Page 1336 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 5 May 2015
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the ACT heritage register, including Cuppacumbalong and its cemetery, Tharwa cemetery and Tharwa bridge. Tharwa village has been nominated for the ACT heritage register.
The village of Hall, proclaimed in 1882, represents a small rural service centre associated with the pastoral use of the area before the formation of the federal capital. Hall village has historical associations with the early pioneers of the Ginninderra and Hall district families and continues to provide services to the surrounding rural area within the ACT and New South Wales. Hall village is registered on the ACT heritage register.
The area that is today Oaks Estate originally formed part of the large Duntroon holdings of Robert Campbell. Under Campbell, the stone cottage known as “the Oaks” was constructed. In 1887, the railway reached Queanbeyan and the station was situated close to the Oaks homestead. In 1888, the area was subdivided into allotments to take advantage of the railway line. When the Federal Capital Territory border came into effect in 1911, the border followed the railway line separating Oaks Estate from Queanbeyan. During the early years of construction of the federal capital, Oaks Estate was home to many of the early construction workers. Key elements of the Oaks Estate village are registered on the ACT heritage register, including the Oaks homestead and Robertson House. The village of Oaks Estate has been nominated for the ACT heritage register.
There are also rural villages important to our understanding of the story of the creation of the Federal Capital Territory. These include the forestry settlements of Uriarra, Stromlo, Kowen and Pierces Creek. Pine plantations were established in the ACT in the early 20th century, the earliest being those at Stromlo, dating from l914 and initiated by Charles Weston. The early plantations were established for aesthetic purposes for the territory; however, they quickly became commercial ventures. Unfortunately, the 2003 bushfires destroyed much of the Stromlo forestry settlement and 16 houses within the Uriarra forestry settlement. These villages are therefore not included on the ACT heritage register.
The ACT government’s desire to retain the function and identity of regional villages and towns as distinct places throughout the ACT rather than a continuation of the Canberra urban area is important. The ACT planning strategy recommends that master plans set out guidelines to retain the character of these villages while allowing for limited growth.
Even prior to the ACT planning strategy, the ACT government recognised the importance of our rural villages. In 2002, the ACT government released the village of Hall master plan. This master plan was an initiative of the Hall community, and they were closely involved with its preparation. The community, at the time, was primarily concerned that suburban development in Gungahlin should recognise Hall as a discrete village and establish principles to protect its distinctive qualities. The village of Hall master plan achieves this by creating a rural buffer to any future development, excluding any additional road connections into the village and providing a set of development control guidelines that respond to the natural and cultural identity of the area.
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