Heritage in Trust November 2014

Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 1

NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA

Heritage in Trust (ACT) November 2014

_________________________________________________________________

Mt Stromlo Heritage Trail: It’s Astronomical! A new Interactive Heritage Trail helps visitors understand the history and heritage values of one of Canberra’s most

iconic sites.

West

Inside

National Trust Christmas Party p2

From the President p5

Heritage Happenings p8

ACT NT Heritage Awards p10

Obtaining value in the UK from your NT

membership p19

Astronomy may not be a subject that sparks

everyone’s interest, but there is no denying that the

Mount Stromlo Observatory, with its archetypal

buildings, panoramic views of Canberra and peaceful

isolation, is one of Canberra’s most impressive sites.

Mount Stromlo has changed dramatically over time: a

natural volcanic formation, a pastoralised landscape, a

dense pine plantation and finally a world-class

Observatory. However one of the most dramatic

changes occurred more recently, when the firestorm

of 18 January 2003 destroyed the pine plantation and

many of the iconic Observatory buildings.

Cont p2

Canberra bushfires, 2003 (ANU Fire Officer)

Heritage In Trust November 2014


Annual Members’ Christmas Drinks at

“Huntly” Sunday 7 December 2014 3-5pm

Members: $20

Non-members: $25

Drinks and refreshments included

Some chairs will be provided but

BYO if required

Bookings are essential. Please RSVP by Wednesday 3 December

Phone NT ACT Office on

02 6230 0533 or

email [email protected]

Mt Stromlo Heritage Trail: It’s Astronomical!

cont from p1

With the primary focus on recovering the operational

and functional capacity of the site, the Research School

of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) has continued

to lead the way in astronomical research and teaching

as well as the innovation and manufacture of

instrumentation for some of the world’s most

significant projects.

Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT)

However, the recovery of the site from a visitor

perspective has not been as swift. What had once been

a thriving public tourism attraction had become

somewhat stagnant and visitors have continually asked

“Where is the Observatory?” and “Where are the

Telescopes?”

The Observatory doesn’t have a ‘front door’ or a public

interface and it was this disconnection from the public

that inspired the Australian National University (ANU)

to develop the Mount Stromlo Interactive Heritage

Trail. With the assistance of a grant from the

Commonwealth Department of the Environment

through its Your Community Heritage Program, ANU

Heritage and the RSAA developed the trail to provide a

new form of visitor engagement, and to ensure that

visitors to the site are informed of and inspired by its

history and its current use.

From the editors

Welcome to the final edition of Heritage in Trust

for 2014.

Despite it being the end of the year there’s a lot

happening in the Trust: President Scott McAlister

reports on the newly-elected Council and the

proposal for a Patrons Program, while Eric Martin

writes about the inaugural ACT Heritage Awards,

announced on 3 November, as well as other

Heritage Happenings.

We trust you will enjoy the articles by Amy Jarvis

on the ANU’s new Heritage Trail at Mt Stromlo

and by John Tucker on making the most of your

National Trust membership when visiting the UK.

Thanks to both these authors for their

contributions.

The Trust’s annual Christmas drinks will be held at

Huntly on Sunday 7 December and we hope to

see many of you there. Our best wishes to

readers for the Christmas season and the New

Year.

Let us know what you think of Heritage in Trust.

Please email [email protected] or

write to the Editors with your views.

mailto:[email protected]




The trail consists of 12 interpretive signs and a

panoramic timeline, supported by an augmented

reality app (available on IOS); a physical and digital

brochure (through the ‘ANU Walks’ app); and the

Heritage Trail website

(http://msoheritagetrail.anu.edu.au).

The Augmented Reality App is a highlight for visitors to

the trail. Developed by Amber Standley of APositive,

the app is an exciting addition, providing access to

audio-visual material on-site. Five of the signs on the

trail have been coded to work with the app, activating

short, site-specific videos which appear on the screen

of your device. Including a digital aspect to the trail

affords the opportunity to regularly add new content

to the Heritage Trail without having to change the

physical signs.

Augmented Reality App in use on the Heritage Trail (Amber Standley, Apositive)

Augmented reality and smartphone applications

provide exciting opportunities for heritage

interpretation, engaging with a technologically savvy

audience and providing intuitive access to content.

ANU has trialled the technology as part of this project

and hopes to further enhance the interpretation of its

heritage sites through this medium.

The trail content incorporates elements of the historic,

natural, Aboriginal and scientific aspects of the site’s

significance. ANU Heritage felt it was particularly

important to cover the lesser known aspects of Mount

Stromlo’s history, such as the Aboriginal connection to

the site and to the skies, domestic life of the

Observatory’s many residents and Stromlo’s other uses

such as its time as an Optical Munitions Factory during

World War II.

Optical Munitions at Stromlo, 1940s (Mt Stromlo Archives)

ANU worked closely with the local Ngunawal

community to ensure the cultural connection to the

site was well explored as part of the trail. The local

Ngunawal people have been looking to the skies above

the Canberra region for more than 20,000 years for

navigation, for understanding the seasons and for

knowledge on the availability of certain foods. The

skies are inherently linked to the Ngunawal culture and

dreaming stories. Tyronne Bell, Wally Bell and Glenn

Freeman developed the content for sign 10, aptly

named Australia’s First Astronomers, including sharing

a dreaming story related to the stars – ‘Why The Emu

Can’t Fly’.

The Emu in the Sky (Barnaby Norris)

Since 1911, researchers have scanned the southern

skies from Mount Stromlo to better understand the

mysteries of the universe – with the Commonwealth

Solar Observatory formally established in 1924.

http://msoheritagetrail.anu.edu.au/



Commonwealth Solar Observatory, 1927 (National Archives of Australia)

In order to capture the stories of the Observatory and

to further enrich the content of the trail, a series of

oral history interviews were undertaken with former

staff and residents of Stromlo. It was through these

interviews that many of the most interesting

anecdotes were collected. The interviews provided a

personal and relatable insight into the day-to-day life

of Stromlo for those who worked and lived there.

1 Stromlo Workshops, 1950s (Norman Banham Collection, Mt Stromlo Archives)

Through these interviews, one of the longest standing

connections to the site was discovered with Instrument

Maker Norman Banham (born 1931). Norman grew up

on the site with his parents. Norman’s father Jim

Banham was Foreman of the Workshops and had been

handpicked by W.G. Duffield, founding Director of the

Observatory in 1924.

Contents

Mt Stromlo Heritage Trail __________________ 1

From the President _________________________ 5

Patron’s program __________________________ 6

Trusted Recipe ____________________________ 6

Heritage Diary ____________________________ 8

Heritage Happenings _______________________ 8

National Trust (ACT) Heritage Awards _________ 10

Travels and at home with the Trust ___________ 12

Speaker Evening reports ____________________ 14

Trust Tour Reports _________________________ 15

Heritage Symposium Report _________________ 16

Obtaining value in the UK from your Trust membership ______________________________ 19

Norman told stories of a life remote from Canberra, of

the bus which brought staff up the mountain, picked

up the children for school, and brought supplies in the

site’s early years. He also shared his experiences in the

workshops and the pride he felt in building

instrumentation which was used to gain scientific

results for the Astronomers. Norman retired from

Stromlo in 1988 and still holds a close connection to

the site.

Interviews were also undertaken with Claire and

Hermann Wehner, who met and married at the site in

the 1950s; Toss Gascoigne, son of renowned

astronomer Ben and artist Rosalie Gascoigne; and

Professor Ken Freeman, who is one of Australia’s most

celebrated astronomers and astrophysicists.

The interview undertaken with Penny Sackett (Director

of RSAA from 2002-2007, and Chief Scientist of

Australia from 2008-2011) shed light on the time

surrounding the 2003 Canberra bushfires. Occurring

only six months after she began as Director, this

catastrophic event became the defining feature of her

time at Stromlo. She shared the stories of the day of

the fire and the strength of the Stromlo community in

getting back on its feet. These stories and many more

are littered throughout the trail, with visitors being

able to build the story of Stromlo as they reach each

stop.



The Mount Stromlo Interactive Heritage Trail marks a

significant achievement by the ANU in revitalising

visitor engagement at the site. With the restoration of

the iconic Director’s Residence and a series of

interactive visitor experiences to be completed by the

end of 2014, Mount Stromlo is set to become a

revitalised and exciting destination for visitors.

For more information visit

http://msoheritagetrail.com.au or contact ANU

Heritage on 02 6125 8794. To download the

Augmented Reality App (IOS only) search ‘Mt Stromlo’

in the Apple App Store. For the Digital Brochure visit

the App Store on IOS or Android and search for ‘ANU

Walks’.

Amy Jarvis

Heritage Officer, Australian National University

From the President

Hello Members

The Trust held its Annual General Meeting recently and I’m pleased to report that a surplus of $35k was recorded for the 2013/14 year. As most of you know, the Trust now has only one salaried employee (our Office Manager Liz) which has resulted in a significant reduction to our expenditure. Notwithstanding this we also had some positive contributions on the income side including a lift in membership income above budget, a successful running of the Centenary of Canberra Rally, collection of funds for a number of outstanding (but completed) grant projects and several significant donations from generous members who were concerned about the viability of the Trust.

For 2014/15 we have set a budget that forecasts a breakeven result and so far we are running slightly ahead of that target. Two major projects (among many) that we are working on are the establishment of a Patrons Program (see following article) and the inaugural running of the NTACT Heritage Urban Polaris (an orienteering style pushbike event that uses heritage sites as checkpoints). It is initiatives such as these that, if successful, will help to ensure that the NTACT continues on the path to financial self-sustainability.

I mentioned in our last newsletter that we had a couple of vacancies on the Council. I’m happy to report that after the AGM we now have the following elected councillors:

Scott McAlister (President and Treasurer) Dianne Dowling (Vice President Mary Johnston (Secretary/Public Officer) Graham Carter Grahame Crocket Bethany Lance Peter Lundy Eric Martin Jim Nockels Linda Roberts Jon Stanhope John Tucker Chris Wain

Unfortunately former Vice President Lisa Norman has decided against renominating for the Council but I would like to sincerely thank her for her energetic input over the past couple of years.

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

Museum of Australian Democracy ContentGroup

Benefactor: Mr Rob McL. Johnston

http://msoheritagetrail.com.au/



Please join me in welcoming the above members and I look forward to a successful 2014/15 for the Trust. Scott McAlister President

Patrons Program

At our recent AGM I outlined details for an exciting new initiative which will give civic-minded people and members an opportunity to become Patrons of NTACT. The key elements of the Program are proposed as follows:

Inaugural donation be set at $1,000

Inaugural Patrons to be recognised in perpetuity

Inaugural Patron will be defined as a Patron who makes a donation of $1,000 or more before 30 June 2015

People donating after 30 June 2015 will be recognised as Patrons in perpetuity but not Inaugural Patrons

Donations will be fully tax deductible

There will be ‘levels’ of patronship (anticipated at this stage to be $1,000/$5,000/$10,000+)

Patrons can ‘top up’ their contributions at any time in the future and this will count towards the next level of recognition

It is hoped to have an honour board arranged for public recognition (Patrons can remain anonymous if desired). It is also hoped to list Patrons on an online honour board, on a web page included on the NTACT website.

We are looking to open the program before year’s end

and would welcome any comments/suggestions from

interested members as to how they might like to see

this initiative work. We are also looking to name the

various levels (ie Walter Burley Griffin level etc.) so we

would welcome ideas from members. I can be

contacted on 0422 413 469 for anyone interested in

discussing the program in more detail.

People and Places

It is hoped to have an honour board arranged for public recognition (Patrons can remain

Scott McAlister

Trusted Recipe

Apricot Slice

Ingredients

1 cup chopped dried apricots (soak for 20

minutes, strain)

8 oz ( 225g) self-raising flour

A pinch of salt

6 oz (180 g) melted butter

1 cup soft brown sugar

¾ cup coconut

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt.

2. Add sugar and coconut to sifted flour

and salt, then add apricots and butter.

3. Mix thoroughly.

4. Press into a slice tin and bake for 25

minutes in a moderate oven.

5. Allow to cool in tin and ice with lemon

butter icing.

This is an old favourite and never fails. It is

quick and easy and always very popular.



People and Places

New members

The National Trust (ACT) warmly welcomes the

following new members:

John and Susan Alcock

Linda Bailey

Katy Skinner and Alan

Brown

Stephen and Kristie Calder

Connee Colleen

Arie & Rosemary De Bear

Neville Pahl and Ann

Marie Findlay

Nicholas and Jennifer

Goodwin

Marion and Adrian Lewis

John and Claire Matthews

Ian and Marion McNaught

Angus Muir

Nadine Neilson

Brett and Emma Shannon

Stephen and Jill Small

Dianne Southwell

Alison Wishart

Elizabeth and Rob Woolley

Donations

Thank you.

We would like to extend a special thank

you to all those who gave a donation to the

ACT National Trust during the year,

including those who participated in the

People’s Choice Community Lottery. Your

generosity is very much appreciated and

will help towards our ongoing work to

protect ACT’s heritage now and for future

generations.

National Trust 2015 desk diary

This year's diary is beautifully illustrated with fun, colourful pictures on every page of a huge variety of birds, some including handwritten notes and observations by the artist, Frank Hodgkinson A.M. 1919 - 2001 who has lived, painted and exhibited in many countries, in Australia, Europe and America.

He is represented in major private, state and national collections both here and overseas. He has written and illustrated three books, Sepik Diary, Kakadu and the Arnhem Landers and Paris Sketchbook.

You can buy the diary direct from the ACT office, Mon-Thurs 9.30am-3pm, 1st Floor, North Building.

Cost: $22.50 for NT members; $25 for non-members. (If you wish a copy to be sent to you add $5.00 per copy for postage.)

Bungendore Country Weekend

On a magnificent spring weekend, 500 members and friends of the National Trust (NSW) came to Bungendore to visit seven private houses and gardens in and around the town. Richard and Mary Johnston's home, Ashby, was one of the country houses open on Saturday. Mary is on the Council of the National Trust (ACT) and chair of the Tours and Events Committee. The other houses open on Saturday were Werriwa, Palerang and Doughboy Hill. On Sunday, three properties in Bungendore were open. Part of the proceeds from the weekend conducted by the National Trust (NSW) Women's Committee will go towards Cooma Cottage in Yass. The National Trust (ACT) also benefited from morning and afternoon tea which were served at Ashby on Saturday and a sausage sizzle in Bungendore Park on Sunday.

Mary Johnston Ashby Morning Tea



Heritage Diary 2014 -15 A selection of heritage-related events in Canberra

Details of National Trust (ACT) events are provided in Travels and at home with the Trust, starting on page 12.

Date and time Event and location

Organiser Contact

On-going Find of the month. Each month a novel, interesting or quaint topic from ACT Government archives is highlighted

Archives ACT www.archives.act.gov.au/

educational_resource/find of

the month

From 4 August Centenary Projects and First World War Galleries Australian War

Memorial www.awm.gov.au/1914-1918

Wednesday 19

November

6.30 for 7.00pm

AGM followed by CAS/CAR lecture – Elephant tongues

for breakfast: sealing in Antarctica in the 1820s. Dr Mike

Pearson AO Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A,

Union Court, ANU

CAS www.cas.asn.au

Wed 26 - Sat 29 Nov

Wed 3 - Sat 6 Dec

6.30pm

Anthology – a theatrical journey performance through

Westlake created by Pip Buining and Louise Morris

Tickets are available onsite prior

to the performance or on-line at

www.anthology.net.au

Sunday 7 December 3 – 5.00pm

National Trust Christmas Drinks at Huntly National Trust 6230 0533

19 May to 10 June

2015 ACT National Trust trip to Germany National Trust 6230 0533

Note: CAS is the Canberra Archaeological Society. CAR is the Centre for Archaeological Research. 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.

Heritage Happenings

The past few months appear to have been one of consolidation for the Heritage and Grants Committee rather than new activity but it is useful to inform members on the current situation.

Dickson/Lyneham Flats The National Trust responded to the Development Application (DA) and does not support the demolition of the Flats. The ACT Heritage Council has provisionally listed them to the ACT Heritage Register and this is supported. There has been no decision on the DA yet.

City to Lake The National Trust has joined the Reference Group which provides current information on progress. However we still await the information on heritage - what is considered significant, how it is influencing planning and the like - as the concept continues to evolve without an opportunity to review and comment on basic issues.

ACT Heritage Act This has been amended and we are pleased to see no call-in powers as this would have been a most unfortunate outcome for heritage. There are new criteria (Hercon ie national criteria which States and Territories have been encouraged to accept) and other

http://www.archives.act.gov.au/

http://www.cas.asn.au/

http://www.anthology.net.au/



refinements, all of which are reasonable outcomes.

National Mint The Mint proposals for solar panels will respect the heritage values and ensure they will not be seen. The National Trust supports this concept.

Albert Hall The Albert Hall Management Plan provides a rigorous and reasonable framework to manage this important site in the future.

Oaks Estate Masterplan The National Trust responded and raised concerns with the lack of recognition of the cultural landscape of the whole area which integrates the setting from the river to the railway station. These aspects are also lacking in the statement of significance.

Other Committee activities National Trust (ACT) walking tours iPhone app The iPhone app was demonstrated to members attending the Heritage Awards evening on 3 November. It’s a first for the ACT National Trust and members are encouraged to try it for themselves.

The App is available now for iphone through

the app store or itunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/national-

trust/id893083127?mt=8

To learn more about or download our

walking tour brochures, check out our

website: http://www.nationaltrust.org.au/act/walks-

tours-trails

National Register of Significant Trees This initiative of National Trusts in Australia was supported by an Australian Government Partnership Program grant. The ACT National Trust contributed about

30 entries as a result of the excellent work by Barry Cameron. This is a small part of the database of 25,000 significant trees identified on the website www.trustrees.org.au. There are 21 criteria why a tree can be listed, including the general ones of historic, social, aesthetic and social values. Not all the trees listed on the register are native trees and many listings contain multiple trees.

The trees can tell a story about journeys, such as the variety of trees collected worldwide by the Campbells at Duntroon. The register does not afford any legal protection, but as the National Trust is recognised as an important heritage organisation so the list will be used by many people seeking information on significant trees. The opportunity to nominate more trees is available to all, not just the National Trust. A particular tree may be absolutely outstanding. When completing the nomination form just tick the boxes and add a few comments.

We hope that the new website will generate support from the community in terms of both nominations and review of information on the existing nominations. However it is up to us all to consider, identify and protect the significant trees around us.

Eric Martin, AM

KEEP UP TO DATE Subscribe to E News and find us on Facebook 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 follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with events, have access to National Trust media releases 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 or find us on Facebook

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NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (ACT) 2014 HERITAGE AWARDS This year is the first time the National Trust of Australia (ACT) has conducted an awards program to recognise projects in the ACT that make an outstanding or significant contribution to the conservation of the built, indigenous and natural environment in accordance with the principles set out in the Burra Charter. The criteria that were set encouraged a wide variety and possibility of entries: of large and small, restoration and adaptive reuse; tangible and intangible built; indigenous and natural; reports and community projects. For our first year it was pleasing to see twelve projects nominated covering a great diversity including: Canberra Centenary Trail Interpretation Services; Conservation of the MOAD OPH Members Dining Room; a number of Conservation/Heritage Management Plans; Telopea Park Artwork Conservation; Blundell’s Cottage Heritage Landscape Masterplan; house extensions in Griffith; a book on Centenary of Engineering; upgrade of the MOAD OPH heating system; Yarralumla Nursery Heritage Advice and Displays; and Kings Park Amenity Adaptive Reuse. The Trust thanks the judging panel - Ken Charlton AM, Dr Tracey Ireland and Sharon Payne - for their assessment, deliberations and decision. Minister Mick Gentleman MLA presented the awards on 3 November 2014. The judges’ report is below. The members of the judging panel were impressed with the high standard of most of the twelve entries for these awards. It was particularly difficult to separate the merits of the three management plans, all of which were thoroughly researched, written and presented. The awards given are as follows:

Award for an Outstanding Project

Blundells Cottage Heritage Management Plan by GML Heritage, Anne Claoué-Long assisted by Pip Giovanelli, for the National Capital Authority

This award was given mainly for the way the assessment of significance provided a valuable framework for the conservation, management and interpretation of this important link with the past in Canberra’s Parliamentary Triangle. Of particular note is the ingenuity to evoke a rural setting for this former farmhouse, built around 1860, which became a house museum 50 years ago.


Weston Park Conservation Management Plan by GML Heritage, Rachel Jackson, Anne Claoué-Long, Sarah Webeck, Geoff Ashley and Sheridan Burke for TAMS, ACT Government This plan explains how Weston Park became a highly significant designed cultural landscape comprising nine precincts, including the Yarralumla Nursery, an important plant propagation and research centre which is the primary source for trees and shrubs for Canberra. The history of this park, part of Yarralumla Station in the 1830s and intended by Walter and Marion Griffin in 1918 to be the Australasian section of a huge arboretum, is particularly well written. The plan has an exemplary assessment of significance, followed by a practical guide for conserving, managing and interpreting this complex place.




A Century of Canberra Engineering by Keith Baker, The Communication Link and QOTE for Engineers Australia, Canberra Division A most worthwhile publication, this book is virtually a comprehensive social and cultural history of the development of Canberra, which is aimed at both engineers and the general public. The author has drawn on heritage studies by experts and carried out original research to produce a most readable and well-illustrated account of this important aspect of Canberra’s heritage. The text covers each phase of the city’s growth, explores its social changes and includes human interest stories. The author also turns his attention to what the future may hold for Canberra.


Upgrading the Heating System at Old Parliament House by Lasath Lecamwasam of GHD and Mick Holmes of J. Sainsbury & Co (ACT) for the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House This innovative project has helped to ensure the long term sustainability of Old Parliament House by reducing its operating costs and improving the energy efficiency of its environmental control systems, with no loss of original fabric or heritage values. The work complied with the Heritage Management Plan for this most significant building. As much extant fabric and redundant plant as possible was left in place and original brick chimneys were utilised to house new flues and so retain their external appearance. This approach is most appropriate in a building now a museum, open to the public.

Award for a Significant Contribution to Heritage Conservation

Anzac Parade Heritage Management Plan by Duncan Marshall, Geoff Butler, Craig Burton, Chris Johnston, Dr David Young and Dr Michael Pearson for the National Capital Authority The considerable heritage values of Anzac Parade, the key link between the Parliament House Vista and the Australian War Memorial, are well analysed and described. Investigations into the Parade’s associations with the armed services community and the aesthetic value of its landscape character are particularly

noteworthy, as is the conservation policy and implementation strategies provided in this plan.

Award for a Significant Contribution to Heritage Conservation

Cleaning and Restoration of the Telopea Park School Artwork by Kim Morris of Art and Archival, with historical research by Esther V. Davies Much care was taken in the meticulous restoration of this large and impressive painting depicting migration to Australia, which has a place in Canberra’s history. The painting and the timber banner of coats of arms are suitably located in a stairwell at the school, where they can be appreciated by schoolchildren and visitors. School archivist Esther V. Davies has thoroughly researched the origin of the painting, a part of an Arts and Crafts exhibition at the First Australian Citizenship Convention in Canberra in 1950, by post-war refugees from Latvia, Verners Linde and his son Girt. The judging panel consisted of Dr Tracy Ireland, Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra; Sharon Payne, a member of the ACT Heritage Council; and Ken Charlton AM FRAIA, an architectural historian and member of the National Trust (ACT) Heritage and Grants Committee.

Images from the evening are available on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.772195422839058.1073741827.239360456122560&type=1

Eric Martin AM, reading the nomination of the Yarralumla

Nursery

Photos: Eric Martin and Associates

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https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.772195422839058.1073741827.239360456122560&type=1



Travels and at home with the Trust Local and Interstate

Annual Members’ Christmas Drinks at “Huntly”

Sunday 7 December 2014 3 – 5 pm

National Trust members and their friends are warmly

invited to the annual Christmas Drinks, once again at

Huntly courtesy of John Gale.

As usual, guests will be able to enjoy drinks and

refreshments listening to music suiting the rural

elegance. Please watch E news for further details of

guest speaker and music.

Meet: Huntly, Uriarra Rd, via Weston (entry to the property will be signposted) Cost: $20 members and $25 non-members Bookings essential: 6230 0533 or online at

www.nationaltrust.org.au/act/events

Christmas Party 2013 at Huntly Photo: National Trust

The Tours Committee is working on a full and

entertaining program of speakers and events for

2015. These will be advertised in the Trust E news, on

the website and on Facebook.

In the meantime, please enjoy reading reports of

previous events immediately after Overseas tours.

Members may recall the article on Anthology in an issue of Heritage in Trust earlier this year. Now is your chance to see the performance which, under the direction of Pip Buining and Louise Morris, brings the lost suburb of Westlake to life.

Anthology is a site specific theatrical journey through the vanished suburb of Westlake, now known as Stirling Park. The site is Ngunawal land, Guru Bung Dhaura (Stony Ground) a traditional pathway, and from the 192’s the site of one of the camps created to house the workers building the new city of Canberra. Tents and a hall were erected in The Gap at Westlake followed by 61 temporary cottages, designed by architect HM Rolland and built in 1923, for married tradesmen building the infrastructure for the new Federal Capital of Australia. These families lived at Westlake for 50 years until the 1960s when the families were relocated, the houses sold and removed. Westlake is now a parkland, nestled between the lake and the Embassies of Yarralumla.

When: 6pm Wednesday 26 November to Saturday 29 November, and Wednesday 3 December to Saturday 6 December Meet: Westlake, Stirling Park, Yarralumla Corner of Empire Circuit & Forster Circuit, Yarralumla (opposite Mexican Embassy) Cost: $30 adults and $25 concession Bookings essential: Limited tickets. Book through www.anthology.net.au

Note: This is not a National Trust event.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.au/act/events

http://www.anthology.net.au/



Overseas

Germany

A fort on the Roman border

19 May- 10 June 2015 for 22 days

http://www.nationaltrust.org.au/act/GermanyTour

This exciting tour will focus on selected UNESCO World

Heritage listed places, but other places of national

significance to the history and cultural development of

Germany will be included.

Cost: $10,200 pp Land Tour only $13,200 Package price including return economy airfares (Singapore Airlines)

(Single supplement $1,620)

The Theme: A tour covering the history and culture of

Germany from the Neanderthal period of the deep past,

the Bronze and Iron Ages, the Celtic and Viking periods, the

Roman period through the Renaissance to modern times. A

focus of the tour will be visits to UNESCO World Heritage

places.

The tour will be at a leisurely pace. We will be based 5

nights in Trier, 6 nights in Berlin, 4 nights in Hamburg, 1

night in the World Heritage city of Bamberg and 5 nights

in Munich. We will have time to explore these cities and

from there venture into the heart of the country to visit the

historical, archaeological, and cultural places that represent

the development of Germany over a period of 40,000

years. We will also have free time in these cities to explore

by ourselves and to experience the food and the shops.

Some of the highlights will include: the site and museums

of the first identified Neanderthal skeleton, sites from the

Roman period, Heidelberg and the Rhine Valley region,

Lübeck, the Viking settlement of Hedeby, Dresden, World

Heritage Gardens, Museum Island in Berlin, Potsdam, and

San Souci, Wittenberg where Martin Luther challenged

Roman Catholicism and began the Reformation, the Celtic-

Roman Museum in the heartlands of the early Celts at

Manching, Nuremberg, Bamburg and more.

Brandenburg Gates

Historical archaeologist, Dr Peter Dowling will

accompany the tour and an accredited English speaking

guide will be with us at all times.

Come with us. Contact the ACT National Trust on

(02) 6230 0533 Monday – Thursday or Travelscene

Canberra City

(02) 6247 6544 Monday – Thursday

Tour inclusions Professional English-speaking guide throughout the tour

and sightseeing with local tour guides where applicable

Twin/double share 4-star accommodation throughout the tour including hotel taxes, service charges, state and local taxes

Breakfast daily, some lunches and dinners as per the itinerary

Air-conditioned coach, as per itinerary.

All touring, as stated in the itinerary

Sightseeing as outlined in the itinerary with inside visits (including admission charges)

Gratuities to the tour manager and coach driver • Tips to baggage porters and hotel staff

Tour cost not included • Meals not specified on the itinerary • Excess baggage charges • Meals not specified in the itinerary • Beverages including tea and coffee except at breakfast

and hotel dinners, wines, liquor, soft drinks, etc • Items of a personal nature such as phone calls, laundry,

mini bar, internet access, etc • Gratuities to local guides • Transportation to/from hotels or venues if travel is

separate to that of the group

http://www.nationaltrust.org.au/act/GermanyTour



Speaker Evening Reports

The Luck of the Irish – An evening with

Babette Smith

Wednesday 1 October at the National Archives of

Australia

At the last National Trust members’ evening held at the National Archives, members heard the account of a group of Irish immigrants and convicts who, in the face of a disaster, had a life-saving stroke of luck. The story goes like this - early one morning in December 1835, Aboriginal people living just south of Jervis Bay, New South Wales made their way to the beach to do some fishing. They were startled to discover about 300 Europeans - men, women and children, milling around on the beach, survivors of the wreck of their ship.

The ship was the convict transport Hive, carrying 250 male prisoners from Ireland. After a voyage of 109 days across 21,000 kilometres of ocean, and with Sydney Town only a day’s sail away, the ship was beached in a sandy bay, now known as Wreck Bay. The water was shallow and after the first panic all the crew and convicts managed to struggle ashore, and were eventually taken to Sydney.

Our guest speaker was author and expert on Australian convict history, Babette Smith. The full story of these most fortunate Irish is told in her recent book, The Luck of the Irish. Babette recounted to our members how most of the convicts were assigned to work on farms or in businesses, building a better life in the far-flung Australian colony than they could ever have experienced back in their homeland. Their future lives of labour, deeds and misdeeds, were, like those for many other Irish immigrants, both free and in chains, significant in laying the foundations of the Australia we know today.

Peter Dowling

Babette Smith, 2014, The Luck of the Irish. How a shipload of convicts survived the wreck of the Hive, to make a new life in Australia, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.

Allen Mawer at the AGM Thursday 16 October at National Archives

This year's Annual General Meeting was entertained in true raconteur fashion by well-known Canberra historian and writer Allen Mawer.

In 2002, Allen began a search for one of Australian history's most famous subjects - the young outlaw known as the 'wild colonial boy'. But who was he?

Allen told us he started with the song called “The Wild Colonial Boy” first published in 1881. Historians, folklorists and others have wondered about this mysterious character ever since. So Allen began his search for the true identity of the boy bushranger whose adventure inspired it. It shouldn't have been too hard he told us - the balladeer had provided a wealth of detail.

'Twas of a Wild Colonial Boy, Jack Dowling was his name, Of poor but honest parents, was reared at Castlemaine, He was his father's favourite, and mother's only joy And a terror to Australia was the Wild Colonial Boy.

Plenty of detail perhaps, but for the best part of a century and a half no-one had been able to find Jack Dowling or Doolan or Duggan (the main variants of his name in the various versions of the song that emerged). Castlemaine in Victoria did not exist until the gold rushes (but what about in Ireland?) and there was no John Dowling/Doolan/Duggan whose birth was registered in Victoria around 1845. Historians and folklorists had inclined to the view that the song had developed from one or more of the ballads about a convict bushranger, Bold Jack Donohoe, who had been killed by the police in NSW in 1830. But what about Castlemaine, and the 1860s, and the Beechworth mail and Judge Macoboy?

The evening rollicked on as Allen explored the possibilities of the ‘boy’, his birth and his evil deeds.

For those who missed the great night you can get a copy of Allen's small book on this intriguing mystery, and find out the truth for yourself.

Jim Nockels



Trust Tour Reports

Callum Brae Visit 21 September 2014

When long-term Canberrans compliment you on

finding a historic site they knew nothing about for a

tour, it is most rewarding.

A picture perfect spring day saw 26 of us enjoy a walk

through Callum Brae Nature Reserve. This little known

Red box-Yellow gum grassy woodland has been in

existence for 10 years after its handover from the farm

of the same name. Sandra Henderson from the

Canberra Ornithologists Group has been monitoring

birdlife there since its inception. She was very

informative about sighted species, migratory birds and

the effect of July’s kangaroo cull. With many trees with

hollows, numerous dams from pastoral times and low

human visitation, the birds are plentiful.

Walk through Callum Brae Nature Reserve.

The panorama east included Mt Jerrabomberra and

Queanbeyan. We walked on to the gate of Callum Brae

farm where Peter and Jenny welcomed us to their

delightful property. Ably assisted by son Matthew and

his partner Kirsten, we enjoyed afternoon tea and a

tour of the shearing shed, outbuildings and the house.

Callum Brae sign – part of the new Woden Heritage Trail.

The property was heritage-listed in 2011. It is a prime

example of a still operational farm established in 1919

as part of the Commonwealth Soldier Settlement

Scheme. Callum Brae is the second stop on the

recently launched Woden Heritage Track. Many thanks

to the owners and Sandra for a fun and interesting

Sunday afternoon.

A tour of the outbuildings at Callum Brae Farm.

Linda Roberts (text and photos)



The National Trust tour to Lake

Mungo, July 2014

Lake Mungo in western NSW is part of the Willandra

Lakes World Heritage Area. One hundred and twenty

thousand years ago a chain of large and small lakes,

originating from Willandra Creek and the Lachlan

River, was strung out across the inland plains of NSW.

The chain of lakes, together with other lacustrine

formations on the western plains, provided rich

environments for the area’s flora and fauna and later,

around 50,000 years ago, attracted a large population

of humans. The prevailing westerly winds blowing

across the lakes picked up fine sands from the beaches

and clays from the lake beds at low levels and formed

large crescent-shaped dunes on the north and eastern

shores of the lakes. These dunes, or lunettes as we

known them today, became a favoured environment

for both humans and animals. It was an ideal place

with food resources for all.

About 15,000 years ago a geological change in the

landforms far to the east blocked off the Willandra

Creek from the Lachlan River and the annual flow of

water from the melting snow in the highlands, which

had fed the lakes for around 100,000 years, gradually

ceased. Lake Mungo along with the other lakes in the

system dried up. The westerly winds now blew across

dried lake beds and, with no sands and clays being

deposited, progressively but persistently began to

erode the lunettes exposing some 50,000 years of

human occupation on the lake shores in the form of

stone artefacts, shell middens, camp fires and cooking

fires. Walking along the Lake Mungo Lunette today is

walking along the same surfaces as some of the

world’s earliest modern humans. And this is what the

tour group did.

Lake Mungo was our destination but the group had an

array of experiences on the long journey from

Canberra. The tour departed from Canberra by air-

conditioned coach in the early hours of a cold July

morning and travelled to Griffith. A historic tour of the

town area and then to a winery to sample some of the

local produce followed before an overnight stay. The

next morning the coach headed across the plains

towards Mildura, the next destination. The group

experienced a most enjoyable and informative

afternoon tour of the inland city and environs, learning

about its wine industry and irrigation history at Lock 11

on the Murray River. The next day it was off to our

ultimate destination, the World Heritage- listed Lake

Mungo National Park. The tour group was very

privileged to have a young Aboriginal ranger,

employed by the national park, to guide the group

around the ancient lunette and explain the

archaeological sites which were on the surface. Prior

to the arrival at Lake Mungo the group had learned

much about the lake system and its human history

from Dr Peter Dowling, a member of the Trust’s

heritage committee, who accompanied the tour.



Returning to Mildura after a wonderful experience

the group was ready to make tracks back to

Canberra the next morning, but not on a direct

route. There was more history to be explored. The

coach headed along the Murray Valley Highway

towards Echuca for lunch and a short stay and then

to another overnight stay, this time at Corowa. On

the way the group were invited to question Dr

Dowling and test his knowledge of the ancient past

and human practices they had experienced at Lake

Mungo. The next morning saw the group stopping

at nearby Chiltern calling into two National Trust

properties. The Chiltern Pharmacy was a step right

back into the past for the group who were

fascinated by the familiar and not so familiar

medicinal concoctions and past pharmaceutical

practices which the small building preserves. To

complete the morning the group visited Lake View

House significant for its association with the

distinguished Australian author, Henry Handel

Richardson (pseudonym for Ethel Richardson). It

was then really time to turn the heads towards

home and back to Canberra.

The tour was organised by the ACT National Trust’s tours committee through Potter Travel in Queanbeyan, who arranged the accommodation, the meals, the tour guides and provided the group with an experienced and very professional coach driver.

Peter Dowling (Photos: Di Dowling)

ACT and Region Annual

Australian Heritage Partnership

Symposium

19 July 2014

Attending the 2014 heritage symposium – a

layperson’s view

On a chilly winter morning I arrived at the Roland

Wilson building on the ANU campus, along with some

70 others, to attend the third ACT and Region Annual

Australian Heritage Partnership Symposium. What a

mouthful! I’d seen the ads for the last couple of years

and, despite the rather imposing title, decided that I

would give it a go. I thought I could sneak out at

lunchtime if it was all going over my head.

But it turned out to be fast-moving, interesting, well-

organised and extremely informative.

There were four sessions, broken by morning tea,

lunch and afternoon tea. ANU Archaeology students

were responsible for the catering and I can report that

the Turkish pide for lunch was particularly tasty. Each

session had five speakers, each with 20 minutes. The

“bell of shame” only sounded on a couple of occasions

as the various session chairs kept the speakers in line.

Obviously the overall themes were serious but there

were plenty of light moments: Peter Dowling with his

ducks in line, Richard Mackay with a snakes and

ladders diagram showing how heritage fits (or doesn’t)

within the development process, and Margaret and

David (aka Detlev Lueth and Diana Richards) doing a

review of the movie The Monuments Men.

And I learned so much:

That the Commonwealth Government is developing a national heritage strategy to which heritage bodies have been providing input.

That there’s an international organisation called The International Committee of the Blue Shield (ICBS) which uses a blue shield symbol to identify cultural sites to be protected during armed conflict and that there is an Australian committee known as Blue Shield Australia.

On a lighter note, that the book The Monuments Men is much better than the movie of the same name!



That ANU has a valuable collection of furniture

designed and built especially for the university, and

that it also has a collection of Burrinjuck fossils of

world significance desperately in need of a curator.

That there’s lots of good work being done in the

region – Lambing Flat, Adelong, Old Parliament

House, Tuggeranong Schoolhouse – to protect our

heritage and to bring it to the attention of people

in a way that enables them to connect with it.

I made a note to get hold of a copy of The Monuments

Men, which I’ve since done (a good read), to visit

Tuggeranong Schoolhouse sometime (it’s open on the

second Sunday of each month from 10.00am to

4.00pm) and to check out the Geological Society of

Australia website gsa.org.au/heritage which lists

geoheritage sites around Canberra. The latter two are

still on the to do list.

I also made a note to attend next year’s symposium.

Wendy Whitham

Tuggeranong Homestead Photo: National Trust (ACT)

Following the Symposium, a set of Key Outcomes was

prepared. These are printed below and also appear on

the Canberra Archaeological Society (CAS) website on a

a page relating specifically to the Symposium. This will

be a very useful reference.

KEY OUTCOMES FROM THE 2014 SYMPOSIUM

1. The future of important collections in the ACT such as:

The library of the former Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage is closing down and the collection is likely to be broken up and dissipated – professional and interest groups to contact Minister about need to preserve the collection as a whole and to be made available to practitioners

The ANU’s internationally significant geology collection is under threat of being transferred and most likely broken up – groups to follow up and advocate the need for a home and a curator to maintain and conserve this major collection

Other ANU and UC collections - importance of documenting collections and having them recognised and valued by the institutions that own them so that they can be conserved.

2. The value of baseline information on the whole of

Australia’s heritage

In order to assist in heritage disaster or loss management, there is a need to know what heritage exists at local, state and Commonwealth levels throughout the country

Such base knowledge about our heritage (its rarity and its representativeness) would also enable measurement of incremental loss of heritage which at present is very difficult to measure, communicate or act upon at an effective level.

3. National heritage strategy

Continue to have input, with emphasis on achieving a comprehensive strategy to guide all aspects of heritage assessment and conservation, supported by a strong and durable funding programme adhered to by successive governments.

4. Need to develop a strategy to ensure that

individuals who own heritage properties or

collections get a better deal so that they can maintain

and conserve the heritage values.

5. Need to provide balances between the sustainable

energy requirements of properties and places and

their heritage requirements.

6. Consider innovative approaches to conserving

heritage places.



Obtaining value in the UK from

your National Trust membership

A question often pondered by current and prospective

National Trust members in Australia is what value has

National Trust membership should I travel overseas ?

The State and Territory National Trust organisations in

Australia have reciprocal visiting arrangements with

the National Trust organisations in a large number of

overseas countries, but probably the best known is the

arrangement with the National Trust of England, Wales

and Northern Ireland, which provides for free entry to

Trust properties.

This article is concerned mainly with England which is a

popular destination for Australians travelling overseas.

Although the Australian dollar is currently losing some

of its value against the English Pound and international

airfares for other than 'early bird' economy class

airfares are creeping ever higher due to various levies

and taxes, London still remains top-of-the list as an

overseas travel destination, particularly for those who

are making their first visit to the British Isles.

Australian National Trust membership is extremely

valuable for a visit to the British Isles if a person has

any interest in historic and culturally significant

properties, for two main reasons. Entry costs to

National Trust properties in the UK are generally much

more expensive than in Australia (entry to a single

property in England can amount to A$45-A$50 for two

adults, with parking) and the National Trust of

England, Wales and Northern Ireland has a very large

number of properties open for inspection – around

500. In short, it is easily possible to save several

hundred Australian dollars’ worth of entry and parking

fees, which will probably be more than the annual cost

of membership of a National Trust in Australia,

particularly if you venture beyond the city of London.

Following are five suggested options to make use of

your Australian National Trust membership while

visiting England.

1. Visits to National Trust properties in London and the greater London area

While it is true that the English National Trust's

most famous and most widely visited properties

are outside London, there are nevertheless ten

houses and gardens in London owned by the Trust

which are well worth visiting and can be reached

using public transport. They include:

Red House, Bexleyheath: the only house commissioned, created and lived in by William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement. Red House is a building of extraordinary architectural and social significance;

Carlyle's House, Chelsea: the 19th century home of Thomas and Jane Carlyle – follow in the footsteps of Dickens, Ruskin, Tennyson and many more;

Ham House and Garden: a unique 17th century treasure trove, internationally recognised for its superb collection of paintings, furniture and textiles, largely acquired 400 years ago;

Osterley Park and House: a Georgian country estate in West London, once described by Horace Walpole as "the palace of palaces"; as well as

Morden Hall Park, a green oasis in the city;

Fenton House and Garden, a beautiful 17th-century merchant's house in London;

Eastbury Manor House, an important brick-construction Tudor gentry house, completed about 1573; and

2 Willow Road, Hampstead: a unique Modernist home designed by architect Ernö Goldfinger in 1939 for himself and his family.

2. Visits to certain Council properties in London which offer half-price entry

The English National Trust has recently entered

into a partner arrangement with 14 independent

heritage attractions and museums in London.

Your Australian National Trust membership will

permit half-price entry to these important and

culturally significant properties, which include:

Dr Johnson's House: the late 17th century home of lexicographer and wit, Samuel Johnson;



Benjamin Franklin House: the world's only remaining home of Benjamin Franklin;

Handel House Museum: home of George Frederick Handel, who composed Messiah in this house;

Keats' House: where Romantic poet John Keats lived from 1818-1820;

Leighton House Museum: the restored home of Victorian painter Lord Leighton, with a priceless Islamic tile collection;

The Freud Museum: the final home of pioneering psychoanalysts, Sigmund Freud and his daughter, Anna;

The Foundling Museum: contains a nationally important collection of 18th century art, interiors, social history and music; and

Strawberry Hill House: Horace Walpole's beautifully restored Gothic-revival castle by the Thames at Twickenham.

Production of an Australian (or ACT) Senior's Card will

normally result in a further discount to the admission

price of these fascinating properties.

3. Visits to National Trust properties on one or more day trips from London

Some of the most famous and most visited National

Trust properties in England can be reached relatively

easily on a day trip from London. This is well worth

considering. Highly regarded National Trust properties

in the southern counties that are relatively easily

reached from London on a day trip include:

Chartwell: the much-loved Churchill family home and the place from which Sir Winston drew inspiration from 1924 until the end of his life. The rooms remain much as they were when he lived there, with pictures and books.

Sissinghurst: Vita Sackville-West, the poet and writer, began transforming Sissinghurst Castle in the 1930s with her diplomat and author husband, Harold Nicolson, creating a world-renowned garden.

Knole: the home of the Sackville family and one of the country's largest homes, with an internationally significant collection of furniture, paintings and tapestries.

Ightham Mote: an outstanding 14th century moated manor house, described by David Starkey as "one of the most beautiful and interesting of English country houses".

Batemans: a 17th century Jacobean house, the home and garden of the writer and poet Rudyard Kipling and his wife, Carrie. The house and contents remain much as Kipling left them.

Chartwell will normally involve rail travel from

Victoria or other stations in London and then a taxi

ride to the property or travel by bus or private car.

In the summer, a special bus is run direct to

Chartwell on Sundays and public holidays from

Bromley North, passing close to Bromley South

Train Station. Other properties, such as

Sissinghurst, are most easily reached by a car hired

for the purpose. Apart from free entry and parking

for Australian National Trust members, most of

these properties also offer a free guided tour at

various times during the day. It is essential to check

opening times for each property to be visited to

ensure it will be open on the day chosen for your

visit. Some of the properties also have a Trust

restaurant or café and/or a gift shop.

4. Independent touring from London around the counties (Kent, Sussex, Wiltshire, Devon, Buckinghamshire, Wales, etc)

For the more adventurous, a 10-14 day driving

holiday offers the opportunity to visit ten or more

outstanding National Trust houses and gardens,

staying in nearby Bed and Breakfast

accommodation and using a hire car which can be

obtained relatively cheaply. The writer has done

this on two occasions, choosing different itineraries

and visiting mainly National Trust properties. A

portable satellite navigation device is desirable to

find some properties and a good large-size

Motorist's Atlas (eg Phillips or Collins) is a handy

adjunct for navigation. B&B accommodation is

available for garden lovers in England and should

be sought out and preferably pre-booked using the

internet. The benefits are usually superior

accommodation, reasonable prices, and interesting

and helpful hosts and hostesses when compared to

other B&Bs.

One ten day itinerary undertaken by the writer and his wife (without satellite navigation) in 2003



involved nine properties, eight of which were National Trust. The outstanding properties were, in the order visited: Sissinghurst, Nymans, Sheffield Park, Stourhead, Stowe, Hidcote Manor, Bodnant, Cliveden and RHS Wisley (not National Trust). The car trip was very do-able and including staying for two nights at the Trust's Georgian "Spreadeagle Inn", which is located in the grounds of Stourhead – perhaps the most beautiful landscape garden in England or, for that matter, the world.

The bridge at Stourhead, Wiltshire. A National Trust

property.

The second itinerary, undertaken in 2013 for

about 14 days, involved collecting the hire car

at Canterbury – thus avoiding driving out of

London with its traffic, congestion charge,

and other difficulties. Hiring a car from a

small family firm is also a much more

pleasant experience than hiring a car from

one of the major hire car companies in

London. We used our own portable satellite

navigation device which was essential to find

some of the properties, as well as a large

road atlas.

We elected to spend most of our trip in B&B

accommodation at Tunbridge Wells and to

use that as a base to visit some 15 or so

National Trust properties in Kent, East and

West Sussex, and Surrey. We then stayed

again for two nights at the marvellous

"Spreadeagle Inn" at Stourhead, to visit

properties in Wiltshire and Somerset, and

finally one night at a B&B in Taunton to visit

Castle Drago in Devon.

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.

Formal gardens at Castle Drago, Devon. The last castle built in

England (completed 1930). A National Trust property.

The outstanding properties we visited, in approximate

order, were: Sissinghurst, Great Dixter (not National

Trust), Knole, Batemans, Quebec House, Scotney

Castle, Bodiam Castle, Chartwell, Standen, Sheffield

Park and Garden, Ightham Mote, Monk's House

(Virginia and Leonard Woolf's home at Lewes),

Smallhythe Place (Ellen Terry's last home), Lamb House

(Henry James' home), Stourhead, Hestercombe (not

National Trust) and Castle Drago (the last castle built in

England, completed in 1930). The car trip involved easy

driving and the holiday was one of the best we have

undertaken.

Interior of Virginia and Leonard Woolf's home Monk's House, at

Lewes. A National Trust Property.



5. Independent holidays to parts of

Britain where many Trust properties are located

An alternative to the self-drive tours around the

counties not too far from London is to holiday in more

distant and beautiful parts of England, travelling by

train to the chosen location and then hiring a car to

visit National Trust and other properties. Two superb

locations where this can be done quite easily are

Cornwall and the English Lake District. Both of these

parts of England are extraordinarily rich in natural

beauty as well having great historical significance and

they are well served by National Trust properties and

places. The writer and his wife have organised

independent travel to both Cornwall and the Lake

District for periods of around 7-10 days, staying in a

single B&B accommodation, which was used as a base,

and visiting Trust and other properties for the duration

of the holiday.

In Cornwall, superb Trust gardens, houses and other

properties include: Trelissick, Lanhydrock,

Trengwainton, Glendurgan, Godolphin, Cotehele, St

Michael's Mount, and the Levant Mine and Beam

Engine to name but some. These can all be

comfortably reached each day from a B&B base in or

near Truro, which is a pleasant 4.5 hour train journey

from London. Truro has good facilities and there is a

local car hire firm that has an office at Truro Station,

making for easy collection and drop-off of a hire car.

In the Lake District, Trust properties include Hill Top

(Beatrix Potter’s home) and the Beatrix Potter Gallery,

Wordsworth's house in Cockermouth, the steam

yacht "Gondola", Stagshaw Garden, Acorn Bank

Garden and Watermill, Dalton Castle and Sizergh

Castle as well as large tracks of land and water in

Cumbria owned by the Trust. Windermere makes a

handy base, being connected by rail to London. It has

good facilities, including a range of B&Bs and has a

good local hire car firm charging reasonable rates.

The 14th century Sizergh Castle in the Lake District

(Cumbria). A National Trust property.

All of the Trust's properties can be accessed free

of charge upon presentation of an Australian

National Trust membership card, demonstrating

again that great value can be gained from

membership when holidaying in England, given

some forethought and prior planning where

independent touring is to be involved.

John Tucker (text and photographs)

John Tucker is a Council Member of the National Trust

(ACT) and he and his wife, Esther, have been Trust

members for more than 30 years. They usually travel to

the UK annually to visit family and Trust

properties. They have a passionate interest in

landscape gardens.

Lanhydrock House Buckland Abbey

National Trust Properties West Country

(Photos: Maree Treadwell)



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

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The e-magazine, Heritage in Trust, is produced and edited by Maree

Treadwell and Wendy Whitham assisted by Dianne Dowling and

Mary Johnston




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].

Mt Stromlo Heritage Trail (refer article page 1)

Deadlines for copy

mid January (February issue)

mid April (May)

mid July (August)

mid October (November)

The views expressed in Heritage in Trust

are not necessarily those of the National

Trust of Australia (ACT). The articles in this

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Documents

Heritage in Trust November 2014