Newsletter No - Blue Mountains Association of Cultural Heritage ...

Western crossing commemoration 2013-15great ideas - thoughts - just being talked about or it’s really going to happenNewchairDr Anne-Maree Whitaker, seniorvice president of the RAHS(pictured above) will take over aschair of the Western Crossingcommittee at its August meeting.She replaces Prof David Carmentwho has been the inauguralchairman for a number of years.As a descendant of William Cox theroad builder, she has a personalinterest in the 2013-15commemorations.Anne-Maree is an independentprofessional historian whoundertakes research in a widerange of topics.She is the author of several booksincluding histories of Marrickville,South Sydney, Appin and StVincent’s Hospital.Her biography Joseph Foveaux:power and patronage in early NSWwas short-listed for the NSWPremier’s Literary awards in 2001.She won the National Trust Heritageaward for the Sydney Parks Projectin 2010.***** Commemorative postagestamps are to be launched after theWestern Crossing meeting at BlueMountains City Council chamberson August 17. The BMCC CrossingsCommittee had argued that the$1.20 stamp was not appropriate,not as widely used, and so it wasdecided to issue a 60c stamp.***** Andrew Tink would be willing togive talks pertaining to his book theBiography of William CharlesWentworth. (A number of localsocieties and organisations havehad Andrew Tink as their guestspeaker since the book waspublished.)***** Lithgow City Council had putaside $10,000 for the WesternCrossings and a further $20,000 forinterpretive signage for Cox’s Road.***** William Cox and WilliamGeorge Evans had both lived in theHawkesbury area and theHawkesbury Historical Society inconjunction with Hawkesbury CityCouncil has indicated they wouldlike to be involved in the WesternCrossing Committeecommemorations.***** Richard Cox a great greatgrandson of William Cox whorecently published a book will speakabout the work and significance ofthe crossings at the August 17meeting of the HawkesburyHistorical Society.***** Graham Hunt a member of theSeniors Group, Institution ofSurveyors NSW, the group whichmaintains the Pillars in Timemonuments, had received $10,000for restoration work.***** The BMCC Crossingscommittee has received a grant of$23,000 for the Mt York interpretivesignage.Australian actor Jack Thompson willbe the face of the Penrith crossingcelebrations.He recently joined members of thePenrith District Historical Societyand St Marys and District HistoricalSociety and descendents of theoriginal three explorers on thebanks of the Nepean River tolaunch next year’s program ofevents marking 200 years sinceBlaxland, Wentworth and Lawsontrekked across the Mountains.The two descendents of GregoryBlaxland, Gregory Blaxland andWendy Blaxland were present at thelaunch as were the Blue Mountainsmayor and Penrith mayor GregDavies.Pictured at right are members of theSt Marys and Nepean DistrictHistorical SocietiesPhotographs courtesy ofRosemary Weaver - Penrith andDistrict Historical SocietyPENRITHLAUNCH OFCELEBRATIONSJohn Kelaher and Craig Werner(NDHS) with Jack ThompsonHERITAGE 19July - August 2012