Kerryn Pollock after interviewing (from left) Malcolm Vaughan, Scotty Kennedy and Georgina Beyer.
You could say this entire project is a high point but something that has stuck with me as I’ve made contact with queer people, communities and organisations is how many times I’ve been thanked by them for doing this project and telling our queer stories through heritage. The relationship building aspect of the project has been really meaningful. This feedback demonstrates not only the social and cultural value of our work but also the reputational benefits for our organisation. As well as updating existing listings to tell their queer stories, we are starting to see people putting forward nominations for inclusion in the List, and this type of engagement is really exciting. What does heritage mean to you, and why is it so important to honour and recognise our historic places? Heritage is the physical manifestation of human history and culture. Landscapes, buildings and structures hold the stories of our past, our ancestors, and their presence enables us to tell these stories in a tangible way. I believe this knowledge provides us with a sense of rooted belonging in the world. HŌTOKE • WINTER 2022
Is there a particular heritage place that is special to you? If so why? The Carkeek Observatory in Featherston, a timber astronomical observatory built in c. 1867. I completed the listing for this a couple of years ago and had the best time being a historical detective, delving into the archives to build on existing research and piecing together its story, which is now told in great detail in the listing report. This is a big part of the reason why this place is special to me – it took me on a wonderful research journey. At first glance it looks like a ramshackle pile of planks (it’s a ruin), but once you know its story as the earliest surviving astronomical observatory building in the country, you can absolutely see its function and understand why it is important. It is a really good example of how stories activate a place and how heritage listing contributes to public knowledge and understanding of history. n
Heritage Quarterly
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