What is the Australian Heritage Grants Program?
The Australian Heritage Grants Program is the Commonwealth Government’s flagship heritage funding program that supports the National Heritage List and enables managers of these sites and other groups working in the community to restore, conserve, protect and promote important places.
What is a National Heritage Management Plan?
The Commonwealth guidelines define a Heritage Management Plan (HMP) as:
…a tool intended to provide sufficient information for managers to protect and manage the heritage values (Local, State and National) of heritage place
A management plan should comprehensively describe the place, state its official National Heritage values and identify any other heritage listings. It should specify the objectives, policies and principles that will govern the management of the place’s heritage values and provide guidance on the preparation of project proposals to ensure that there are no adverse impacts on heritage values. It may also identify areas and items that do not embody heritage values or that are intrusive and allow these to be removed or altered without affecting the values of the place.
What is the role of the National Heritage Management Plan (HMP)?
The role of the HMP is to provide clear direction, guidance, and information for land managers to protect and manage heritage ‘listed values’ of the National Heritage place to guide day-to-day management and assist in decision making by providing clear guidance to ensure no adverse impact on the heritage ‘listed values’.
It is envisaged the HMP will clearly describe and define the heritage values of the place to be protected, outline the National Heritage listed values and any other heritage listing. The HMP will:
• provide policies for the ongoing management of the Adelaide Park Lands and City Layout.
• identify and articulate the values of the site and will guide future decision-making for conservation, interpretation, and visitation.
• ensure the heritage values and the physical components to which they are linked are appropriately cared for.
It is envisaged the HMP will clearly describe and define the heritage values of the place to be protected, outline the National Heritage listed values and any other heritage listing.
Why is a National Heritage Management Plan required?
As the Adelaide Park Lands and City Layout are included on the National Heritage List, there is an obligation for owners and managers of Nationally listed heritage places to meet certain requirements that are designed to protect that place for future generations. The development of a HMP will guide the day-to-day management, assist in decision making and support local, state and Commonwealth approved processes.
The requirements of a management plan for a National Heritage Place and the fundamental principles for appropriate heritage management are contained in the EPBC Regulations (schedules 5A and 5B). Schedule 5B requires that:
5. The management of National Heritage places should make timely and appropriate provision for community involvement, especially by people who:
(a) have a particular interest in, or association with, the place; and
(b) may be affected by the management of the place.
6. Indigenous people are the primary source of information on the value of their heritage and the active participation of indigenous people in identification, assessment and management is integral to the effective protection of indigenous heritage values.
What is a National Heritage Place?
The National Heritage List contains places determined so special to all Australians, that they are considered to have National Heritage Value. To be listed, the place must meet one or more of the statutory criteria.
Information about a place’s National Heritage Value is then recorded in the list, and these values are protected under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999).
Adelaide is fortunate to have two listings on the National Heritage List. These are South Australia’s Old and New Parliament Houses, and the Adelaide Park Lands and City Layout.
When was Adelaide Park Lands and City Layout Listed as a National Heritage Place?
On 7 November 2008, the Adelaide Park Lands and City Layout received the nation’s highest heritage honour when it was included on the National Heritage List.
The Statement of Significance prepared by the Australian Heritage Council indicates that the Adelaide Park Lands and City Layout satisfied six of the nine criteria for listing which are outlined below:
Criterion (a): the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's importance in the course, or pattern, of Australia's natural or cultural history.
Criterion (b): the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's possession of uncommon, rare, or endangered aspects of Australia's natural or cultural history.
Criterion (d): the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of: (i) a class of Australia's natural or cultural places; or (ii) a class of Australia's natural or cultural environments.
Criterion (f) the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.
Criterion (g) the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural, or spiritual reasons.
Criterion (h) the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Australia's natural or cultural history.
What is the National Heritage List?
The National Heritage List records places with outstanding heritage value to our nation. To be listed, the place must meet one or more of the statutory criteria.
Information on a place’s National Heritage Value is recorded in the list, and only these values are protected under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and through management arrangements to conserve the heritage values of the place.
This means that a person or body cannot take an action that has, will have, or is likely to have, a significant impact on the National Heritage values of the listed place without the approval of the Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage.
Who are Swanbury Penglase Architects?
Swanbury Penglase Architects is multi-disciplinary Adelaide based firm. Their experience encompasses various facets of architectural practice including heritage, interior design and landscape architecture. Swanbury Penglase are familiar with the preparation of National Heritage Management Plans for National Heritage Places and have been responsible for the development of similar documents for other National Heritage Listed Places in South Australia such as the mining sites at Burra and Moonta that together form the National Heritage Listed Australian Cornish Sites.
