State of Environment Report 2007-08 - Wollongong City Council

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Heritage | State of the Environment Report 2007-2008HeritageHeritageCurrent state and pressuresThe cultural heritage of Wollongong is as rich and diverse as thecommunity that created it. Wollongong City Council has primaryresponsibility for the management of heritage sites in Wollongong.Aboriginal heritage sites occur throughout the Wollongong LGA. Anydevelopment on land, involving tree clearing or changes to thetopography has the potential to destroy evidence of an archaeologicalsite. Council requires the assessment of Aboriginal heritage as partof rezoning proposals and development applications where there isthe likely potential for Aboriginal sites. Aboriginal heritage ismanaged by the NSW Department of Environment and ClimateChange.Development places pressure on European and contemporaryheritage. Older housing has been regularly replaced by new housing.Additionally, Government urban consolidation policies encouragemedium and higher density housing in areas close to public transportconnections. These areas are also the location of Wollongong’searliest settlement, which generally occurred around the railwaystations.The West Dapto Release Area is still under investigation. BetweenSeptember 2007 and May 2008, Council exhibited the draft plans forthe West Dapto Release Area which included the proposedconservation of heritage items and incorporating additional items inthe heritage schedule. Submissions received during the exhibitionare being reviewed by Council and the NSWGrowth Centres Commission.Major responsesHeritage Planning170 development applications were referredto Council’s Heritage Officer. These referralsensure that development does not havedetrimental impacts on heritage items andthat heritage matters are fully considered inassessing development applications.Council is in the process of revising its LocalEnvironmental Plan. As part of this process,the heritage list and heritage clauses havebeen reviewed and updated. The draftWollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009has been endorsed by Council for exhibitionand is currently with the Department ofPlanning awaiting certification. The revisedplan is expected to be exhibited in late 2008.Council is reviewing its HeritageDevelopment Control Plan as part of thepreparation of a draft consolidatedDevelopment Control Plan.City Plan Heritage Pty Ltd was engaged toreview five of the eight HeritageENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08Number of heritage sites listed in Wollongong LEP 1990 and the Wollongong City Centre LEP 2007Sites of Local Significance 348 311 353 353Sites of Regional Significance 165 178 130 130Sites of State Significance 37 41 43 4316 Wollongong City Council
Heritage | State of the Environment Report 2007-2008HeritageConservation Areas within the City. Theirrecommendations will be incorporated intothe draft Wollongong Development ControlPlan 2009.European HeritageCouncil partnered with the MigrationHeritage Project Inc. and the MigrationHeritage Centre to engage MeredithWalker, Louise Thom and Glynis Cumminsto complete a study into Wollongong’sMigrant Heritage. The report, titled‘Wollongong’s Migrant Heritage PlacesStudy 2007’ provides a valuable resourceand provides the only major study of ourCity’s important migrant heritage.The last surviving section of sandstonekerb and guttering in the Wollongong CBDhas been conserved and relaid near thecorner of Market Street and CorrimalStreet in Wollongong following a threatfrom new development and essential roadworks.A strategic review of three volunteermanaged museums coordinated by Councilwas completed in March 2007. Thisincluded a strategic and business plan foreach museum. During the last year, Councilhas been working to implement the plan.One recommendation was the developmentof a heritage trail at Bulli, to profile theheritage precinct, with signage to bedeveloped to support the trail. The initialstage of this project (research sites andsources of information) was completed.Council has also established a Museums,Libraries and Heritage Working Groupacross the LGA, with representationextended to the Chairperson of theSouthern Highlands and Illawarra Chapterof Museums Australia.Council partnered with Museums andGalleries NSW to co-deliver the annualmuseum Standards Program to sixWollongong and three regional volunteerrun museums. The Standards Programobjectives were to increase themanagement capacity of volunteermanaged museums to fulfil their role in thecommunity, and to assist with managingtangible and intangible heritage, includingthe heritage buildings they occupy.Council resumed managementresponsibility for the Bulli Miner’s Cottage,a historic house and property in theheritage precinct of Bulli. The futuremanagement of the property is underreview.Aboriginal HeritageWork continued on the ‘Aboriginal Heritage Study: IllawarraEscarpment’. Australian Museum Business Services was engaged tocomplete the study. The study will provide insight into the Aboriginalheritage values of the Escarpment and will ensure Aboriginal heritageis a strong consideration of future management of this important area.Council’s Aboriginal Community Development Officer organisedcultural awareness training for Council employees, provided advicerelating to Aboriginal issues for Council projects and developmentapplications received by Council and convened the AboriginalReference Group.The Illawarra Aboriginal Community Based Working group continuedwith a number of programs relating to the environment, community,employment, justice and education.The Aboriginal Community Development Officer facilitated andsupported Council’s input into Reconciliation Week and NationalAboriginal and Islander Day of Observance Committee (NAIDOC)Week. Many events were run throughout the Illawarra to celebrateNAIDOC week during July 2007. Council offered support and financialassistance to organisations involved in staging these activities.The Merrigong Environmental Sculpture ‘The Six Daughters of theWest Wind’ was launched in December 2007. The sculptures aresituated on the top of Mount Keira and depict the local Aboriginal storyof ‘Oolaboolawoo’, his six daughters and how the five islands off ourcoast and Mt Keira were created. The site where the sculpture issituated is sacred for women and is said to have once been a place ofmassacre. The principle artists were Alison Page and Tina Lee. Thefollowing local artists were also involved: Lorraine Brown, NarelleThomas, Jodie Stewart, Val Law, Alison Day, Phyllis Stewart, BonnyFoley-Brennan, Lila Lawrence and Debbie Hamstead-Callaghan.As part of Council’s rollout of foreshore improvements throughout theCity, Council has completed a range of Aboriginal cultural heritageassessments and archaeological studies. These studies have coveredmuch of the ‘Blue Mile’ precinct as well as locations includingTowradgi Park and have ensured that Council’s works programs haveresponded appropriately to the City’s rich Aboriginal heritage.Wollongong City Council 17
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State of Environment Report 2007-08 - Wollongong City Council

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