Introduction

It little wonder that ‘steeped in history’ is a by-line in our regional logo, we have a rich heritage reflecting lifetimes of indigenous presence and the 200 years since the first Europeans crossed the mountains and settled. Since then the rich heritage of our indigenous forebears has been overwritten by four distinct layers of history;

  • The Hartley Valley was discovered and became the route through which Western New South Wales was developed.
  • We saw the settlement of early graziers like the Walkers and Browns who developed grazing runs that were measured in square miles rather than acres
  • We saw the development of the coal, iron, pottery and similar industries and then the railway.
  • In turn this extraordinary industrialisation created a rich array of social history, of community development and a rich lode of industrial relations lore.

This pageant of history has left us a huge array of built heritage that reflects our rich past. We have houses, farmhouses, barns, road remnants, railway artefacts, industrial property and esoteric items, like the gun emplacements for instance, that provide a potpourri of interest that has great potential to be one of the things that brings people to our region.

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What is heritage and why is it valuable?

Heritage is what we inherit from previous generations and is part of our national, community and individual identity. Heritage reflects the past and identifies how a place has developed into what it is today.

Heritage does not have to be old, it is anything that we value and identify as worth protecting to enjoy now and in the future. Items of places of heritage significance are not identified just because they may be old, other reasons include

  • They are associated with important phases in the history or an area or with persons or events of great importance,
  • They are rare,
  • They have been constructed with unusual materials of techniques, and/or
  • They are fine, representative examples of their type.

A heritage item or place does not have to be completely intact or in good condition for it to be of heritage significance. Rather it is the ability of the item or place to demonstrate a particular heritage criteria or theme that is important.

Heritage significance can be historical, scientific, cultural, social, archaeological, architectural, natural or aesthetic value. Determining these qualities and values is inevitably subjective but professional guidelines are provided in the Australian National Heritage Charter and the Burra Charter (the Australia ICOMOS Charter for places of cultural significance) which underpins all heritage legislation in Australia.

 

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