proposed alterations to historic cottage

The Hunters Hill Trust supports Council’s work to preserve the unique character and heritage of Hunters Hill and its conservation areas, and its stand to preserve the cottage at 18 Richmond Crescent Hunters Hill. You can read the Trust’s detailed comments on the proposed alterations and additions to the cottage that are currently being proposed.

Council has previously rejected an application to demolish this cottage and build a very large new house in its place. Late last year the Land and Environment Court dismissed an appeal from the owners of 18 Richmond Crescent. Key factors cited in the judgement included the heritage value of the existing cottage.

admin2018-07-07T10:14:36+10:00July 7, 2018|

new ‘Property Advisory Working Group’ at Council

Changes to the Crown Land Management Act 2016 and the updated regulations have serious implications.

The Act allows for Crown land to be transferred from State Government to local councils and unfortunately in some cases, land will be under risk from land use changes and potentially sold off for development. You can read the HHT’s 2017 submission about the proposed changes.

Hunters Hill Council has endorsed setting up a Property Advisory Working Party ‘to look at all of Council’s property assets to determine if they are performing a community benefit; developing strategies for the future of Council’s assets; and investigating opportunities to invest/reinvest in property assets’. There will be 3 Councillors and 3 community representatives on the working party. We are especially concerned for our existing community facilities, heritage assets and open spaces.

The changes to the regulations also allows officials to ban people from taking part in gatherings on public lands – which can include town squares, parks, roads, beaches and community halls. The Council for Civil Liberties (CCL) strongly opposes this and has stated: (more…)

admin2018-07-08T00:22:37+10:00July 7, 2018|

Prohibited from protesting on NSW beaches, parks, roads

Image: newsmax.com

On 1 July, new Crown Land regulations will give the NSW Government vast powers to disperse or ban protests, rallies, and virtually any public gathering in approximately half of all land across NSW.

This includes public roads, local parks, beaches, or even standing in front of Parliament House. Only cemeteries are exempt.

What country is this? What have we become?

If you are horrified by the implications, please contact your local MP, and ask them what action they will take to make sure our democracy is protected. You can check what NSW Council for Civil Liberties has to say about this here.

Simply sign & send the Petition using the link. https://savingsydneystrees.good.do/ourrighttoprotest/ Do it now!

admin2018-07-01T15:43:16+10:00June 26, 2018|

5 leaders reflect

panel seated L-R: David Gaunt AM, Alice Oppen OAM, Tony Coote, Ros Maguire, Brigid Dowsett (image Phil Jenkyn)

image Karen Presland

After the 2018 AGM business had been attended to on Thursday night, a panel of Trust luminaries outlined some of the issues that had characterised their time as leaders and how they addressed the threats to our built and natural heritage. They also offered their perspectives on today’s challenges.

Alice Oppen OAM (President for 4 years in the 1970s and 80s)
Roslyn Maguire (President for 2 years in the 1980s)
Tony Coote (President for 9 years 2000-2017)
David Gaunt AM (President for 4 years in decade 2000-2010)
Beverley Sherry, (represented by Brigid Dowsett)

You can read Alice Oppen’s speech about the First Fifteen Years of the HHT , Beverley Sherry’s contribution: A Valuable and Enduring Trust and Phil Jenkyn’s observations about the Hunters Hill Trust’s 50th anniversary AGM.

Hunters Hill Trust office bearers

Over the past 50 years, many good people have contributed their time, energy and expertise to protect our built and natural heritage. Here is a list of people who have been President, Treasurer or Secretary during this time.

admin2018-07-09T16:51:54+10:00June 23, 2018|

Committee changes

Some longstanding members of the Trust Committee, who have made huge contributions of energy, expertise and plain hard work have decided to call ‘time’ and will pass their batons to a new group:

Tony Coote who served 21 years, including 9 years as President and 1 year as Vice President

David Gaunt who served 10 years, including 4 years as President

Justin Parry-Okeden who served 3 years as Treasurer

Gully Coote who served 3 years on the Committee.

We thank them. They all left their mark and will be sorely missed. Luckily Tony will continue to provide his expert input as HHT’s representative on Council’s Conservation Advisory Panel (30 years so far).

The new HHT Committee

So now for the good news: Barbara Dorsch, Jenny Craigie, Maria Good and Mel Malloch were all elected to join the committee at last night’s AGM. The 2018-19 Committee includes:

President: Alister Sharp

Vice President: Karen Presland

Treasurer (Acting): Maureen Flowers

Secretary: Brigid Dowsett

Membership: Maureen Flowers

Committee: Jenny Craigie, Barbara Dorsch, Maria Good, Caroline Mackaness and Mel Malloch.

admin2018-06-23T14:38:40+10:00June 22, 2018|

Gladesville hospital walk

Bedlam Bay community garden, Image M Flowers

Gladesville hospital, Image D Baglin

Peter Colthorpe, from Friends of Gladesville Hospital, led Hunters Hill Trust’s May walk. He took 30 people through the site and introduced the main heritage buildings in the old asylum area, the foreshore and the cemetery.

Gladesville Hospital, originally known as Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum, was designed by the Colonial Architect, Mortimer Lewis. The site contains many buildings that are listed on the Register of the National Estate.

admin2018-05-28T17:56:35+10:00May 28, 2018|

Kelly’s bush: heritage conserved through protest

Image: NSW Portraits, OEH, 2018

‘Portrait of NSW’ 2018, published by Office of Environment and Heritage NSW celebrates the 40th anniversary of the NSW Heritage Act. It recognises what has been achieved by community protest in the conservation of heritage and cites the Battle for Kelly’s Bush as an example.

Download ‘Portraits of NSW’ here.

Kelly’s Bush is now listed as an item on the NSW Heritage Register due to its ‘high local significance as a remnant of natural bushland located on the foreshores of the Parramatta River in Hunters Hill. The site has State significance as the site of the first “Green Bans” of the 1970s when a group of local residents enlisted the assistance of unions to oppose development of the site.’ See details of the heritage listing of Kelly’s Bush here.

admin2018-05-15T08:55:46+10:00May 12, 2018|

continued push to sell off church land

St Peter Chanel Church (image Wikimedia)

The Marist Fathers are pursuing their plan to create two 1,000 square meter housing blocks in the surrounds of St Peter Chanel Church, Woolwich.

Despite vigorous objections from the community and Hunters Hill Council’s refusal of their DA, the Marist Fathers have lodged an appeal in the Land and Environment Court to allow them to sell off the land. This will damage the park-like setting which is is included in the heritage listing and part of the Conservation Area.

Here are the reasons that Council gave for refusing their DA. Here is the letter of objection sent by the Hunters Hill Trust.

Everyone now needs to re-state their objections to DA 2017-1180 and send these to Hunters Hill Council clearly setting out what is at stake. Email: council@huntershill.nsw.gov.au or write to PO Box 21, Hunters Hill, NSW 2110. People who have previously sent written objections may be entitled to speak at the onsite conciliation conference on September 24.

admin2018-05-07T17:08:44+10:00May 4, 2018|

Military history of Hunters Hill

This month’s walk was our first look at the richness of military heritage in Hunters Hill. We started at the War Memorial where our guide Rod Stewart explained its move from the corner of Ferry Street to its current location. We inspected the rare German Howitzer – one of only six of its kind in the world – given to Hunters Hill in recognition of the great sacrifice residents had made in contributing more men per capita to WW1 than anywhere else in Australia!

HHT walkers (Image K Presland)

After a look at other military items housed in the Museum, we walked to the new memorial wall outside the RSL Hall which holds several plaques, including one made by Alan Somervillle, the sculptor of the soldiers on ANZAC bridge, and then we saw the Memorial Tree on Alexandra Street (who knew?) before arriving at All Saints Church.

There we were treated to a fascinating tour by Rev Michael Armstrong of the Church’s beautiful stained glass windows including those commemorating the fallen, including a rare set of windows designed by Edward Burne-Jones and made by Morris & Co. The touching human stories behind these beautiful memorials were truly inspiring. A homemade morning tea provided for us by the RSL completed a fascinating and informative walk.

Maureen2018-05-04T14:34:05+10:00April 30, 2018|

Nowhere else in the world…

Powerhouse Museum (Image SMH)

No government anywhere in the world has ever moved a major state museum out of the city centre to a less accessible location.

Despite sustained community objections, AND universal support for a new museum in Parramatta, the NSW government has reportedly signed off on the ‘move’ of the Powerhouse Museum from its Ultimo location.

Why has the government has refused to release the business case? In 2016-17 visitors to sporting events stayed for 2.6m visitor nights and contributed more than $909 million to the visitor economy. Cultural and heritage visitors stayed for 78.6 million nights and spent $12 billion.

NSW has had 25 years of over-investment in under-used stadiums which do little for jobs in the visitor economy. The last time Sydney opened a major new museum was in 1988 when the Powerhouse opened. 30 years later, it is ready to demolish this museum. Why? Ask the Premier here. Get more info from the Powerhouse Museum Alliance.

admin2018-04-29T10:45:22+10:00April 28, 2018|

Preserving Our Heritage since 1968

The Hunters Hill Trust

The Hunters Hill Trust

Preserving Our Heritage since 1968