids and suggested that

Canberra has yet to reach this world stage.

He offered a view that the real heritage value of Old

Parliament House was in the original size and design,

which had a greater integrity and provided a smaller

imposition on the parliamentary vista. This point was

picked up by the Canberra Times’ reporters and put

the Heritage Festival event on the front page of the

Canberra Times on the following Monday and on three

pages on the Tuesday.

Other thoughts presented included the fact that

political influences can interfere with the technical

assessment of places of heritage significance, and that

appropriate research and rigour are not always

exercised in assessing the heritage significance of

place and this only leads to a poorer quality of

heritage outcome.

He considered the environment had better heritage

value than individual buildings and it was not usually

appropriately appreciated.

It appears as though heritage is not appealing to the

younger generation and needs to be relevant to

change and not expect to be a frozen point in time.

The presentation sparked discussion and debate,

which is a useful and healthy exercise and made a

valuable contribution to the Heritage Festival.

Eric Martin

Photos Di Johnstone

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Bungendore walk, Sunday 14 April

Sunday 14 April was a beautiful, mild autumn day, perfect

for a leisurely walk around the village of Bungendore

under the guidance of ACT National Trust President and

Bungendore resident, Eric Martin. The group met at

1.30pm next to the Old Stone House at 41 Molonglo St

where Eric gave a brief introduction to the history of the

village, one of the first established (in the mid-1820s) on

the early settlers’ route between Goulburn and

Queanbeyan, the Monaro and Braidwood. A handout

provided to participants included a map of our walk and a

list of the many properties, some illustrated, that we

would pass on our walk. This will be a handy reference for

future excursions.

The walk took about two hours, with a number of stops

so that Eric could tell us more about particular buildings.

Among those we noted were ‘Carrington’, St Philips

Church and church hall, the police station (formerly the

court house and a beautiful stone building), the Post

Office, the old school and school house, the Railway

Station, the former St Josephs convent and school, and

lovely ‘Birchfield’. By special arrangement we were able

to go into St Philips Church where the stained glass

windows were a particular feature.

In Gibraltar St, Eric pointed out the “top pub” (the Royal

Hotel) and the “bottom pub” (the Lake George Hotel)

before welcoming us to his home, ‘The Beehive’, built as a

hotel in 1859. As well as showing us through the house,

Eric and his family hosted a delightful afternoon tea, with

entertainment by Shortis and Simpson, which rounded off

a most enjoyable afternoon. Wendy Whitham

‘Return of the Bellows’, 26 April

As the Ginninderra Blacksmith’s Workshop is normally

closed to the public, the Trust’s event there was a

wonderful opportunity not only to make it accessible to

our members, but also to welcome back the conserved

centrepiece — the bellows.

The quality of the presenters’ information and their

enthusiasm for the Workshop were clearly evident and

the audience, including Beulah McAppion, the

granddaughter of Harry Curran, the last blacksmith,

delighted in stories of the restoration and installation

work undertaken.

Dr Peter Dowling spoke about the history and

archaeology of the workshop; John Greenwood provided

a potted history of the Onions manufactured bellows

(supplier of bellows to Queen Victoria); and Rene Muir,

Steel Fabricator from Thylacine, enlightened us with his

role in how to cradle the bellows so it’s off the ground,

back on site, with the supports out of sight.

Thanks to Dianne Dowling for cooking the sausages and

onions and to the speakers for making this event a little

gem in this year’s National Trust offering in the Heritage

Festival programme.

Linda Roberts Photo (left) Bungendore. Wendy Whitham

Photo (below) The Bellows. Linda Roberts

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Three Cornerstones Walking Tour of Oaks

Estate, 20 April

Oaks Estate is one of the lesser known parts of Canberra.

Originally part of Queanbeyan, it was included in the ACT

when the boundaries for the new federal capital were

drawn up.

On the morning of Saturday 20 April, 21 walkers joined Dr

Karen Williams on a guided tour around the area. Karen is

both a resident of Oaks Estate and a historian with a

particular interest in the area, and we were fortunate to

have such a well-informed leader. Our walk took us past

the three “cornerstones” of the area, The Oaks, the

Queanbeyan Railway Station and the Robertsons’ House,

each of which represents a particular stage in Oaks Estate

history and are therefore of heritage significance.

As Karen explained to us, The Oaks, built in 1836 by the

Campbells from Duntroon, represents the earliest stage of

white settlement; the Railway Station saw the arrival of a

new form of transport in the 1880s which encouraged

agriculture in the region; and the Robertsons’ House, built

over the years from 1913, represents the arrival of the

federal capital territory and the shift in focus from

Queanbeyan to Canberra.

Another stage of our walk was along the banks of the

Molonglo and Queanbeyan Rivers where Karen pointed

out the two crossings, the junction of the two rivers (an

important landmark in the early days) and the railway

bridge. The walk ended with a very welcome sausage

sizzle in the grounds of the Robertsons’ House in Hazel

Street.

Note: More information on the concept of the cornerstones in

Oaks Estate can be found in Karen’s article in the May 2012

edition of Heritage in Trust.

Wendy Whitham

Environa, 20 April

As we approached Environa, nestled east of Hume, the

car’s sat nav registered then intricate layout of the

proposed concentric streetscape, with 1700 residential

blocks ripe for the picking. What a curious place this was!

Thanks to the owner David Larcombe, grandson of the

surveyor, entrepreneur and businessman Henry Halloran,

the Trust had rare access to this site, and could learn

about its origin.

We discovered what an amazing man Halloran was. He

was friendly with the Griffins (hence proposed tree-lined

boulevards and did I mention circles?) and travelled to

London with Sir John Sulman for the Planners Conference.

Sir Henry Parkes certainly featured and we were

privileged to have his great-great-grandson especially

come down from Sydney for the tour. A railway station

had even been built to Letchworth and several

community sporting days were held.

A number on the tour had waited many, many years to

view Environa, some with childhood memories, and they

were not disappointed.

Linda Roberts

Oaks Estate. Walking towards the bridge over Queanbeyan River. Photo: Wendy Whitham

Parkes Busts Environa. Photo Linda Roberts

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Elm Grove Open Day, 27 April

We chanted ‘Vive l’Empereur’ with the incongruous

backdrop of the paddocks of Elm Grove in Bonner, as the

95th and 42nd Regiments of British army demonstrated

infantry tactics used during the Napoleonic Wars. The

crowd had assumed the role of the French and were

dutifully fired upon with blanks.

This year we returned to the Trust’s 2010 open day site,

the heritage-listed working farm of Paul and Marjorie

Carmody, Elm Grove. Without our wonderful volunteers

barbecuing, providing Devonshire teas, helping with

badge-making, selling sheep manure and quince jelly, and

collecting donations at the gate it would not have been

possible.

Thanks should also go to the wide variety of participants.

New for 2013 were the Carousel Organ, a colonial gun

collection, walk up Oak Hill, as well as the military re-

enactors. Returning to delight the public were the

bushdancers, Sing Australia Choir, lace-makers, face-

painting, Wilkie’s Piecart, sheep shearing and displays.

Mark Carmody was again a popular drawcard with his

garden tour.

Linda Roberts

Photos Linda Roberts

Request for contributions

Canberra's early schools and teachers

Canberra's initial school 'system' was fourteen

one-teacher bush schools that were captured

by the Federal Capital Territory boundary in

1911. These, and another fourteen early

Canberra schools, such as Barnes Creek, Bulgar

Creek, Thornhurst, Gibraltar, Naas and Majura,

can now be found on an on-line database

showing their precise location, all who taught

there, and the official NSW school record. The

website address is:

http://museum.hall.act.au/schools.html

The database is a 'work-in-progress', and

readers are encouraged to send contributions,

particularly about any of the 250 teachers

listed, or corrections.

This is a project of the Hall School Museum,

supported by an ACT Heritage Grant. Thanks

are due to the National Trust (ACT) for

assistance with the research to date.

Alastair Crombie Project Coordinator 'Canberra's Early Schools & Teachers' [email protected] 6230 2977

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Trust Tour Reports Bungonia Day Bus Tour, Sunday 19 May

I’d never been to Bungonia – neither the gorge nor the

village – so the Trust’s day trip to the area on Sunday 19

May was a great opportunity to see both, along with 33

others. Having been on the trip to Goulburn last year

when the fog stayed down and it was bitterly cold, I was

very grateful that the sun shone on this trip! John Jervis,

who had initiated the excursion, provided commentary as

we drove to Marulan before turning off for Bungonia.

Most of the morning was given over to visiting the

Bungonia National Park. Ranger Audrey Kutzner spoke to

us briefly about the geological origins of the park and

then led us to the Lookdown for our first views. The

Lookdown sits on top of the highest limestone cliff in the

country. Most of the party then walked to Adams Lookout

which gives a spectacular view into Slot Canyon. In

addition, a number of us got a good look at a lyrebird in

the car park at the Lookdown. It’s a regular visitor there,

according to Audrey.

In the afternoon, local resident Moira McGinity joined us

on the bus as our guide. The Bungonia region was settled

in the 1820s and was a thriving community until the

highway and railway bypassed it. In recent years it’s taken

on a new lease of life, its pleasant rural nature attracting

new residents. Moira took us on a tour of the village,

which included visiting St Michael’s Catholic Church

(1847), Christchurch Anglican Church (1893), the

cemetery and the old Inverary Gaol.

Village hospitality was an important aspect of the day.

John Wiggin welcomed us and later took us to his own

property, Mizpah, to see the ruins being restored. We

had morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea at the village

hall, where locals also had wine, honey and lavender for

sale. We were also given two handouts, the Bungonia

Village and District Sites and History Guide and an excerpt

from Bungonia, Foundation of a Heritage, both of which

will be useful references.

Thanks to Linda Roberts, John Jervis and the people of

Bungonia for an excellent day.

Wendy Whitham

Bungonia Cemetery. Photo Linda Roberts

Christchurch Anglican Church. Photo Wendy Whitham

Morning tea in the village hall. Photo: Wendy Whitham

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National Trust (ACT) First Floor, North Building Cnr London Cct and Civic Square, Canberra ACT 2601 PO Box 1144 Civic Square, Canberra ACT 2608 Telephone (02) 6230 0533 Facsimile (02) 6230 0544 Email: [email protected] www.nationaltrust.org.au

You can help us to conserve and safeguard places of heritage significance for future generations by making a tax deductible donation Donations over $2 are tax deductible

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About Heritage in Trust

Heritage in Trust is published quarterly as an electronic

magazine in conjunction with the National Magazine

Trust News in February, May, August and November.

The editors invite articles and letters from Trust members

with an interest in the heritage of the ACT and these

should be addressed to The Editor, Heritage in Trust, at

[email protected].

Deadlines for copy: 20 January, 20 April, 20 July, 20

October.

The views expressed in Heritage in Trust are not

necessarily those of the National Trust of Australia (ACT).

The articles in this magazine are subject to copyright.

No article may be used without the consent of the ACT

National Trust and the author.

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Heritage Suburbs Series: The Considerable Heritage of Ainslie The heart of today’s Ainslie is best approached from Limestone Avenue between Grimes Street’s Deodar Cedars to reveal the secluded Corroboree Park precinct, with its backdrop of Mount Ainslie. Specially designed timber cottages are set in gardens, linked by trees in avenues merging with those in the park. In 1926 thirty four cottages were built in symmetrical pairs along Paterson Street. Although designed for public service officers with families and small salaries, at first almost all tenants were workmen building Canberra. Then came the park, around a clump of trees where aboriginals formerly gathered. With the transfer of departments from Melbourne in 1927, most of the newer tenants bussed to work at Provisional Parliament House, while wives raised children and participated in social activities. “The weatherboards” was the name residents gave the cottages around the park and along adjacent crescents. Happily, this unique neighbourhood has been conserved, with its now privately-owned cottages adapted for modern living in beautifully mature gardens. In the 1920s John Sulman’s inspiration for planning Canberra’s first housing precincts was the English garden city movement. As the ample provision of parks, playgrounds and community buildings was a feature of that movement, Corroboree Park was created. There, the Ainslie Hall (1931), relocated from Acton and extended, and a Youth Centre Hut (1950) have been much used by residents over the years. The park’s tennis club has been a community asset since 1928 as have, since 1950, the nearby Girl Guides Hall and Baker Gardens Pre-School. Sulman also planned Alt Crescent, with brick houses carefully laid out in an arc set back from the main road. Before the Great Depression slowed Canberra’s growth, streets around Wakefield Gardens were planned in a square pattern further north and some weatherboard cottages were built. Housing construction resumed in the mid-1930s with brick cottages completing the precinct.

The central parkland is reminiscent of an English village green with a perimeter carriageway. In the 1940s Canberra’s first neighbourhood shopping centre was built on the eastern side of Wakefield Gardens. Today, it is Ainslie’s busy retail and social honeypot. Also in the 1940s, housing spread to the east. Baker Gardens formed a semi-circle mirroring, on a smaller scale, the shape of Corroboree Park. Several initiatives were attempted to relieve Canberra’s post-war housing shortage. Surplus air base huts, built to resemble houses to fool enemy pilots, were transported from Tocumwal in the Riverina and nearly 70 became real houses in Ainslie. A predominantly steel house was assembled in 1947 in Cowper Street to demonstrate how the Beaufort aircraft factory could prefabricate houses. Although this was Australia’s first successful venture into such housing, the shortage of steel halted it. A trial timber house was imported from Finland and erected in Ebden Street in 1948, but no others followed. The greatest initiative was in the early 1950s. Riley-Newsum houses, designed by an Australian and prefabricated in Britain using Scandinavian timber, were erected in Ainslie and many have survived. Ainslie’s most unusual building is All Saints Anglican Church. Parishioners from St John the Baptist, Reid began services in 1938 in the Corroboree Park hall, moved to their new hall in Cowper Street in 1953 and formed a separate parish in 1955. Two years later the burnt-out stonework of Sydney’s abandoned 1868 Victorian Gothic Mortuary Railway Station, Rookwood, was purchased and the visionary project to construct a church commenced. Stan Taunton’s building skill and persistence achieved wonders. By 1959 the church was dedicated and in use. Although not an accurate rebuilding, its heritage value lies in its social significance and the technical accomplishment of its construction.

Ken Charlton Ken Charlton AM is an architectural historian who lives in Corroboree Park, Ainslie.

Photos L-R Ainslie Hall, Paterson St, Tom's Crescent Ken Charlton

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Concise History of the Bridge over the

Murrumbidgee River at Tharwa

Introduction

There was a community arranged celebration at Tharwa

Bridge on Saturday 17 March 2012 to mark the success of

protest by interested locals and other parties to reject the

proposed ACT Government solution for replacing their

existing important heritage Allan truss bridge by a

modern concrete single lane bridge. The agreed solution

not only retained, but also enhanced, the existing bridge.

The celebration included a sit-down lunch on the bridge

deck for 230 people, a very large, decorated sponge cake

cut by two of the oldest locals, brought to the event by

two of the youngest locals, and family activities in the

park at the Tharwa end of the bridge.

Celebration Cake

The original bridge was opened to traffic on 27 March

1895, after being built in less than 12 months by Victorian

bridge contractor Christopher McClure, for a tendered

price of £4469.14s.10d. The bridge was built at the site of

a ford crossing of the river, as part of a strategy to open

up access for wool and produce, as well as to belatedly

provide access to the goldfields at Kiandra. The site was

on an aboriginal route used for thousands of years

beforehand to access Bogong moths in the winter.

The 187.5m long and 12m high bridge was designed by

the distinguished engineer Percy Allan, who also designed

Pyrmont Bridge and Tom Uglys Bridge. It consisted of four

90ft (27.4m) timber Allan truss spans over the main river

channel with shorter timber beam spans at each end.

Allan applied test data on Australian hardwood timbers

published in 1893 by Professor W H Warren of Sydney

University, which enabled efficient use of these timbers in

the design and building of major timber truss bridges. In

addition, Allan’s inspiration was to apply the experience

gained from his involvement in the maintenance of the

timber bridges of his day by adopting twin timber

members in the top and bottom chords.

Opening Day 27 March 1895

The period to 2008

After severe flooding in the 1920s, the three taller timber

trestle piers were replaced in 1936/37 by concrete piers,

with the concrete mixed by a steam-powered concrete

mixer and cleverly cast within the trestle timbers and

linked to the timber piles by a concrete connection. In

1939/40 the bridge was further improved by the

replacement in concrete of the other two timber trestles.

At the same time the deteriorated, rotting timber end

spans were replaced by concrete piers supporting three

steel girders, which in turn carried a reinforced concrete

deck. In addition, the timber abutments were partially

replaced with reinforced concrete.

During the 50s, 60s and 70s, the bridge was subject to

extreme overloading by heavy trucks carrying wet sand

which was being used for building works in Canberra,

causing the trusses to be overstressed.

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Concrete piers - Note marks from timber (concrete cast inside trestle)

Also, some of the timber in the trusses had deteriorated

to the extent that temporary Bailey Bridging was used to

support the trusses. In 1965, a 25 tonne load limit was

applied, which in 1977 became 5 tonne, before the bridge

was subsequently closed to traffic in 2006.

In 2008, the ACT Government called tenders for a single

lane replacement bridge in prestressed concrete and was

preparing to let a contract until pressure from the

community and other interested parties forced a rethink,

which resulted in the renovation and restoration of the

existing bridge.

In a letter to The Canberra Times at the time of the

community protests, the President of the ACT National

Trust presented an argument for the retention of Tharwa

Bridge on the grounds that its heritage value to Australia

was greater than that of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. He

made the point that whereas the Sydney Harbour Bridge

and its heritage are part of a world-wide family of bridges

of similar design, type and materials, the bridge over the

Murrumbidgee River at Tharwa was the result of

research, design and construction processes developed in

Australia by Australians for Australian materials and

conditions. As such it shares a unique position in

Australian heritage - like the stump jump plough and the

Hills hoist.

Renovation and restoration

In 2008, to allow light traffic (5 tonne limit) to use the

bridge as soon as possible, while the existing timber

trusses were being dismantled, a grillage of steel support

beams was erected under the existing four span deck and

supported off the existing concrete piers.

Bridge with Allan trusses removed. Deck on temporary steel frames

While the few existing timber piles exposed appeared

sound, it was impossible to confirm the soundness of all

piles over their whole depth. Conservative engineering

judgement was that in order to protect the investment

proposed for the truss renovation, there was also a need

to provide a major supplement to the timber piling

supporting the five tall concrete piers by installing

grouted micropiles. In addition, the five concrete piers

had a light vertical prestress force applied to add to their

stability under flood loads. In conjunction with this work,

the approach spans were strengthened.

The renovation of the trusses was based on an earlier

upgrading of the bridge over the Paterson River at Hinton

in the Hunter Valley. To achieve a load carrying capacity

for 44 tonne semi-trailers, some heritage sensitive

adaptation of the Allan truss system had been required.

As for the original Tharwa bridge, hardwood timber was

sourced from the north coast of NSW. It is instructive to

note that the “checking” of the timber could be well

controlled by “conditioning” and subsequent

“reconditioning” processes which involved manipulating

the moisture content of the timber, used during the

timber storage. This process was the result of specialist

advice from Gary Barker, the third member of the Peer

Review Group, and his colleague, Dr Geoff Boughton of

Curtin University in Perth, WA. It is understood that this

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innovation will be incorporated into future RSM/RTA

specifications

Timber from original trusses stored at Namadgi

The work was overseen by Roads ACT, acting in

conjunction with ACT Heritage, using a series of specialist

contracts for the design, supervision and site works.

The truss renovation contract was awarded to the RTA

Bridge Maintenance Organisation at Wagga Wagga, which

had the background and expertise in timber truss bridge

works of a similar nature to undertake the complex

procurement, storage, assembly and erection processes.

Conclusion

The precinct surrounding Tharwa bridge is little changed

from the time of its original construction which adds to

the heritage significance of the bridge and our ability to

appreciate one of the ACT's finest heritage assets in its

unchanged, picturesque context.

The cost for the restoration of the only existing four span

Allan Truss, at $26 million, is somewhat greater than the

cost of a modern replacement and not something

allocated lightly, but in the case of Tharwa Bridge is an

excellent example of what can be achieved if a

community decides that part of its heritage is worth

retaining.

Brian Pearson and Ray Wedgwood

Brian Pearson and Ray Wedgwood, now retired, were

successive Chief Bridge Engineers of the NSW Road Authority.

The authors wish to thank Tony Gill, Director of RoadsACT, for

his permission to prepare this paper.

Footnotes A detailed description of the design and

construction of the Tharwa Bridge is contained in a paper

Tharwa Bridge Restoration by Marcia Prelog and Sam

Millie, Proceedings, 4th Australian Small Bridges

Conference, 10-11 May 2011

Photo acknowledgements – Historical photos Val Jeffery;

timber sourcing photos Sam Millie; other photos by the

authors.

Hardwood tree near Glenreagh, North Coast NSW

Log ready for sawing

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Heritage Festival 2013

C100 Rally - Robyn Archer

Environa 20 April

See www.nationaltrust.org.au for more photos

Bungendore 14 April

Return of the Bellows 26 April