Page 1189 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 10 April 2018
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establishes enforcement and offence provisions to provide greater protection of heritage places and objects.
Furthermore, the Heritage Act provides a system, integrated with land planning and development, to consider development applications having regard to the heritage significance of places and to heritage guidelines. And what better time to celebrate and raise awareness of the ACT’s heritage than this year’s Canberra and Region Heritage Festival, which is running from 14 to 29 April 2018? This year’s theme, as we have heard, is “My culture, my story”. It focuses on what makes a place special, encouraging all of us to embrace the future by sharing the strength of our cultural identities and our language.
Our sense of identity and continuity is drawn from highly distinctive cultural expressions passed down through generations and evolving in response to their environment. Through learning about our own identity we are better able to respect each other and create a more inclusive society.
The festival, as we have heard, launched by Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith last Thursday, has been running in various formats for 36 years. In fact, I understand that there were 80 people at the launch, by far the most ever for our local festival launch. This is an ideal occasion to celebrate what makes us unique as a region. Shane O’Leary, the General Manager of Destination Southern NSW, spoke last week to the National Capital Attractions Association. Not only did he include the capital region as a vital part of tourism for this area but he highlighted heritage as one of the four pillars, as a key motivator and attraction for travel to this part of Australia.
Over 20,000 people each year attend the plethora of events on offer over the two-week period. This year there are 81 tours, 23 talks and workshops, 16 exhibitions, 15 open days and 12 cultural events. The festival is a chance to connect with country, with a number of Aboriginal events. There are Aboriginal events at Jerrabomberra wetlands on bush tucker, boomerang making and a tour called Ngunnawal dreaming. Tours will also be conducted at the Pinnacle Nature Reserve, the Botanic Gardens, the Lanyon canoe tree, Black Mountain and at the ANU.
It is important to mark milestones, as we did in 2013 for Canberra’s centenary. Last year was the 80th birthday of a number of buildings, including the Ainslie Primary School, Hotel Kurrajong, Old Parliament House and Calthorpes’ House. This year the house on the hill turns 30, and there are tours and exhibitions acknowledging this within the festival.
I mentioned that heritage does not necessarily mean 19th century or earlier. The Enrico Taglietti designed Giralang school, from 1976, is on the heritage register and is open next Monday. The bonus is that the kids are on holidays and the architect will be present.
In 2018 we commemorate the centenary of the Armistice that ended World War I. Anzac Day always occurs during the heritage festival, which includes events linked to our military history. Anzac Parade tours are run by the National Capital Authority. The training trenches built by the Royal Military College to prepare soldiers for the
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