Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts annual report 2007–08
Volume one
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2008
ISSN 1441-9335
Outcome 1 - Environment (continued)
Natural, Indigenous and historic heritage
Introduction
The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts identifies, protects and conserves Australia’s natural and cultural heritage, including Indigenous and historic heritage.
|
Heritage Division and Culture Division |
Highlights
- Australia and Papua New Guinea signed a Joint Understanding to help protect the Kokoda Track and Owen Stanley Ranges.
- Nineteen places were added to the National Heritage List. As of 30 June 2008 there were 79 places in the list with every state and heritage environment represented.
- More than 50 projects were funded under the Indigenous Heritage Program to identify, conserve and promote Indigenous heritage.
Objectives
- Identify, protect, conserve and celebrate Australia’s natural, Indigenous and historic heritage places that are of national and world significance.
- Identify, protect and conserve heritage places that are Commonwealth owned or leased.
- Contribute to the protection of natural and cultural heritage in the South-East Asia-Pacific region.
- Increase the knowledge and enjoyment of Australia’s maritime heritage while protecting shipwrecks and associated relics.
- Prevent Australia’s cultural heritage being significantly diminished due to the export of heritage objects.
Results
- HMAS Sydney II and HSK Kormoran were discovered and the wreck sites protected under the Historic Shipwrecks Act.
- The Australian Government lodged a serial nomination for 11 convict sites to be inscribed in the World Heritage List. The nomination was prepared with the support of the New South Wales, Tasmanian, Western Australian and Norfolk Island governments. The World Heritage Centre will consider the nomination in 2009.
- Dampier Archipelago, including the Burrup Peninsula, in Western Australia was added to the National Heritage List on 3 July 2007. This area was listed for the national heritage values of its rock engravings and stone arrangements.
- The Kimberley region was included in the Australian Heritage Council’s 2008–2009 work-plan for the National Heritage List.
- The assessment of the Australian Alps National Parks for the National Heritage List was completed by the Australian Heritage Council in June 2008.
- The National Cultural Heritage Account funded a number of collecting institutions, including the Powerhouse Museum and the Australian War Memorial to help purchase objects of national significance.
- Australia was elected to the World Heritage Committee. Dr Greg Terrill from the department, Mr Jon Day (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority), and Dr Anita Smith (La Trobe University) are Australia’s representatives for the next four years.
Strategies
World, national and Commonwealth heritage
Australia’s world, national and Commonwealth heritage places may be of natural, Indigenous or historic significance or any combination of these. They are important to Australia’s sense of national identity and shared values, and their protection benefits all Australians.
The Australian Government’s main legislation for protecting heritage places is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The legislation protects the heritage values of places included in the following lists:
- World Heritage List: listed places are of outstanding universal value under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (usually referred to as the World Heritage Convention).
- National Heritage List: listed places are of outstanding heritage value to the nation.
- Commonwealth Heritage List: listed places are of significant heritage value and are owned or leased by the Australian Government.
The department manages the processes set up by the Act, provides heritage listing advice to the government and advises property managers on heritage management plans and strategies. It supports the Australian Heritage Council in its assessment, advice and public information and awareness activities. The department’s heritage functions are largely funded through the Distinctively Australian Program ($52.1 million from 2003–2007) and the National Heritage Investment Initiative ($10.5 million from 2005–2009).
World heritage listings
Nominations for the World Heritage List are made by national governments and assessed for inclusion in the list by the World Heritage Committee. Australia has 17 world heritage properties inscribed in the list.
In January 2008 the Australian Government lodged a serial nomination for 11 convict sites to be inscribed in the World Heritage List. The nomination was prepared with the support of the New South Wales, Tasmanian, Western Australian and Norfolk Island governments. The World Heritage Centre requested some additional mapping detail, which was provided. The nomination will be considered in 2009.
The nomination argues that the sites are of outstanding universal value as an exceptional example of the forced migration of convicts, an important stage of human history (criterion vi), and a significant example of global ideas and developments associated with the punishment and reform of the criminal elements of humanity (criterion vi).
Extensive work is being undertaken on a new World Heritage nomination for Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range in Western Australia. The department, with state officials, is overseeing preparation of the nomination, revision of management plans and community consultation. The nomination is scheduled for submission by February 2009.
Australian World Heritage Tentative List
The Australian Government has responsibility under the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (2005) to prepare an Australian World Heritage Tentative List. This is an inventory of properties on its territory considered suitable for inscription in the World Heritage List. Work is underway with the state and territory governments and a Tentative List is expected by mid 2009.
National and Commonwealth heritage listings
Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, the minister is responsible for including places in the National and Commonwealth Heritage Lists. In 2007–08 the minister received 33 public nominations for the National Heritage List, and added 19 places to it. As of 30 June 2008, there were 79 national heritage places (including places from each state and territory) and 342 places in the Commonwealth list. The location of national heritage places listed in 2007–08 is shown on the following map.
World heritage management
The Australian Government provided $8 million in 2007–08 to help the states manage world heritage properties to ensure their protection and promotion is consistent with undertakings under the World Heritage Convention. Activities funded include agreed on-ground priority projects and management support, including community consultation and coordination.
Managing world heritage areas
The Sydney Opera House was placed on the World Heritage list in June 2007 for its ability to represent the criteria of ‘masterpiece of human creative genius’. The Sydney Opera House bilateral agreement and accredited management plan (completed in December 2005) are currently in place for the management of the site.
National and Commonwealth heritage management
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 provides for the preparation of a management plan for each place in the National Heritage List. In 2007–08 the minister approved a priority list to develop management plans for national heritage places. Funding or part-funding to develop plans consistent with national heritage management principles was provided for three places on this list. The department also commented on numerous National Heritage and Commonwealth Heritage list management plans, and advised on eleven plans being prepared for the serial nomination of convict sites to the World Heritage List.
The Act requires each Australian government agency that owns or leases a place with listed or potential Commonwealth heritage values to prepare a written heritage strategy for managing the place to protect and conserve its values. Thirteen agencies have completed their strategies. A further five agencies are expected to complete them during 2008–09. The department reminded all Australian government agencies that have not completed their strategies of their obligations under the Act. Following the change in government on 3 December 2007, and the Administrative Arrangements Order signed on 25 January 2008, it may be necessary to revisit completed strategies. Affected agencies have started identification and assessment programs and are preparing management plans.
Cooperative National Heritage Agenda
In May 2006 the Environment Protection and Heritage Council agreed to develop an integrated national heritage policy agenda. The department was given responsibility for two priority projects under the agenda: to develop consistent national heritage assessment criteria and thresholds; and to develop a comprehensive national heritage inventory and information portal.
Meeting in April 2008 the Council finalised the criteria and thresholds project. It resolved that all jurisdictions, as they change their statutory criteria, should adopt the agreed criteria, with progress reviewed in three years. Better public understanding of heritage thresholds in Australia is also being addressed with a booklet to be produced in late 2008: A Guide to Heritage Listing in Australia – Thresholds for Different Levels of Heritage.
In its work on the inventory and information portal, the department commissioned a scoping study on upgrading the web-based database known as the Australian Heritage Places Inventory. The upgraded database will help users access up-to-date information online from statutory heritage inventories across Australia. The scoping study was completed during 2007-2008.
World Heritage Committee work
In October 2007 Australia was elected to the World Heritage Committee. Dr Greg Terrill from the department, along with Mr Jon Day (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority) and Dr Anita Smith (La Trobe University) are Australia’s representatives on the Committee for the next four years. They will work to improve heritage management capacity in our region and strengthen implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
The department continues to work within the World Heritage Convention to identify, protect and conserve Australia’s natural and cultural heritage. During 2007–08 it made a significant contribution to developing World Heritage policy, participating in international expert meetings on buffer zones, climate change and periodic reporting.
Kokoda Track
Australia is helping Papua New Guinea protect the Kokoda Track and Owen Stanley Ranges. On 23 April 2008 the two governments signed a Joint Understanding on the two areas to help improve the livelihoods of local communities along the Kokoda Track corridor, establish management arrangements to protect the Track and benefit local people, and conduct a feasibility study into a World Heritage nomination of the Owen Stanley Ranges. The Department is responsible for implementing this $14.9m program over four years (2007–08 to 2010-11).
National Heritage Place Managers’ Network
The department developed a National Heritage Place Managers’ network to help managers responsible for listed places. The network provides managers with the opportunity to communicate with each other and departmental staff online. The network also has a range of communication tools to promote heritage places and increase public engagement.
The department hosted the inaugural National Heritage Place Managers’ Forum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in October 2007. The event was attended by the managers of 63 world and national heritage places and state agency and departmental staff. The Forum provided information on the department’s communication program, recent heritage market research and the responsibilities associated with heritage listing.
Website redevelopment project
The department has just completed a major project to upgrade the heritage pages on the departmental websites (www.environment.gov.au/heritage, www.heritage.gov.au and www.ahc.gov.au ). The upgrade provides a comprehensive new platform to promote heritage and publish new web-based material. It includes a more user-friendly structure, Google maps for world and national heritage places, and more visual and interactive features including virtual tours and short films.
Indigenous heritage
The department works with other government agencies and the community to protect the cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The work includes providing advice on proposals referred under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, supporting projects to identify, conserve or promote Indigenous heritage and providing emergency protection to areas and objects of cultural and traditional significance in Australia.
Reforms to Commonwealth legislation to protect Indigenous heritage
Under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 the minister can protect places and objects of traditional significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders from threats of injury or desecration. This is ‘last resort’ protection, available only when there is no effective protection under state or territory laws.
In 2007–08 the department advised the minister on three applications under the Act. One related to a matter from previous years, two were for new matters.
In 2006 the department commenced a process of informal consultation with stakeholders on possible reform of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 to improve its effectiveness and reduce any unnecessary duplication. During 2007–08 the department continued informal consultations with Indigenous, industry and state government bodies to hear their views on current practice and possible changes.
Indigenous Heritage Program
The department administers the Australian Government’s Indigenous Heritage Program. The Program helps identify, conserve or promote, as appropriate, the Indigenous heritage values of places important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. It also helps identify places likely to have outstanding Indigenous heritage value to Australia, that is, places suitable for inclusion in the National Heritage List.
The department received 130 applications seeking approximately $6.8 million in funding from the $3.5 million available in 2007–08. The minister approved funding for a diverse range of projects, including:
- $90,000 to identify, manage and protect Indigenous heritage on the Gove Peninsula, with a particular focus on the Dhimurru Indigenous Protected Area, Northern Territory.
- $91,000 for the Aboriginal Rainforest Council Incorporated to develop a culturally appropriate information system to record knowledge about heritage sites in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Queensland.
- $80,000 for a management plan to conserve National Heritage values in the Budj Bim National Heritage landscapes, Victoria.
- $83,450 to identify, record, manage and promote cultural heritage places on Ngadjuri traditional lands in mid-north South Australia.
- $81,500 for a five year strategic plan for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council-Aboriginal Corporation to protect Aboriginal heritage in Tasmania.
- $83,426 for the ‘Talking Country’ project, which will use five separate stories, from five places, in five languages, on radio and television to promote cultural sites in the Kimberley region, Western Australia.
Indigenous heritage projects are also supported under the Indigenous Heritage Program through shared responsibility and regional partnership agreements with Indigenous communities. The agreements provide services to Indigenous communities under the Australian Government’s whole-of-government arrangements for Indigenous affairs, and involve both government and community contributions.
Contributions from the Indigenous Heritage Program to regional partnership agreements in 2007–08 included:
- $45,000 towards a Regional Partnership Agreement between the Ngarrindjeri Nation, the Australian Government and the State Government of South Australia, for a Caring for Country Coordinator to better coordinate and protect the Coorong, shores of Lake Alexandrina and significant species and cultural sites on land in the Ngarrindjeri region.
Asia-Pacific Focal Point for World Heritage
The Asia-Pacific Focal Point is a regional network for World Heritage managers established to help Asia-Pacific countries adopt and implement the World Heritage Convention. It promotes best practice in heritage management and helps World Heritage managers to share information and experience, to respond to requests and to identify and secure funding for World Heritage activities.
The department provides the secretariat for the network and it also supports activities and projects in the region through the network. In 2007–08 it provided support for:
- an Australian training expert and two experts from Pacific Island countries to attend the 2008 United Nations Institute for Training and Research workshop on Management and Conservation of World Heritage Sites in Hiroshima
- a heritage expert from Vanuatu to attend the Australia International Council on Monuments and Sites 2007 Extreme Heritage Conference and present a paper on the development of the Chief Roi Mata Domain World Heritage Site nomination.
Australia’s maritime heritage
Historic shipwrecks
The department administers the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 and the Historic Shipwrecks Program.
In March 2008 one of the country’s great World War II mysteries was settled with the discovery of the wrecks of HMAS Sydney II and HSK1 Kormoran off the Western Australian coast.
On being advised of their location, the minister provisionally declared both shipwrecks under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976. They join a growing list of World War II historic shipwrecks protected under the Act that include two Japanese submarines, a United States Liberty Ship, and the Australian Hospital Ship (AHS) Centaur (yet to be located).
In 2007–08 the government invested in a new database for shipwreck heritage, to feature additional information on Australia’s shipwrecks and associated relics. It is expected to come on-line in 2008-09.
The Historic Shipwrecks Program funds the day-to-day administration of the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 for the protection, conservation and preservation of historic shipwrecks and relics and the ongoing discovery, survey and documentation of historic shipwreck resources.
The department administers the Historic Shipwrecks Program in collaboration with the States, with the Northern Territory and with Norfolk Island as delegates. In 2007–08 the department provided $440,210 to the program, distributed to the delegates and the Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology.
Cultural heritage
Protection of movable cultural heritage
The department administers the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986. The Act protects Australia’s cultural heritage from being significantly diminished by the export of heritage objects and protects the cultural heritage of other countries by preventing the illegal importation of significant objects from other countries. The government supports collecting institutions with the purchase of objects under the National Cultural Heritage Account. Examples of collecting institutions that received support from the National Cultural Heritage Account in 2007–08 included:
- State Library of Victoria, to acquire the Mark Strizic Photographic Collection. The collection comprises approximately 12,000 negatives and includes portraits of leading Australian artists, architects and designers. The images illustrate the growth and urbanisation of Australia in the 1950s and the development and expansion of Australia’s manufacturing industries.
- Isis District Historical Society, for the 1898 Fowler Tank Steam Locomotive, the oldest known 0-6-0T locomotive still surviving with historical links to the Queensland sugar industry.
- Museum Victoria, for a daguerreotype of an Aboriginal group, part of a small series of images of local Aborigines of the Yarra Yarra tribe taken in Melbourne by Douglas Kilburn in 1847.
International Repatriations
In 2007–08 the Australian Government seized a number of objects illegally exported from Argentina, China and Spain and repatriated them back to the governments of these countries.
Argentine Fossils
In August 2007 the Australian Government returned to the Republic of Argentina over 130kg of Argentine fossils. They included a large Titanosaurus dinosaur egg, numerous dinosaur egg pieces and fragments, a dinosaur vertebra and plant specimens including Araucaria conifer cones, seeds and petrified wood.
Argentine fossils: Araucaria cones
Photo: Mark Mohell
Ptolemy map from the 15th century
In November 2007 an illegally exported 15th century map of the world, stolen from the National Library of Spain, was recovered in Australia. The Ptolemy world map, was printed for the 1482 edition of Ptolemy’s Cosmographia, which is considered one of the most important atlases of the 15th century. The map was returned by the Australian Government to the Government of Spain at a ceremony at the National Library of Australia in Canberra, in February 2008.
‘Map of the known world’ by Claudius Ptolemaeus
Plate from: Cosmographia, Leinhart Holle, Ulm, 1482. Courtesy National Library of Australia
Chinese Fossils
In January 2008 the Australian Government returned to the Chinese Government 750 kilograms of illegally exported fossils including:
- Dinosaur eggs from the Cretaceous period (about 70–122 million years ago), both single and in clusters/nests, from across China. Among them were an egg nest of a giant carnivorous tyrannosaur, elongated eggs of the meat-eating Velociraptor, and eggs from a Nithopod, a dome-headed dinosaur.
- Foot bones, pelvic bones and lower jaws of the protoceratops, known as the ‘sheep of the Cretaceous’, a 2.5 metre long herbivore from the late Cretaceous Period (75-80 million years ago).
- A small marine reptile, keichousaurus, from the middle Triassic period (around 230 million years ago). These ranged from 15-30cm in length, had long necks and tails, and elongated five-toed feet.
In appreciation of Australia’s action, the Chinese Government gifted six of the fossils to Australia. These were gifted to Museum Victoria.
Detailed results on the operation of the Act in 2007–08 are in the second volume of this set of annual reports. The report lists objects acquired with assistance from the National Cultural Heritage Account, objects assessed, and heritage objects from other countries that were returned to their countries of origin.
Chinese Fossils: Fossil sauropod egg nest
Photo: Mark Mohell
Cultural heritage projects
The department provides funding to third parties to conserve Australia’s significant cultural heritage objects and places. This funding helps restore and conserve historic heritage places, purchase historic and heritage objects, and increase awareness and appreciation of Australia’s cultural heritage.
National Heritage Investment Initiative
The initiative provides $10.5 million over four years (2005–2009) for grants to help restore and conserve Australia’s most important historic heritage places. To be eligible, places must be in the National Heritage List or on a state or territory government statutory heritage register, with priority given to places in the national list.
In 2007–08 the former minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, approved $1.453 million in discretionary grants under the program, including:
- $50,000 for a tower to house the state-heritage listed bells of All Saints Anglican Cathedral, Bathurst.
- $203,300 for works to the Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club, Sydney.
- $200,000 for conservation of the Treacy building, St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Brisbane.
- $250,000 for restoration of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helene, Perth.
- $500,000 for film and sound interpretation facilities for Kurnell Peninsula Headland.
- $250,000 for the restoration of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Perth.
The minister also approved two discretionary projects and four Round 2 (2006–07) competitive projects, for which funding was unavailable from the 2006–07 allocation. The approvals totalled $540,000 and $825,818 respectively.
The approved projects are:
- $500,000 for conservation of HMVS2 Cerberus, Melbourne (discretionary).
- $40,000 for Supporting Local Government: a National Leadership Project (discretionary).
- $181,818 for Fort Denison Stonework Conservation and Interpretation, Sydney.
- $412,182 for Fremantle Museum and Arts Centre Conservation Works, Fremantle.
- $104,545 for Exterior Stone Conservation at the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
- $127,273 for The Royal Society of Victoria Hall Exterior Restoration, Melbourne.
Evaluation
Productivity Commission inquiry
In July 2006 the Productivity Commission tabled in parliament the final report of its inquiry into the Conservation of Australia’s Historic Heritage Places, a comprehensive review of Australia’s three-tiered heritage framework.
The report made 14 recommendations to improve state, territory, local and Australian government heritage frameworks. The aim of the report was to make both costs and benefits explicit, and improve the clarity and accountability of heritage listing, particularly at the local government level. Its key recommendation was that private owners should be able to appeal heritage listing of their properties on the basis of unreasonable cost.
The Australian Government response was tabled in the House of Representatives on 22 May 2007 and in the Senate on 12 June 2007. The response did not support the key recommendation, referring it and other issues requiring a nationally coordinated approach to the Environment Protection and Heritage Council. In April 2008 heritage ministers considered issues raised by the Productivity Commission, including the financial impacts of heritage listing for some private land owners, and acknowledged the need to focus on moving forward from the Productivity Commission inquiry to address issues affecting Australia’s historic heritage. The Australian Government indicated that it would continue to explore economic approaches to assist in heritage decision making and welcomed the involvement of other jurisdictions.
Heritage economics
Following the Productivity Commission report and government response, the department hosted a group of economists, heritage experts and policy makers who discussed economic underpinnings for sustainable heritage. Further research on the value of heritage, the costs and benefits of heritage listing, approaches for determining levels of public and private resources in heritage, and the use of market mechanisms to optimise investment in heritage, was also discussed.The department is further researching heritage economics in collaboration with the Office of Best Practice Regulation, the Heritage Chairs and Officials of Australia and New Zealand, academic experts and through studies such as the World Heritage Economic Activity Study (due for completion in late 2008).
World Heritage Committee
The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area was placed on the World Heritage List in 1982 for its outstanding cultural and natural values. The area was extended in 1989. There have been concerns expressed about logging adjacent to it, which might affect its World Heritage values.
At its 31st meeting in Christchurch (23 June to 2 July 2007) the World Heritage Committee requested Australia to prepare a risk management plan for fire and agreed to send a monitoring mission to assess the state of conservation of the property. The purpose of the mission was to focus on appropriate management of areas of heritage value outside the property, the degree of risk related to regeneration fires in areas adjacent to the property, including the effectiveness of the fire management system and the impacts of proposed forestry operations on the outstanding universal value of the property. Australia submitted an updated state of conservation report on the property in January 2008 for the Committee’s consideration.
From 16–21 March 2008 the mission visited a range of sites inside and outside the property, and met a range of interested parties from environment, industry, Indigenous and heritage groups and the Commonwealth and Tasmanian governments.
The mission found that the World Heritage Area was generally well-managed but also recommended that resources should be enhanced for protecting archaeological and Aboriginal sites within and adjacent to the property, and also for identifying, monitoring, interpreting, and managing aboriginal and historical sites, and cultural landscapes.
The mission recommended inclusion in the property of 21 areas of adjacent formal reserves already covered by the property’s management plan. After considering the representation of tall Eucalyptus forest in reserves in Tasmania, and noting that the potential threats from production forestry activities are well managed, the mission concluded that no further extension of the World Heritage Area into tall eucalypt forests was warranted. It did, however, suggest some mechanisms to help manage potential threats to the property.
The Australian Government accepted in-principle the recommendations of the mission, which were considered by the World Heritage Committee at its 32nd Session in Quebec City from 2–10 July 2008. The Committee also considered additional information provided by the IUCN and requested Australia, at its discretion, to consider a further extension of the World Heritage Area. The Committee has asked Australia to provide a revised Statement of Outstanding Universal Value of the property, together with a progress report, by 1 February 2010 for consideration at the Committee’s 34th meeting.
The World Heritage Committee agreed at its 2008 meeting to Australia’s proposal to convene a workshop to discuss the future of the World Heritage Convention. This will take place in early 2009 with Australia as a co-sponsor. Australia was also nominated by China, and elected, as a vice-president of the World Heritage Committee for the Asia-Pacific region.
Case study
Bondi Beach
On the eve of Australia Day 2008, the minister included Bondi Beach in the National Heritage List. Bondi Beach, one of Australia’s best loved iconic places, is recognised nationally and internationally as the quintessential Australian beach.
It has played a significant role in the development of Australia’s beach culture.
Bondi Beach is also the birth-place of surf lifesaving. The world’s first recognised surf lifesaving club was formed in Bondi in 1907, and from there spread throughout Australia and across the world. Today this movement dedicated to protect the safety of beachgoers is one of the country’s most significant volunteer activities.
Bondi Beach
Photo: Michelle McAulay
Results for performance indicators
| Focus of work | Performance indicator |
|---|---|
| Protected heritage areas | |
| Total numbers of areas or places added in 2007–08 to (i) World Heritage List (ii) National Heritage List (iii)Commonwealth Heritage List |
i) 0 ii) 20 iii) 3 |
| Number of management plans agreed or endorsed in 2007–08 for (i)World Heritage areas (ii)National heritage places (iii)Commonwealth heritage places |
i) 0 ii) 7 iii) 4 |
| Australian Protected heritage objects | |
| Number of export permits assessed in a timely manner in accordance with assessment guidelines | 23 |
| Percentage of available funding from the National Cultural Heritage Account allocated annually to Australian collecting institutions for the acquisition of significant Australian heritage objects | 100% |
| Historic Shipwrecks | |
| Successful negotiation of funding agreements with states and territories to implement the Historic Shipwrecks Program | 100% |
| National Trusts Partnership Program | |
| Extent to which National Trust activities support the new National Heritage system | The National Trust continued to participate in the National Cultural Heritage Forum and contributed to the development of an integrated national heritage policy. They have built on their involvement in the establishment of the International National Trust Organisation through development of better strategies to engage with similar community bodies in South-East Asia, in particular in Indonesia. They are progressing a joint project with The Australian Wind Energy Association (AUSWIND) to develop a national methodology for assessing landscape values for the siting of wind farms. |
| Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%) | 100% |
| Number of projects funded | 9 |
| Price | See Resources table |
| Indigenous Heritage Program | |
| Extent to which support for Indigenous heritage projects advances the protection and conservation of Indigenous heritage nationally | More than 50 Indigenous organisations across Australia were supported to implement heritage projects, of which more than fifty percent were for the identification and interpretation of Indigenous heritage and more than thirty percent were for the conservation and protection of Indigenous heritage, with a 17% increase in heritage planning activities. Of these, management planning has been completed or initiated for four national heritage listed places. |
| Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%) | 100% |
| Number of projects funded | 55 |
| Price | See Resources table |
| National Cultural Heritage Account | |
| Extent to which the preservation of heritage objects is advanced by assisting their acquisition by Australian collecting institutions | Five applications for funding were approved by the minister. The applications were for the tonic book of Harry Telford, Phar Lap’s trainer; 11 Bussell family diaries; the 12,000 photographic negatives of the Mark Strizic photographic archive; an 1847 daguerreotype of Aborigines taken by Douglas Thomas Kilburn; and a circa 1896 Fowler Tank Steam Locomotive. Institutions assisted in acquiring objects were the Powerhouse Museum NSW, Museum Victoria, State Library of Victoria, State Library of Western Australia and Isis District Historical Society. |
| Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%) | 100% |
| Number of objects acquired | Five heritage objects/collections |
| Price | See Resources table |
| National Heritage Investment Initiative | |
| Extent to which conservation of places of significant heritage value to the nation is improved, particularly places on the National Heritage List | National Heritage List places funded: Competitive: Round 1: 2005–06 = 4 Round 2: 2006–07 = 9 Discretionary = 3 |
| Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%) | 100% |
| Number of projects funded | Competitive: Round 1: 2005–06 = 18 Round 2: 2006–07 = 12 Round 3: 2007–08 = 4 Discretionary: 8 |
| Price | See Resources table |
| HMAS Sydney II – Search | |
| Contribution to the implementation and completion of search | Sharing Australia’s Stories: $50,000 (GST exclusive) |
| Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of the funding agreement (target: 100%) | 100% |
| All required payments made | Yes |
| Protection of the Kokoda Track – Australian Government support to Papua New Guinea | |
| Extent to which Papua New Guinea (PNG) is able to provide effective on-ground management of the Kokoda Track and ensure protection of the historic and natural values of the Track in the long term | There was agreement with the PNG Government to practical activities to help protect the Kokoda Track including signing of a Joint Understanding on Kokoda on 23 April 2008 at the Australia/PNG Ministerial Forum. PNG and Australian Taskforces were established; A Special Envoy on Kokoda was appointed and in-country visits made. Capacity building assistance was provided to the PNG Government to assist it with establishing improved track management arrangements. $1.57 million was allocated to development activities (water, health, education, transport). A community needs assessment was undertaken and a plan agreed for immediate and long-term activities to improve livelihoods of local communities along the Kokoda Track corridor. There was agreement by Australian Kokoda trek operators to develop a voluntary code of conduct. Regular consultation with key stakeholders was undertaken. |
| Price | See Resources table |
| Output 1.4 Natural, Indigenous and historic heritage | |
| Policy Adviser Role: 95% of briefs and correspondence meet department quality control standards | - |
| Regulator Role: Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%) | 100% |
| Percentage of statutory timeframes triggered that are met (Target: >90%) | >90% |
| Price | See Resources table |
| Departmental outputs | Budget prices $000’s | Actual expenses $000’s |
|---|---|---|
| Output 1.4: Natural, indigenous and historic heritage | 24 736 | 27 043 |
| Total (Output 1.4: Natural, indigenous and historic heritage) |
24 736 | 27 043 |
| Administered items | ||
| National Trust Partnership Program | 894 | 894 |
| National Heritage Investment Initiative | 3 450 | 3 450 |
| Indigenous Heritage Program | 3 514 | 3 514 |
| Point Nepean Heritage Program | 12 247 | 9 643 |
| Kokoda Track – Assistance to Papua New Guinea | 218 | 205 |
| National Cultural Heritage Special Account | 479 | 310 |
| Total (Administered) | 20 802 | 18 016 |
Footnotes:
1 Handelsstörkreuzer; the German for “commerce disruption cruiser”.
2 HMVS – (obsolete) Her Majesty’s Victorian Ship. A designation for ships from Victoria, Australia.
In this section
Contents
Key
Links to another web site
Opens a pop-up window