Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 1
NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA
Heritage in Trust (ACT)
August 2015 _________________________________________________________________
Yarra Glen taken from the intersection of Cotter Road with the road to Government House.1
The Valley – Six Families Who Made a Viable Community
The Valley
Present-day Woden Valley should arguably have been
named Yarralumla Valley. Woden homestead was on the
other side of Red Hill, and part of the Duntroon Estate.
The Valley - traversed by Yarralumla Creek - was part of
Yarralumla Estate owned by Frederick Campbell, a
grandson of Robert Campbell (1769-1846) who owned
Duntroon. The Valley was subsequently acquired by the
Commonwealth in 1913, then subdivided for lease to
soldier-settlers from 1919.
Cont p2
Inside
From the President p 5
Notice of 40th AGM p 7
Heritage Diary p 8
Travels and at home with the Trust p 10
A Young Australian Soldier, a Grieving Mother, a Letter and a Compassionate German Officer p 23 Petition to list Canberra on NHL p 26
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 2
The Valley- Six families who made a viable community
cont from p1
The name ‘Yarralumla’ was assigned in the first official
survey of 1834, and came from a local Ngunnawal
word meaning ‘echo’. The first owner of that grant of
land was Henry Donnison in 1828 who sold it to (later
Sir) Terence Murray in 1837. Frederick Campbell was
arguably the fifth owner of that estate. He built the
home in 1891 that has since become Government
House.
The Soldier-Settler Leases
The Valley is a story of endurance, expertise, friendship
and perseverance - or fall by the wayside. From 1920
The Valley was a collection of soldier-settler leases that
were allocated by ballot. Most of the leases were
between 1,000 and 1,300 acres - arguably too small for
farming in such harsh conditions. Also, some of those
who were first allocated a block did not have a farming
background. There was no room for passengers in such
a place: farmers’ wives needed experience on the land,
or a very strong determination to learn related skills.
Children had to do their bit. Families needed to
support each other.
The Valley Farmers
Four original soldier-settlers were Walter (the Captain)
Eddison (Yamba), Alister (Dick) Russell (Narrabundah),
John (Jack) Maguire (Melrose) and Ken Anderson
(Allawah). They were later joined by two other
returned servicemen: George Campbell (Yarra Glen)
and Guy Tanner (Illoura) who bought their blocks from
Messrs Gifford and Cargill respectively who were
unable to make a living out of their leases. Ken
Anderson later exchanged his block for property
owned by Phillip (Phil) and Kath Champion (Anderson
also paid some money because the Champions’
property was worth more than Anderson’s). Phil had
met his wife Kathleen while serving in the British Army
in India, and they were already farming in the north of
Canberra. Ken Anderson then employed a shepherd,
Harry Oldfield, to look after his sheep around
Canberra. Oldfield lived at Blundell’s Cottage. The
Champions moved into Allawah in 1936, and renamed
it Cooleman because there were the marks of many
Aboriginal coolemons on their land. They had the only
‘modern’ brick house in the Valley, with bricks made
on the property.
The Eddisons. Capt Eddison (Capt Eddy) was an English
gentleman farmer who bred thoroughbred horses. He
was in Australia considering migration with his family
when war broke out. He joined the 6th Australian Light
Horse in 1914, as a trooper. However, he was later
commissioned and held the rank of Captain by 1917. In
From the editors
Welcome to this winter edition of Heritage in
Trust. While the recent weather has been cold,
spring isn’t far away and the Trust has some good
trips planned – see Travels and at home with the
Trust beginning on page 10. Two other important
events coming up are the AGM on Thursday 29
October and the Christmas party on Sunday 6
December. More details will be provided on those
as they become available, but note the dates in
your diary now.
This issue looks at the families who formed the
early community within the Woden valley as it is
now known and a heart warming story from the
First World War from the records in the
Australian War Memorial, as well as reports from
the tour to Germany and other tours closer to
home, and more.
If you’ve recently visited a place of historic or
heritage interest, whether it was overseas or
within Australia, we invite you to think about
writing an article for the newsletter, to share your
experiences and give other readers new ideas for
heritage travel.
The email address for contacting the editors is
[email protected] or you can write to
the Trust Office. Views and suggestions are
always welcome.
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 3
1919, he and his wife Marion (nee Mills) emigrated
with their four children, initially going to Cooma. Two
more children were born after Capt Eddy was allocated
Yamba. Marion (always known as Mrs Eddy) was ill-
prepared for what she encountered: her education was
that of a young English lady with a governess to teach
her the classics, French, embroidery and perfect
deportment. She had never cooked, cleaned or sewn
patches before she came to Australia. However, she
was to become the mentor for those other Valley
wives who were similarly ill-prepared for what they
had let themselves in for by marrying a soldier-settler.
Tragically, all three of the Eddisons’ sons lost their lives
while serving in World War 2. With no male heir to
take over Yamba, Capt Eddy (by then aged 77) and Mrs
Eddy retreated in 1953 to the suburb of Deakin with
their horses. Their home at Yamba was taken over for
approximately another ten years by another family
until development finally came.
On the Champions’ property on the western side of Taylor’s Hill which can be seen in the background.2
The Russells. Alister (Dick) Russell was a graduate of
Hawkesbury Agricultural College and a farmer in WA
before he signed up in 1916. He was allocated
Narrabundah (Red Hill) in 1920, and moved into a slab
hut on the property that same year with his elegant
wife Ester (nee Burgess). They held the lease until 1929
when close relatives Arthur Russell and Charles
(Charlie) Russell took it over. Charlie – who in later life
became the bane of Canberra bureaucracy – lived on
or near that (much smaller) property until his death in
1998, aged 93. He and his wife lost their homestead
and all their belongings in the bushfire of 1952, when
Charlie was away at Jervis Bay. They rebuilt their house
in what is now Endeavour St, Red Hill.
The Maguires. Jack Maguire and his wife Clare (nee
Morrison, of Tralee) were well equipped for the task of
farming Melrose as both of them were descended from
local farming families. Clare carried out a lot of farm
work in The Valley that other wives could/would not
do as she was used to farm work on Tralee. The
Maguires – like many Valley families - had productive
fruit trees that provided fresh fruit, preserves and jam.
They also milked cows. The Maguires were the last to
give up their lease in The Valley when finally the
bulldozers arrived.
The Campbells. George Campbell was a returned
serviceman who was the great-grandson of George
Campbell of Duntroon. He had ridden on the
Yarralumla Estate as a young man, and also worked as
a jackaroo in Queensland. He and his wife Nancy (nee
Reid) moved into the small house on Yarra Glen in
1928. Nancy Reid had lived with her family in the
Riverina but had no actual farming experience. She was
brought up in a large country home with a governess,
maids, cook and gardener. Her embroidery was
magnificent but her husband had to teach her how to
light their stove to cook. She learned many of the
necessary women’s survival skills from her older
neighbour Mrs Eddy. During the Great Depression
George bought several cows so Mrs Campbell made
and sold butter to make ends meet. The Campbells
expanded their homestead when two sons (Robert,
then Curtis) were born. They had trees, a nice garden
and a tennis court.
Yarra Glen was taken over in stages, but originally it
was 1200 acres, extending from near present-day
Novar St, Yarralumla to the southern side of the big
Woden roundabout. A railway line from Canberra to
the Brickworks ran through their northern paddocks. In
the other direction, it extended from present-day
Theodore St, Curtin to the Federal Golf Course. Their
main entrance was a gate on The Cemetery Road (now
Kent St), opposite the present-day telephone
exchange. The big pine tree that stands near the Curtin
Heritage In Trust August 2015
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overpass on Yarra Glen (the road) was in their home
garden. The Campbells eventually acquired another
property Arawang on the Kambah Road (now
Namatjira Drive), along which George and his sons
drove sheep to Yarra Glen. George Campbell died in
1971 while living in Deakin. Mrs Campbell died in 2002
– the last of the Valley matriarchs. She died in
Brindabella Gardens Hostel in Theodore St, Curtin that
overlooks the land that she and her husband once
controlled.
The Tanners. Guy Tanner was a returned serviceman (a
sapper) who had been unsuccessful in bids for soldier-
settler blocks in Queensland and NSW before obtaining
the one forfeited in The Valley by Mr Cargill. Tanner
had worked as a jackaroo before the war, and knew
very well what the challenges would be. He was known
by all as “a damned good farmer”. He married Frances
(later known as “Brownie”) Parramore who was raised
on a property near Tarcutta. She was a fine
horsewoman and an excellent shot (one bullet = one
dead snake). However, when her mother saw the place
the young couple were going to live in, she apparently
fainted, then tried her best to dissuade her daughter
from going ahead with the union. However, Guy was a
very handsome chap, and they were in love. They
moved into the property they named Illoura in 1930
when the house was deemed fit for habitation by a
married couple. Guy died in 1956, so his son Robert –
who shared his father’s reputation as a farmer –
worked it until development came.
Valley Roads
The Valley was serviced by four main roads: Cotter
Road, The Cemetery Road, Long Gully Road and
Kambah Road. Cotter Road ran east-west from
Canberra to the Cotter. Kambah Road was on the
western edge of The Valley. It ran from Cotter Road to
present-day Kambah past Cooleman and Arawang.
Long Gully Road ran east-west, from Cooma Road (now
Monaro Highway) to Kambah Road (through present-
day Mawson, Chifley, Waramanga and Stirling). The
Cemetery Road ran from Long Gully Road (in current
Chifley) to Cotter Road via the Woden Cemetery. Its
section south of the cemetery has all but disappeared
but its northern section is present-day Kent St. Long
Gully Road was maintained by one man with a horse,
cart, pick and shovel.
The Valley Community
Farming in The Valley would have not have been
possible without a very strong community in which
everyone looked after each other, in good times and
bad, sharing tasks, expertise and equipment. There is
arguably no better account of that than in Not Without
My Corsets by Marion and Fionna Douglas (ISBN 0-646-
42672-9), which is a book now out-of-print but
available on loan via the ACT Public Library. This writer
is indebted to the above authors and to Curtis
Campbell - with whom he has spent many hours – for
much of the material used in this article.
Neville Bleakley
Neville Bleakley is a long-time resident of Canberra with a
particular interest in the history of The Valley. He has
written several articles on this subject.
Photos courtesy of Robert Campbell.
Notes on photos accompanying this article:
1 Taylor’s Hill (now Mt Taylor) is in the background. The homestead of Yarra Glen is in the trees in the centre of the photo. To the right of that are the trees around Melrose (the Maguires). It is clear that the Yarra Glen homestead is in a definite valley that made the spot particularly cold in winter. Curtis and Robert Campbell told me that water would freeze in the dog bowls, and water taps would sometimes burst. On a winter’s night they would sometimes encounter a ‘solid wall of cold’ as they approached home. 2 The truck is filling a crop duster/spreader with superphosphate. The aircraft is likely to be a variation of a Grumman Schweizer Ag-Cat, the first type of aircraft designed by a major aircraft company specifically for agricultural aviation. The Ag-Cat gained its certification for agricultural work in January 1959, and was widely used throughout the world.
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 5
From the President
Hello members.
As I write this report another financial year has come to a close. Pleasingly, I can report that we were actually able to slightly increase our bank balances over the course of the year due to a break-even operating result. Given where we were two years ago this is a fantastic effort and has come about through a combination of tight expenditure control and the continued unpaid efforts of our loyal volunteers. So again thankyou to those who continue to contribute in supporting our worthy organisation. For more information on how the operations of the Trust are going please consider attending our AGM which will be held at the National Archives on 29 October 2015 from 6:00pm. By the time you read this edition of HiT you will also probably be aware that we have moved from our long- term home in the North Building to the Griffin Centre, which is part of the Canberra Centre complex. Unfortunately the move was forced on us by the ACT Government who are expanding the Legislative Assembly and moving some of its operations into the North Building. On the positive side though I must thank the ACT Government who have looked after the Trust by providing much newer digs in the heart of the city much to the relief of Liz and our regular volunteers who come into the office. So, if you’re in town be sure to drop in and see Liz and the team. We have established a petition on our website “Include Canberra on Australia’s National Heritage List” with the aim of delivering to Minister Hunt the strongest possible message that the Trust and its friends wholeheartedly support Canberra’s listing on the NHL. So please consider registering your support by either accessing the link (https://www.change.org/p/greg-hunt-mp-minister-for-the-environment-include-canberra-on-australia-s-national-heritage-list?recruiter=334036651&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive ) or completing the form on page 26 and scanning/posting it back to Liz in the office. I’m aware that some people have received some spam email after registering. My apologies for this but be assured that we undertake these initiatives with the best of intentions.
Contents
The Valley – Six families who made a viable community _______________________________ 1
From the President ________________________ 5
People and Places/ Trusted Recipe ____________ 6
Notice of National Trust (ACT) 40th AGM _______ 7
Heritage Diary ____________________________ 8
Travels and at home with the Trust __________ 10
Heritage Happenings _______________________ 11
Inaugural Bathurst Macquarie Heritage Medal Award 2015 ____________________________________ 12
A visit to Bathurst _________________________ 13
ACT and Region Heritage Partnership Symposium Report __________________________________ 14
Movable Cultural Heritage _________________ 15
Dirk Hartog – 400th anniversary update /
Thanks to Peter Lundy _____________________ 16
Speaker Evenings Reports __________________ 17
Trust Tour Report - Germany _______________19
A Young Australian Soldier, a Grieving Mother, a Letter and a Compassionate German Officer ___ 23
Canberra National Heritage List Petition _______ 26
In closing, most members would know that NTACT does not own any properties and that the closest Trust property is the NSW Trust owned and operated Cooma Cottage just outside of Yass. This year marks the 175th anniversary of Hamilton Hume moving into Cooma Cottage and in recognition of this milestone there will be a Costume Ball held on site on Saturday 3 October. This will be a great fund raising opportunity for Cooma Cottage and there will be a number of NTACT Councillors attending so please consider joining us for a fun evening. More information can be obtained from the office or on our website.
Thanks again for your interest and support.
Scott McAlister President
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 6
People and Places
New members
The National Trust (ACT) warmly welcomes the
following new members:
Helen Swarbrick and Alex Breeze
Mark Butz
Susan and David Chessell
Naomi Clarke
Geoff and Rossalyn Clarke
Lembit Suur and Joanne Constantinides
David and Perdi Crawford
Pam Daniel and Steve Dovey
Kathleen and Trevor Dunham
Michael and Kathi Eland
Glenn Ford
Narelle Ford
Ros Greenwood
Tim Jensma and Katie Hamilton
Greg and Dinah Irvine
Michael Jensma
Rhonda and Ken Jorgensen
Deb and Butch Louden
Lindsay and Malcolm Mackerras
Sarah Robinson and Luke McDonald
Phil McFadyen
Gini McFadyen
Ruth and Peter Meadows
Brendan Moore
Trish Moore
Ernie and Janet Oxwell
Brendan and Grace Price
Andrew and Ann Proctor
Barry and Norah Sloane
Sue and Paul Street
Robyn Oswald and David Thomson
Trusted recipe Chocolate soufflé with Shiraz syrup
http://www.wineselectors.com.au/about-wine/recipes/all-
recipes/chocolate-souffl-with-shiraz-syrup
While spring is round the corner, there are still a few wintry evenings ahead. This chocolate soufflé with Shiraz syrup will be
sure to warm you up.
Serves 4. Preparation 10 minutes
Ingredients
20 g unsalted butter
½ tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
½ cup (125ml) milk
100g 70% Cocoa chocolate (eg Lindt), broken
2 large egg yolks
3 large egg whites
¼ cup (55g) extra caster sugar
1 punnet fresh raspberries
Shiraz syrup
1 ½ cups (375 ml) shiraz 1/3 cup (75 g) caster sugar
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200o C. 2. Grease four small (180 – 200 ml) soufflé dishes. Place sugar
in one dish, turn dish to coat sides and base, then tip excess sugar into next dish and repeat. Place dishes on oven tray.
3. Combine flour with a little of the milk and stir to dissolve. Add rest of milk slowly and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Simmer for 1 minute then remove from heat.
4. Stir in broken chocolate pieces and whisk till smooth. 5. Add egg yolks, whisk, and transfer to large bowl to cool. 6. Beat egg whites separately until soft peaks form. Gradually
add extra sugar one tablespoon at a time, and dissolve before adding more, until thick and glossy.
7. Fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture until just combined.
8. Divide soufflé mixture into soufflé dishes. 9. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes until puffed up but still a little
wobbly in centre. 10. Meanwhile make shiraz sauce by simmering wine and sugar
until sugar dissolves, then simmer till thickened and reduced to half cup.
Serve with shiraz sauce and fresh raspberries
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 7
New address for the Trust office
The National Trust ACT office moved at the end of July 2015
to a new location in Civic.
The new physical address is: Unit 3.9, Level 3, Griffin
Centre, 20 Genge Street, Canberra City, ACT 2600.
All other contact details remain the same.
See photos on page 24. Full contact details are on page 25.
Trust office hours from Monday 17 August to Thursday 17
September The Trust’s Office Manager, Liz, will be away from the
office from Thursday 13 August, returning on Monday 21
September. During this time the office will be manned by
Council members and volunteers on a part-time basis.
We will endeavour to keep disruption to a minimum but
over the period of 17 August to 17 September office
hours may vary. Phone messages and emails will be
checked regularly; bookings for tours and events can still
be made and membership cards processed.
Please leave a daytime phone number and your call will
be returned.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING
The 40th Annual General Meeting of the National
Trust of Australia (ACT) will be held in the Menzies
Room at the National Archives of Australia
on Thursday 29 October 2015, 6.00pm for 6.30pm.
Council vacancies will be notified in accordance with
the Memorandum and Articles of Association prior to
the meeting.
Members are invited to nominate persons for election
to Council. Nominations must be made and seconded
in writing and signed by current members of the Trust
accompanied by signed consent from the nominee.
Nomination forms can be obtained from the Trust
office (Phone 02 6230 0533 or email
[email protected] ) and must reach the
office 30 days before the AGM.
For further information please check our news page
on the website www.nationaltrust.org.au/act/news
National Trust (ACT) 2015
Councillors
Scott McAlister (President and Treasurer)
Dianne Dowling (Vice President)
Mary Johnston (Secretary/Public Officer)
Graham Carter
Grahame Crocket
Bethany Lance
Eric Martin
Jim Nockels
Linda Roberts
Jon Stanhope
John Tucker
Chris Wain
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 8
Heritage Diary August to December 2015 A selection of heritage-related events of interest to members
Details of National Trust (ACT) events are provided in Travels and at home with the Trust on page 10.
Date and time
Event and location
Organiser
Contact
On-going
Every Saturday
11.30am - 2.30pm
Blundell’s Cottage, reopened May 2015 after
heritage and interpretive works, is now open every Saturday with tours at 11.30am and 1pm. New
exhibits interpret Ginn and Sainsbury families –
the first and last families in occupation.
Numbers limited, bookings recommended.
NCA https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/blundells-
cottage-families-of-workers-tickets-16854262553
On-going Monthly
Second Sunday
10.00am – 4.00pm.
other times by
appointment
History with a Difference. Popular Canberra
storyteller, Elizabeth Burness brings stories of Canberra’s pioneering past alive with tales of the
old schooldays. Admission: gold coin
Tuggeranong Schoolhouse, 34 Enid Lorimer
Circuit Chisholm
Tuggeranong
Schoolhouse Museum
Elizabeth Burness
(02) 6161 6383 or 0400 391 440 http://www.historywithadifference.com.au/t
uggeranong-schoolhouse-
museum/index.html
Until 15 November Life Interrupted: Gallipoli Stories
The stories of our soldiers at Gallipoli – all in
their own words.
National Archives, Queen Victoria Terrace
NAA (02) 6212 3600 naa.gov.au/visit-us/exhibitions
Sat 15 August
1.00 – 4.00 pm
Cooking demonstration: Anzac biscuits.
Commemorate the centenary of ANZAC at
Calthorpes’ house and try the Calthorpes family Anzac biscuit recipe. Normal admission, this
program runs continually throughout the afternoon.
Calthorpes’ House, 24 Mugga Way, Red Hill ACT
ACT
Museums and
Galleries
www.museumsandgalleries.act.gov.au/calt
horpes
Tuesday 11 August
5.30pm
CDHS talk – Dr Alan Roberts, A Georgian
clergyman and his son. Menzies Room, National
Archives, Queen Victoria Terrace
CDHS 6281 2929
Wednesday 19
August 3.00 – 4.30pm
ANZAC Parade – Conflict and Sacrifice
Remembered. Walking tour of selected memorials on ANZAC Parade. Meet: 2.50pm Hellenic
Memorial, cnr Limestone Avenue & ANZAC Pde
NCA Bookings essential
http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/anzac-parade-conflict-and-sacrifice-remembered-
tickets-17059026006?aff=erelexporg
Wednesday 19
August
6.30 for 7.00pm
CAS/CAR lecture - Nick McClean, on
Conservation across the cultural divide- where
are we up to? Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6,
Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.
CAS www.cas.asn.au
Saturday 29 August
11.00am – 1.00pm Listening to the Past - Music in Historic Places
Mugga-Mugga ANU School of Music Visiting Fellow, Jennifer
Gall, explores the different kinds of sounds heard
at Mugga-Mugga from indigenous occupation and
from the 1830s when Europeans settled in the district. Chance to try out instruments belonging to
Curley family.
ACT
Museums and Galleries
Bookings essential $15 (ACT M&G
members free), Payment by Tue 25 August at Eventbrite:
http://muggalisteningtothepast.eventbrite.co
m.au.
7 – 11 September INTO 2015 Conference
16th International Conference of National
Trusts Cambridge UK
INTO http://www.internationaltrusts.org/10409
http://www.icntcambridge2015.org.uk/
Wednesday 9
September – day trip
National Trust bus trip to Love Desire and
Riches: The Fashion of Wedding Dresses at Old
Government House, Sydney
National Trust 6230 0533
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 9
Tuesday 15
September 10am - midday
Magna Carta 800th Anniversary – Stepping
Stones to Democracy. Walking tour from Magna Carta Place, via democratic landmarks to
Parliament House to see the copy of the Great
Charter held there, including a viewing of the
'Charters of Our Nation'. Meet at 9.50am at Magna Carta Place, Langton
Crescent, Parkes.
NCA
http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/magna-
carta-800th-anniversary-stepping-stones-to-democracy-tickets-
15868310544?aff=erelexporg
Wednesday 16
September
6.30 for 7.00pm
CAS/CAR lecture - Bec Parkes, Googong
Heritage Project. Manning Clark Centre, Theatre
6, Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.
CAS www.cas.asn.au
Sunday 20
September – day trip
Bombala in the spring. National Trust bus trip National Trust 6230 0533
Saturday 3 October 175th Anniversary Costume Ball
Cooma Cottage Yass
National Trust
6230 0533
Sunday 11 October
Sunday 18 October
Sunday 25 October
Writers workshop series: Sundays at home
Join Sarah St Vincent Welch to discover how ideas
of home, place, and memories can be sources for poetry, life writing and fiction, over three Sundays
at the historic Lanyon, Calthorpes’ House (18 Oct)
and Mugga-Mugga.
ACT
Museums and
Gallleries
For costings and further details:
http://www.museumsandgalleries.act.gov.a
u/lanyon/public.html Bookings essential
Sunday 18 October Tharwa – details to follow National Trust 6230 0533
Wednesday 21
October
6.30 for 7.00pm
CAS/CAR lecture - Stuart Hawkins, Vanuatu.
Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A,
Union Court, ANU.
CAS www.cas.asn.au
Thursday 29
October
6.00 for 6.30pm
National Trust AGM – details of speaker to
follow Menzies Room, National Archives
National Trust
6230 0533
Sunday 15
November
Historic Queanbeyan walk – details to follow National Trust
6230 0533
Wednesday 18 November
6.30 for 7.00pm
CAS/CAR lecture - Billy O’Foghlu, Iron Age Music. Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg
26A, Union Court, ANU.
CAS www.cas.asn.au
26 November –
28 March
Science and Art: 12 Years of the Waterhouse
Natural Science Art Prize
Retrospective exhibition of winning works, and
material from collections of the SA Museum, NAA, State Herbarium of SA and State Records of
SA to delve further into the science behind the art.
National Archives, Queen Victoria Terrace
NAA Bookings not needed.
(02) 6212 3600
naa.gov.au/visit-us/exhibitions
Sunday 6 December National Trust Christmas Party – details to
follow
National Trust
6230 0533
Notes: CAS is the Canberra Archaeological Society. CAR is the Centre for Archaeological Research. CDHS is Canberra and District Historical Society. NAA is National Archives of Australia. INTO is International National Trusts Organisation, U3A is University of the Third Age. NCA is National Capital Authority. NMA is National Museum of Australia. UNSW is University of NSW. 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 In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 10
Travels and at home with the Trust Local and Interstate
Love Desire & Riches: The Fashion of Wedding Dresses Bus Tour to Old Government House, Sydney Wednesday 9 September 7.30am – 6.00pm Pick up Deakin 7.30am Pick up Northbourne Ave Lyneham 7.45am
This day tour will take you to
Old Government House, Sydney
to see a collection of over 50
famous and rarely seen wedding
gowns and accessories. The
collection spans over 200 years
of fashion and includes pieces
from leading Australian
designers such as Akira Isogawa,
Collette Dinnigan and Marianna
Hardwick, rare and beautiful pieces from the National
Trust Collection, to gowns made famous through their
connection with film, television and literature. The
exquisite red dress worn by Nicole Kidman in Moulin
Rouge, Carey Mulligan’s wedding gown from The Great
Gatsby and Toni Collette’s gown from Muriel’s Wedding
are on display, along with celebrity gowns of Catriona
Rowntree and Kate Ritchie, including the bridal gown
belonging to her on-screen character, Sally Fletcher
from Home and Away.
Cost: $90.00 NT and U3A members; $100.00 non-
members. Includes morning tea, lunch, and entry
ticket. Bookings essential: Call the office on 02 6230
0533 or email [email protected]
Please specify where you will board the bus and any
dietary restrictions when booking
Bombala in the Spring Bus Tour
Sunday 20 September 7.45am – 6.00pm Pick up Northbourne Ave Lyneham 7.45am
Pick up Deakin 8.00am
This National Trust day trip to the Bombala area will
take us to two historic properties that go back to the
earliest days of European settlement on the Monaro.
The owners of both private properties have kindly made
them available to the Trust and this will allow us to see
two heritage sites that are still working properties
Old Burnima in Autumn
We will arrive at Old Burnima property at 11.00 am for a
tour of this historic home and garden and morning tea
provided by our hosts Mr and Mrs Gillespie-Jones.
Lunch is at Bombala RSL Club at 12.30. After lunch we
will depart for our second historic property, Aston,
arriving at 2.00 pm for a tour. We will depart for
Canberra at about 3.00 pm returning by 6.00pm.
Cost: $70.00 NT and U3A members; $80.00 non-
members. Includes lunch, morning and afternoon teas
Bookings essential: Call the office on 02 6230 0533 or email [email protected] Please specify where you will board the bus and any dietary restrictions when booking
Please check the website or contact the office for details of these forthcoming tours and events:
Tharwa Tour- EOI accepted now Sunday 18 October
National Trust AGM Thursday 29 October 6.00 for 6.30pm National Archives See p7 for Notice of AGM
Historic Queanbeyan Walk- EOI accepted now Sunday 15 November
National Trust Christmas party Sunday 6 December – Details to be advised
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 11
Heritage Happenings Heritage and Grants Committee Sandy Blair, the current convenor of the Heritage and Grants Committee will soon move to the south coast so the Heritage and Grants Committee make an open invitation for all members who may have an interest in heritage to join the Heritage and Grants Committee.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 19 August at 5.30pm.
The Council of the ACT National Trust extends a great amount of thanks and gratitude to Sandy who has led the Heritage and Grants Committee for a number of years since she stood down from Council. There have been significant landmark activities largely initiated by Sandy such as the annual Regional Heritage Symposium which will have a lasting legacy.
Northbourne Housing Precinct The National Trust will continue to argue for due process to be followed and for a consideration of heritage values of the site with any future proposals for the site.
The National Trust classified the place in 2004 and the current Government proposals do not even respect the ACT Heritage Council's views. The
National Trust website has more details.
Significant Trees This is a national project and includes a national register. Other states/territories are gathering in Canberra on 1-2 October 2015. The ACT National Trust is seeking any interested person to volunteer to be involved in this project.
Merry-Go-Round Conservation The National Trust has agreed to establish a special committee to manage National Trust involvement in the ongoing conservation of the Merry-go-Round. Terms of reference are being drafted for Council consideration.
Submissions Made
University of Canberra Masterplan and Draft Variation
West Basin Stage 1 of City to Lake
Pialligo Draft Variation 321
National Capital Plan Exposure Draft
Acton Peninsula Heritage Management Plan
West Belconnen NCA Amendment 85 and ACTPLA Draft Variation 351
National Capital Exposure Draft
Current Issues Griffith Park and relocation of Manuka Occasional Care The National Trust is aware of community concerns and is considering if there are heritage issues involved.
Narrabundah Housing The National Trust has supported the community interest group in that a proper heritage assessment should precede any decision regarding the future of the site.
National Heritage Listing of Canberra A petition is being circulated by the National Trust in support of the listing of Canberra on the National Heritage List. See page 26.
St John's Schoolhouse There is some evidence that James Ainslie may have built and lived in the former Schoolhouse. The National Trust is investigating this further to see if the mystery can be clarified.
Capital Metro Light Rail Stage 1 EIS This is out for comment and the National Trust will make a submission.
Ongoing Issues West Belconnen and Ginninderra Falls
Oaks Estate and extent of any heritage listing.
Kingston Arts Precinct Feasibility Study has
been circulated.
Eric J Martin AM
Canberra Merry Go Round 1996 National Library Australia
Heritage In Trust August 2015
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Inaugural Bathurst Macquarie
Heritage Medal Award 2015
Heritage conservation consultant
and immediate past Chair of the
ACT Heritage Council Duncan
Marshall was announced as the
inaugural winner of the Bathurst
Macquarie Heritage Medal at a
dinner in Bathurst on 7 May
2015.
Four nominees from three states
were nominated for the national $25,000 award.
Bathurst, Australia's oldest inland European settlement,
celebrating its bicentenary year in 2015, is staking its
claim on history and heritage in awarding the inaugural
Bathurst Macquarie Heritage Medal, funded by Bathurst
Regional Council.
Mayor of Bathurst Cr Gary Rush said Council created the
award to recognise the protection, enhancement and
promotion of Australia's heritage and help raise
awareness about the immense value of celebrating and
acknowledging the people, places and events that have
shaped us today.
Duncan Marshall is well known to members of the ACT
National Trust and is described by his peers as a
supreme professional, a forward thinker, who has made
a significant and lasting contribution to heritage
conservation, principles and practice through hundreds
of projects and publications over 30 years.
As a leading heritage conservation consultant he has
written hundreds of publications and speeches and
delivered projects locally, nationally and internationally
on World Heritage, conservation principles and practice,
heritage identification and assessment, conservation
planning and moveable cultural heritage.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Marshall praised Bathurst
for its vision and commitment in creating such an award
and its commitment to national heritage as well as local
issues.
To keep up to date with information about the Bathurst
200 celebrations, visit bathurst200.com.au
(Ed. For more information, refer to A visit to Bathurst on
page 13 of this issue of Heritage in Trust)
Duncan Marshall teaching
Text adapted from Media Release, Bathurst Regional Council, 8 May 2015 Photos Eric Martin & Associates
Heritage In Trust August 2015
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A Visit to Bathurst As part of a U3A ACT trip in May, I visited Bathurst. It
turned out we were present on the very day of the city’s
200th anniversary. Proclaimed in 1815 by Governor
Lachlan Macquarie, the city celebrated this major
milestone on Thursday 7 May 2015. We didn’t take part
in any of the celebrations but we were very aware of
what was going on because our hotel had many
Japanese guests from Bathurst’s sister city, Okhuma.
Being Australia’s oldest inland city means that Bathurst
has many beautiful old buildings, including the
Courthouse, as well as other historic sites.
Former Prime Minister Ben Chifley’s house and
contents were purchased by the Bathurst City Council in
1972 and the property is now a house museum open to
visitors. The young Chifleys moved into the house in
1914 and lived in it until they died, Ben in 1951 and his
wife Elizabeth in 1962. Built in the 1880s near the
railway, the house is tiny compared with most homes
today and reflects a modest style of living that wouldn’t
be common among today’s politicians. Furnishings are
as they were in the Chifleys’ time there. The guides are
local volunteers, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about
both Ben Chifley and his home. As well as the usual
house contents, there’s an interesting display of photos
in the education centre.
Ben Chifley’s House
On a slightly grander scale is Miss Traill’s House which is
owned by the National Trust. This house was built in
1845/46 in the Georgian style.
It was originally owned by the first rector of All Saints’
Anglican Church in Bathurst and became the home of
Miss Ida Traill and her mother in the early 1930s. Ida
Traill lived there until her death in 1976. She left the
house and garden to the National Trust, having built up
a collection of a lovely objects – including furniture,
paintings and ceramics – that are a feature of the
property. When we visited, some additional objects
were on display as part of Bathurst’s 200th anniversary
celebrations. These included some pieces from the
costume collection.
Miss Traill's House
The house has a lovely garden which includes a block that was originally a horse paddock. While the garden is said to be at its best during spring and early summer, even in May it was attractive, with late roses, sasanqua camellias, nerines and autumn-tinted leaves. (The garden was featured in the February 2011 edition of Trust News.)
Miss Traill’s Garden
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One of the real surprises of our visit was the Australian
Fossil and Mineral Museum, also known as the
Somerville Collection. This might sound a bit dull, but in
fact it’s an amazing collection of fossils and minerals,
beautifully displayed, and housed in a restored school
building. The collection is the work of Warren Somerville
AM who gave part of his collection to the nation in
2000, on the basis that it will always be housed in
Central Western NSW. It’s well worth a visit.
Fossil and Mineral Museum
I’m sure we saw only a fraction of what Bathurst has to
offer the visitor interested in history and heritage, and
I’m keen to start planning a second trip.
Wendy Whitham
______________________________________________
Heritage Symposium: First session speakers receiving questions
ACT and Region Heritage Partnership Symposium 2015 Sharing Heritage: Create, Change, Cherish
This year's symposium titled “Sharing Heritage: Create,
Change, Cherish” was held on Saturday 18 July and was
well attended by heritage practitioners, government
officials and interested community members.
It was a welcome opportunity to hear about and discuss
a wide range of topics and issues as well as have
Minister Gentleman advise us of the ACT Heritage
Strategy to be made available for public comment in the
future. Interested people should contact ACT Heritage.
Minister Gentleman releasing the ACT Heritage Strategy
The session on heritage learning experiences revealed
the difficulties of retaining and resourcing school
archives (Esther Davies Telopea Park) and the wonderful
detective conservation project at Museum of Australian
Democracy at Old Parliament House (MOAD)(Brendan
Carroll). It was pleasing to note that following last year's
symposium steps have been taken to record and assess
part of the University of Canberra collections (Hakim
Abdul Rahim and Dr Andrew Simpson).
Heritage and change provided evidence that heritage
buildings can be adapted with a successful outcome
such as New Acton (Tracy Hill). However there needs to
be controls so heritage fabric is protected (Richard
Sharp) and energy and sustainability needs to be better
balanced to consider existing fabric (Rachael Jackson).
We also enjoyed the amazing scope of work by Alberto
Soares which was mainly churches in the region
(Graeme Barrow).
Community involvement is important and the value of
owner/architect in-house design was explored and some
Heritage In Trust August 2015
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details of the Springbank Island Archaeological dig (Lucy
Blackam, Melandri Ucok) revealed. Particular collections
were presented including Oral History at MOAD OPH (Dr
Barry York) and the National Film Sound Archives audio
Visual collection (Rod Butler) provided information most
people were not aware of.
Lucy & Melandri from CAS discussing the archaeological dig on Springbank Island
An international touch was presented on communities
and change (Marilyn Truscott) and a case study of West
Lake of Hangzhou in China looked at tourism and
resident impacts.
Marilyn Truscott on China
The symposium closed with a panel of views of the day
and other issues from Sandy Blair, David Flannery, Steve
Brown and Duncan Marshall. A good day for all and
looking forward to 2016.
Expert Panel discussing their views
Eric J Martin, AM Photos Dianne Dowling
Movable Cultural Heritage An invitation to comment: In December 2014 the Minister for the Arts appointed
Mr Shane Simpson AM to undertake a broad-ranging,
independent review of the Protection of Movable
Cultural Heritage Act 1986. Mr Simpson has now
released a position paper, outlining a new model for the
protection of cultural property. The position paper,
along with a summary, is available
at www.arts.gov.au/topics/public-
consultations/review-protection-movable-cultural-
heritage-act.
The position paper is being supported by a national,
online survey, seeking public comment on the proposed
model. The survey can be accessed at
www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2223721/Review-of-the-
PMCH-Act, and will be open until 14 August 2015.
Information provided by stakeholders will be used in
developing Mr Simpson’s final report, which is due to be
presented to the Australian Government by 30
September.
You are encouraged to participate, and to distribute this information as widely as possible throughout your networks, to ensure that all interested stakeholders have an opportunity to participate. The PMCH Act plays an important role in protecting
Australia’s cultural heritage by regulating the export of
objects that are significant to our history. It also
provides for the return of foreign cultural property
which has been illegally exported from its country of
origin. The review intends to provide improved clarity
on the processes and requirements of those importing
and exporting cultural objects in Australia. The position
paper proposes a simpler legislative framework,
objective standards to define those objects being
regulated, a flexible and risk-based approach to
assessment processes, and clearer guidance to decision-
makers throughout the process.
Please direct questions to the review secretariat at [email protected]
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More information on these initiatives can be found on the website of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
A map of Eendrachtsland by Dutch cartographer Hessel
Gerritsz, dated 1627. Caert van 't Landt van d'Eendracht, uit
Journalen ende affteyckeningen der stierluyden t'
samengestelt. 1627. © Nationaal Archief, Den Haag,
Verzameling Buitenlandse Kaarten Leupe, nummer toegang
4.VEL, inventarisnummer 502
Wendy Whitham
(Refer May 2015 issue for more information on Dirk Hartog 400th Anniversary)
Dirk Hartog Update
The Dutch Embassy in Canberra advises that the Dirk Hartog 2016 website www.dirkhartog2016.nl was launched on 11 May. The website is to provide a platform for anyone interested in the commemoration and celebration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Dirk Hartog in Western Australia. There is also a Dirk Hartog twitter feed, @DirkHartog2016.
According to the Dutch site, the Western Australian Government has also launched a webpage (via its Department of the Premier and Cabinet) which mentions a range of State Government-funded activities. This page indicates that there will be a particular focus on Dirk Hartog Island and Denham in the Shark Bay region and that one of the many highlights of the commemorations will be the journey to Denham by the replica Dutch ship of the era, the Duyfken.
Thanks to Peter Lundy
Peter Lundy RFD Dip Law, D(Int) L, LDIC,
MIAMA joined the ACT National Trust Council
in 2004 and has been a vice president for most
of the period since then.
Peter always provided sound quality advice,
especially during some difficult financial
periods where we had to reassess our situation
and restructure ourselves. He has a legal
background but his strength for us was in
governance, and he oversighted constitutional
refinements and ensured that we operated
correctly, including establishing procedures to
meet our obligations under corporate law.
He is a quiet and effective person who can be
relied upon, and I always appreciated his
advice and contributions to Council discussions
and decisions.
Peter attended most functions over his period
on Council and could often be found lending a
hand behind the bar especially at the end-of-
year Christmas function at Huntly.
Unfortunately his health has meant that he has
been unable to contribute this year as he would
have liked and he has now resigned from
Council.
We wish him and Maureen all the best and we
acknowledge his substantial contribution to the
ACT National Trust.
Eric J Martin AM
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Speaker Evening Reports The many-layered Jerrabomberra Wetlands
Wednesday 20 May
It was on the occasion of Lake Burley Griffin’s 50th
anniversary that I first attended Mark Butz’s talk on
Jerrabomberra Wetlands. The connection? Once the
lake had filled, the wetlands were more defined.
However, the many layered past had been neglected
and was ripe for exploring.
The 13-month delay in getting Mark Butz to repeat his
fascinating presentation to the Trust actually worked
well, with recent archaeological digs uncovering WWI
trenches at Jerrabomberra Wetlands hitting the media.
Well-researched and entertaining, the talk involved
Mark showing us numerous maps of the area over many
decades, with a helpful, consistent marker on each map
allowing us to orient ourselves to the changes in the
area.
Beginning with geology, Aboriginal settlement of this
lush Byalegee (Pialligo) region and on to European uses
of the land, the recurring theme was “remember it is a
floodplain”. Walter Burley Griffin’s plans included more
stylised ornamental lakes with East Lake being several
metres higher than the present Lake Burley Griffin. In
1950 East Lake and the Civic railway were deleted from
the Canberra Plan.
Mark Butz left with Park and Heritage staff at the dig site
Various floods, including in 1922, 1925, 1934 and 1945,
accounted for soldier settlements and railway
infrastructure. Today the area is a valuable wetland
habitat and refuge for migrating birds.
About 50 members and a large number of guests
enjoyed Mark’s talk at the National Archives and I
encourage you to check out the birdlife and frogs from
the new boardwalks at this wonderfully central amenity.
Linda Roberts
Archaeological dig uncovers important WWI training site.
STOP PRESS: A collaboration between the ANU School of
Archaeology and Anthropology, ACT Parks and
Conservation Service, and the Jerrabomberra Wetlands
Management Committee has resulted in a project that
aims to locate, protect, interpret and promote physical
evidence of the AIF Trench Warfare and Bombing School.
The trenches were dug 100 years ago to instruct officers
with the latest ‘Island Traverse System’ to equip our
troops leaving for the Western Front.
The site is of national importance as other trench
warfare schools in NSW, Victoria and South Australia
have all been built over. This area’s floodplain status has
protected these trenches from development.
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Christmas and Cocos Islands—a
different perspective Wednesday 1 July
Our former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope is known for
being up-front where perceived injustices occur. That
passion was evident at the talk delivered to 48 members
and guests on the heritage of Christmas and Cocos
(Keeling) Islands at the National Archives.
For most of us the five detention centres on Christmas
Island and, on a lighter note, the colourful stamps
marked with Cocos (Keeling) Islands are the only
associations we have with this remote part of the world.
In his background on the islands, Jon spoke of Dampier,
of Alexander Hare and his harem of 40 Malay women, of
self-proclaimed King of Cocos Islands John Clunies-Ross,
of the discovery of phosphate and of wartime tragedies.
Christmas Island’s volcanic origin - it rises to 300m -
contrasts with Cocos Islands’ low-lying, idyllic coral
atolls. We were rather astonished to hear that there are
two mosques on Christmas Island, catering for its 80%
Muslim population, and no churches. The population of
2,000 is 70% Chinese, 20% Malay and 10% European.
Jon, Administrator for the two years 2012-14, needed an
interpreter to engage with residents of Cocos Islands.
Apartheid existed, with demarcation between the
indentured workers from Singapore, Malaya and China
(coolies) who mined and transported the phosphate, the
British and Indians.
Pictures showed traces of Japanese occupation during
WWII including steps leading to the demolished, ornate
Shinto shrine and gun towers. Jon’s frustration with the
neglect of this and other heritage was palpable, with the
jungle and trees smothering sites of significance and his
appeals to the Commonwealth and WA governments
falling on deaf ears.
WWI featured as well, with HMAS Sydney’s sinking of
the SMS Emden near Cocos Islands and German soldiers
buried on the island.
A repeated refrain was “This is now Australian soil. Do
we accept this history that these islands practised
apartheid, that the Japanese brought their ‘comfort
women’ here, that there is a German war cemetery, that
the heritage is disappearing?”
Images of neglected structures, carvings, rusted train
engines were slightly off-set by beautiful tropical views
taken from the Administrator’s house verandah looking
down on Flying Fish Cove. The presence of naval ships
was never far away.
Thank you to one of our newest National Trust
councillors for sharing this interesting part of his tenure
at this remote Australian outpost.
Linda Roberts
Stamps from Cocos (Keeling) Islands
http://www.pacificstamps.com.au/cocosislands.php
Map showing location of Cocos and Christmas Islands
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Overseas Trust Tour Report
Germany – Archaeology, History and
Culture 18 May – 10 June 2015
Peter and Dianne Dowling devised a busy and greatly
stimulating journey through time and place for eleven
National Trust members over three weeks, with the
emphasis on UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Geographically we began in the west at Trier, moved to
Berlin, then Hamburg, Bamberg and Munich, using those
cities as centres from which we explored surrounding
localities of special interest. The time span extended
from the Jurassic fossils at Solnhofen, Neanderthal Man
230,000 to 30,000 years ago in the Neander Valley near
Düsseldorf, through the Neolithic and Bronze Ages at
Lake Constance to the Romans at Trier and Saalburg.
There were Vikings at Hedeby near the Danish border;
we visited several medieval cities and towns, the 19th
century warehouse district of Hamburg, saw the impact
of WW2 in many places and the sparkling showrooms of
BMW in Munich!
BMW Munich
In each of the major centres we visited the stand-out
museums and art galleries. Babylonian, Roman and
Greek antiquities featured at the Pergamon and Altes
Museums in Berlin, while the chance to see
archaeological treasures such as beautifully crafted flint
tools or classic Old Masters - van Dyck, Rubens,
Breughel, Dürer and others – fulfilled the wishlist for
several of us. Whilst the actual bones of Neanderthal
Man now reside in the German National Museum in
Bonn, the story of their discovery and their place in
human evolution is wonderfully set out in a museum in
the Neander Valley near the quarry in which they were
found. The latest ideas about the causes of their
extinction are explored, and our pre-trip homework
brought us up-to-date with current thinking that Homo
sapiens interbred with H.neanderthalensis – we have
1%-4% of Neanderthal DNA in us if we are Asian or
European. Following our visit to the Neander Valley we
went to Bonn to see the actual Neanderthal skeleton
which is now on display.
Neanderthal Man
City walking or bus tours with local guides assisted us in
appreciating the layout of settlements, providing a
geographical and historical background to each town
and enabling us to re-visit and experience particular
areas on our free days, or simply to enjoy the shopping
and food experience of Germany’s distinctive regions
such as beer, sausages and Black Forest Cake!
Trier prides itself on being the most important town in
Roman times in what is now Germany. Substantial
remains include baths, a basilica, an amphitheatre,
bridge foundations and the gateway known as the Porta
Nigra. The local museum houses impressive mosaics.
Restoration still continues at some of the monuments.
At Saalburg further east, border fortifications known as
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Limes have been reconstructed, with watch towers,
ditches and banks, together with associated buildings.
The outdoor museums of re-constructed Viking Age
Hedeby and Bronze Age pile dwellings on Lake
Constance were visited in very different conditions –
cold damp weather in the north near the Danish border,
and a warm sunny day at the lake on the southern
border of Germany.
Pfahlbauten Panorama
The wattle and daub dwellings of the Vikings were fitted
with items befitting the activities typical of their time;
the pile dwellings of the Neolithic and Bronze Age folk
demonstrated building techniques, dug-out canoes and
textile manufacture. There were many small villages like
this on the lakes of the Alpine region, and 111 have
been inscribed on the World Heritage List. Both
museums had indoor sections to display artefacts, maps
and diagrams.
Pfahlbauten Group textiles
Naturally most of our sojourn traced human activities
through the ages, but one special locality took us back
to the Jurassic era. In the popular imagination this era is
associated with dinosaurs, but here in the small town of
Solnhofen, located in an area of extremely fine
limestone which indicated the region was once a sub-
tropical sea, the most perfectly preserved marine
creatures were discovered. In this sea was a series of
isolated basins, within which individual assemblages of
creatures developed. So fine was the chalky sediment
around them that when they died, or were trapped by a
sudden slump of this material, even the soft parts of the
fish, brittle stars, ammonites, jellyfish, reptiles and
occasional plants were preserved. We saw the imprints
of the skins of lizards, not just the bones; here were the
circular imprints of the jellyfish and the scales of finned
fish. One slab of rock showed one creature caught in the
act of eating its prey. Another showed us "the living
fossil” of the Coelacanth, a fish still to be found in
today’s oceans. And of course the reason for the fame
of this area – Archaeopteryx was discovered – the first
inkling that birds might have evolved from reptiles! The
faint imprints of what could only be feathers had been
preserved in this fine matrix! In fact the quality of the
rock is such that it is in demand for lithographic printing.
Archaeopteryx
Cities such as Hamburg and Lübeck were given
particular impetus during the Hanseatic era when a
trading monopoly spread around the coasts of Germany,
southern Scandinavia and eastern England. We had seen
the Hanseatic warehouses in Bergen, Norway in 2008;
now we saw the city known as “Queen of the Hansa” –
Lübeck. As luck would have it, we visited Lübeck the day
after the opening of a brand new museum so we
explored both city and museum and were thoroughly
immersed in all things Hanseatic. The medieval city
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centre fascinated us with its unique architecture – and
we sampled a product for which it is famous – marzipan!
One of the more fascinating parts of Hamburg was seen
on a harbour cruise; in 1887 red-brick warehouses were
built in an area of the docks now known as
Speicherstadt, to create a free port where customs
duties were not payable. Some of these buildings,
which are architecturally distinctive, now house tea,
coffee, spices, cocoa – and electronic goods and oriental
carpets! Several have been converted into museums;
nearby, Greenpeace is a tenant of a modern red-brick
building which blends well into the neighbourhood but
incorporates many energy-saving technologies.
Guide and group Bamberg
Other cities whose medieval centres we enjoyed were
Bamberg, Strasbourg and Heidelberg. Castles and
cathedrals dominated the heights while the rivers on
which they were located had provided transport, trading
centres, water and important crossing points in times
past. Today these rivers are often canalised and provide
the cheapest way of transporting non-perishable goods
such as scrap metal, coal and building materials. River
cruising tourism has also grown rapidly.
Castle Church Wittenberg
A day spent in Wittenberg Lutherstadt immersed us in
the events leading to the Reformation; we examined the
town centre and Martin Luther’s house with a local
guide and afterwards explored in our own time. In 2017
the town is celebrating the 500th anniversary of Luther’s
nailing his 95 theses to the church door – renovations
underway for this event meant that we were unable to
enter the church. Breaks for coffee and apfelstrudel
punctuated the day’s activities.
Six nights in Berlin enabled us to see a selection of the
wealth of sights on offer. Since the Berlin Wall fell in
1989, much reconstruction and modern development
has occurred, and the remaining section of the Wall
itself has become a monument and art gallery.
Berlin Wall art
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A visit to Checkpoint Charlie provided a somewhat
harrowing experience when viewing the black and white
photos of the fortifications and people attempting to
escape. Later in the trip we visited Nürnberg to see the
courtroom where the Trials were held, and a recently
established museum display depicted the people who
were tried. Whilst in Munich we visited Dachau, site of
the first concentration camp in Germany built in 1933
and where Poles, Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and
others were imprisoned.
A happier evening was spent at the Berlin concert hall
where the Staatskapelle Berlin performed Beethoven’s
Piano Concerto No.4 to considerable applause. On a
sunny day we glimpsed the summer palace of
Charlottenburg and were guided around the palaces of
Sans Souci and St. Cecilienhof.
A day was devoted to Dresden, flattened by the Allies in
1945, now incredibly rebuilt. Its museums are
undergoing “staggered renovation” – at any one time
one wing is closed, but the remainder is open, and
thanks to the safe-keeping of many items during WW2,
a wonderful collection of Old Masters, porcelain and
scientific items are on display. Dresden and the Elbe
valley were inscribed on the World Heritage List – then
removed five years later by UNESCO when the city
authorities felt they had to build a new bridge to cope
with the increasing traffic congestion.
Time in Munich enabled us to experience a Biergarten
and visit the Hofbrauhaus – and the most recent aspects
of culture, BMW World – showrooms exhibiting the
latest models in a building itself worthy of note: two
cones, the upper one inverted over the lower; nearby
the BMW museum, offices and the factory. It is built
opposite Olympiapark which hosted the 1972 Games,
and whose facilities are still in regular use.
Many thanks to Peter and Dianne for all their
preparation and organisation before and during the trip;
it was wonderful to see and feel the wealth and variety
of human endeavour spanning such a long period of
time.
Text and photos: Carol Hall B.A.Hons, Geography,
University of Sheffield. Dip.Ed. Nottingham University.
Dresden Frauenkirche
Map of Germany (from Wikipedia)
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A Young Australian Soldier, a Grieving Mother, a Letter
and a Compassionate German Officer
The record collections in the Australian War Memorial in
Canberra represent the very spirit of the Memorial itself.
They range from official military documents, personal
records, images, recordings, objects, films and the
personal diaries and letters of those who served. For the
professional historian they are a vital source of
information constantly used when researching and
trying to understand and tell of Australia’s involvement
in conflict.
While researching in the basement of the Memorial I
have often ordered a file from the catalogue and found
that I have in front of me an original letter or diary
written by hand describing a young soldier’s or nurse’s
experience and their thoughts before going into danger
and after surviving the horrors of war – it is a wonderful
but sobering experience to handle these original
documents. But every now and then a researcher can
come across something that really touches the heart.
This happened to me just a few months ago. I opened a
very slim folder and found just one page, a fading hand-
written letter that told a tragic story of a grieving mother
who had lost her son and a very noble German officer
who recounted how her son had died. The letter is a rare
connection between an Australian mother, her dead son
and a compassionate enemy.
Alan Serafino Righetti was born in Heywood, Victoria, on
23 August 1889. He was educated at St Patrick’s College,
Ballarat prior to his family moving to Queensland. Alan
was 25 years of age when he left his job as a storekeeper
and joined the Australian Imperial Force. He was
appointed 2nd Lieutenant with the 2nd Australian Light
Horse Regiment and served with his unit in Egypt and at
Gallipoli. After Gallipoli he returned to Egypt where he
was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 March 1916.
On 4 August 1916, he was leading his unit just outside
Romani when they engaged an Ottoman patrol. The
Ottoman unit, led by Heinrich Romer Andreae, a
German Army machine gun Officer, returned fire with
devastating effect on the Australians. Lieutenant Alan
Righetti, along with several of his men, was killed.
Following the conflict Alan’s body was identified by
Turkish soldiers from an identity disc he was wearing.
The disc was removed by the Turkish soldiers and
handed to Andreae, who in turn handed it to the
German military. Lieutenant Righetti’s body was later
recovered by Australian forces and was buried at
Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Suez Canal, Egypt.
Kantara War Memorial Cemetery where Lt Alan Righetti is buried is situated on the eastern side of the Suez Canal (Commonwealth War Graves Commission)
In 1920, following the end of the war, Alan Righetti’s
identity disc was received by the Australian Imperial
Force authorities in London and then sent on to Base
Records Office, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. It was
then forwarded to Lieutenant Righetti’s mother, Mary
Righetti. Mary received the disc along with an official
cover note, which gave the address of Heinrich Andreae
as the person who handed the disc to the military
authorities.
Mary Righetti then wrote a letter to Heinrich Andreae.
While the archival records do not have a copy of this
letter (it was most likely hand-written by Mary and no
duplicate made), we can assume that she asked after the
details of her son’s death. The reply from Heinrich
Andreae would surely have gone a long way towards
reconciling her with the death of her son.
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 24
Letter from Heinrich Romer Andreae (German Army) to
the mother of Lieutenant Alan S Righetti, 2nd Light Horse
Regiment describing her son’s death (AWM PR89/179)
“Barmen” Cleferstrasse 18 Germany 14-xi-20
Most Honoured Gracious Lady
Many thanks for your welcome letter of 24.8.20.
I write these few line because I believe that it will be
satisfactory to you to know that your son has died a
hero’s death without undergoing an instant of pain.
On 4.8.16 about 8 o’clock in the morning we succeeded
in reaching the height of the Katib Gannit & scarcely had
we looked over the top of the range when a tremendous
machine gun fire was experienced by us. A very plucky
enemy had occupied a position behind a small battery
place. As I had a few killed I lost no time in ordering the
defence guard to be erected & my company to get into
position. As the enemy was very bold & scarcely kept
under cover I succeeded in a few minutes to silence their
guns. The [Australian Troops] showed such courage as
we had never seen since the beginning of the war in
France. They fought without any regard for cover or
personal losses. Subsequently we had to [approach] the
enemy’s machine guns & with them lay a young
lieutenant struck in the head – who died almost
immediately.
On the following day a Turk brought me an identification
badge. (When I asked him what regiment had been
engaged)[sic]. I hope it will be a solace to you to know
that your son fell as a hero without suffering pain.
Assuring you of my highest esteem
Yours faithfully
Heinrich Romer Andreae
Peter Dowling
Letter from Heinrich Romer Andreae (German Army) to the mother of Lieutenant Alan S Righetti, 2nd Light Horse Regiment describing her son’s death (AWM PR89/179)
**********************************************
Packing up to move to the new office at Griffin Centre, Level 3
Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 25
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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. It is produced and edited by Maree Treadwell and Wendy Whitham assisted by Dianne Dowling and Mary Johnston. 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].
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Heritage In Trust August 2015
Heritage in Trust www.nationaltrust.org.au Page 26
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National Trust of Australia ACT
Petition to include Canberra on the National Heritage List
Petition summary and background
As a 20th Century city planned in the garden city style after an international competition for the seat of our Federal Government, Canberra must be recognised on Australia's National Heritage list. The natural, historic and Indigenous heritage values of the city must be respected and preserved.
National Heritage listing will not stifle development but will stimulate interest in the city. We are proud of the city and believe National Heritage listing will recognise its special place as the capital city of Australia.
Action petitioned for We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now to include Canberra on the National Heritage List.
Printed Name Signature Address Date
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