Heritage in Trust August 2015

NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA Heritage in Trust

(ACT)

August 2015

_________________________________________________________________

Yarra Glen taken from the intersection of Cotter Road with the road to Government House.1

The Valley – Six Families Who Made a Viable Community Inside

The Valley Present-day Woden Valley should arguably have been named Yarralumla Valley. Woden homestead was on the other side of Red Hill, and part of the Duntroon Estate.

The Valley - traversed by Yarralumla Creek - was part of Yarralumla Estate owned by Frederick Campbell, a grandson of Robert Campbell (1769-1846) who owned Duntroon. The Valley was subsequently acquired by the Commonwealth in 1913, then subdivided for lease to soldier-settlers from 1919.

Cont p2

Heritage in Trust

From the President

p5

Notice of 40th AGM

p7

Heritage Diary

p8

Travels and at home with the Trust

p 10

A Young Australian Soldier, a Grieving Mother, a Letter and a Compassionate German Officer

p 23

Petition to list Canberra on NHL

p 26

www.nationaltrust.org.au

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Heritage In Trust

August 2015 The Soldier-Settler Leases

From the editors Welcome to this winter edition of Heritage in Trust. While the recent weather has been cold, spring isn’t far away and the Trust has some good trips planned – see Travels and at home with the Trust beginning on page 10. Two other important events coming up are the AGM on Thursday 29 October and the Christmas party on Sunday 6 December. More details will be provided on those as they become available, but note the dates in your diary now.

This issue looks at the families who formed the early community within the Woden valley as it is now known and a heart warming story from the First World War from the records in the Australian War Memorial, as well as reports from the tour to Germany and other tours closer to home, and more.

If you’ve recently visited a place of historic or heritage interest, whether it was overseas or within Australia, we invite you to think about writing an article for the newsletter, to share your experiences and give other readers new ideas for heritage travel.

The email address for contacting the editors is info@nationaltrustact.org.au or you can write to the Trust Office. Views and suggestions are always welcome.

The Valley- Six families who made a viable community cont from p1 The name ‘Yarralumla’ was assigned in the first official survey of 1834, and came from a local Ngunnawal word meaning ‘echo’. The first owner of that grant of land was Henry Donnison in 1828 who sold it to (later Sir) Terence Murray in 1837. Frederick Campbell was arguably the fifth owner of that estate. He built the home in 1891 that has since become Government House.

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The Valley is a story of endurance, expertise, friendship and perseverance - or fall by the wayside. From 1920 The Valley was a collection of soldier-settler leases that were allocated by ballot. Most of the leases were between 1,000 and 1,300 acres - arguably too small for farming in such harsh conditions. Also, some of those who were first allocated a block did not have a farming background. There was no room for passengers in such a place: farmers’ wives needed experience on the land, or a very strong determination to learn related skills.

Children had to do their bit. Families needed to support each other.

The Valley Farmers Four original soldier-settlers were Walter (the Captain) Eddison (Yamba), Alister (Dick) Russell (Narrabundah), John (Jack) Maguire (Melrose) and Ken Anderson (Allawah). They were later joined by two other returned servicemen: George Campbell (Yarra Glen) and Guy Tanner (Illoura) who bought their blocks from Messrs Gifford and Cargill respectively who were unable to make a living out of their leases. Ken Anderson later exchanged his block for property owned by Phillip (Phil) and Kath Champion (Anderson also paid some money because the Champions’ property was worth more than Anderson’s). Phil had met his wife Kathleen while serving in the British Army in India, and they were already farming in the north of Canberra. Ken Anderson then employed a shepherd, Harry Oldfield, to look after his sheep around Canberra. Oldfield lived at Blundell’s Cottage. The Champions moved into Allawah in 1936, and renamed it Cooleman because there were the marks of many Aboriginal coolemons on their land. They had the only ‘modern’ brick house in the Valley, with bricks made on the property.

The Eddisons. Capt Eddison (Capt Eddy) was an English gentleman farmer who bred thoroughbred horses. He was in Australia considering migration with his family when war broke out. He joined the 6th Australian Light Horse in 1914, as a trooper. However, he was later commissioned and held the rank of Captain by 1917. In Page 2

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1919, he and his wife Marion (nee Mills) emigrated with their four children, initially going to Cooma. Two more children were born after Capt Eddy was allocated Yamba. Marion (always known as Mrs Eddy) was illprepared for what she encountered: her education was that of a young English lady with a governess to teach her the classics, French, embroidery and perfect deportment. She had never cooked, cleaned or sewn patches before she came to Australia. However, she was to become the mentor for those other Valley wives who were similarly ill-prepared for what they had let themselves in for by marrying a soldier-settler.

Tragically, all three of the Eddisons’ sons lost their lives while serving in World War 2. With no male heir to take over Yamba, Capt Eddy (by then aged 77) and Mrs Eddy retreated in 1953 to the suburb of Deakin with their horses. Their home at Yamba was taken over for approximately another ten years by another family until development finally came.

On the Champions’ property on the western side of Taylor’s Hill which can be seen in the background.2

The Russells. Alister (Dick) Russell was a graduate of Hawkesbury Agricultural College and a farmer in WA before he signed up in 1916. He was allocated Narrabundah (Red Hill) in 1920, and moved into a slab hut on the property that same year with his elegant wife Ester (nee Burgess). They held the lease until 1929 when close relatives Arthur Russell and Charles (Charlie) Russell took it over. Charlie – who in later life became the bane of Canberra bureaucracy – lived on or near that (much smaller) property until his death in 1998, aged 93. He and his wife lost their homestead and all their belongings in the bushfire of 1952, when

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Charlie was away at Jervis Bay. They rebuilt their house in what is now Endeavour St, Red Hill.

The Maguires. Jack Maguire and his wife Clare (nee Morrison, of Tralee) were well equipped for the task of farming Melrose as both of them were descended from local farming families. Clare carried out a lot of farm work in The Valley that other wives could/would not do as she was used to farm work on Tralee. The Maguires – like many Valley families - had productive fruit trees that provided fresh fruit, preserves and jam.

They also milked cows. The Maguires were the last to give up their lease in The Valley when finally the bulldozers arrived.

The Campbells. George Campbell was a returned serviceman who was the great-grandson of George Campbell of Duntroon. He had ridden on the Yarralumla Estate as a young man, and also worked as a jackaroo in Queensland. He and his wife Nancy (nee Reid) moved into the small house on Yarra Glen in 1928. Nancy Reid had lived with her family in the Riverina but had no actual farming experience. She was brought up in a large country home with a governess, maids, cook and gardener. Her embroidery was magnificent but her husband had to teach her how to light their stove to cook. She learned many of the necessary women’s survival skills from her older neighbour Mrs Eddy. During the Great Depression George bought several cows so Mrs Campbell made and sold butter to make ends meet. The Campbells expanded their homestead when two sons (Robert, then Curtis) were born. They had trees, a nice garden and a tennis court.

Yarra Glen was taken over in stages, but originally it was 1200 acres, extending from near present-day Novar St, Yarralumla to the southern side of the big Woden roundabout. A railway line from Canberra to the Brickworks ran through their northern paddocks. In the other direction, it extended from present-day Theodore St, Curtin to the Federal Golf Course. Their main entrance was a gate on The Cemetery Road (now Kent St), opposite the present-day telephone exchange. The big pine tree that stands near the Curtin Page 3

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overpass on Yarra Glen (the road) was in their home garden. The Campbells eventually acquired another property Arawang on the Kambah Road (now Namatjira Drive), along which George and his sons drove sheep to Yarra Glen. George Campbell died in 1971 while living in Deakin. Mrs Campbell died in 2002 – the last of the Valley matriarchs. She died in Brindabella Gardens Hostel in Theodore St, Curtin that overlooks the land that she and her husband once controlled.

The Tanners. Guy Tanner was a returned serviceman (a sapper) who had been unsuccessful in bids for soldiersettler blocks in Queensland and NSW before obtaining the one forfeited in The Valley by Mr Cargill. Tanner had worked as a jackaroo before the war, and knew very well what the challenges would be. He was known by all as “a damned good farmer”. He married Frances (later known as “Brownie”) Parramore who was raised on a property near Tarcutta. She was a fine horsewoman and an excellent shot (one bullet = one dead snake). However, when her mother saw the place the young couple were going to live in, she apparently fainted, then tried her best to dissuade her daughter from going ahead with the union. However, Guy was a very handsome chap, and they were in love. They moved into the property they named Illoura in 1930 when the house was deemed fit for habitation by a married couple. Guy died in 1956, so his son Robert – who shared his father’s reputation as a farmer – worked it until development came.

Valley Roads The Valley was serviced by four main roads: Cotter Road, The Cemetery Road, Long Gully Road and Kambah Road. Cotter Road ran east-west from Canberra to the Cotter. Kambah Road was on the western edge of The Valley. It ran from Cotter Road to present-day Kambah past Cooleman and Arawang.

Long Gully Road ran east-west, from Cooma Road (now Monaro Highway) to Kambah Road (through presentday Mawson, Chifley, Waramanga and Stirling). The Cemetery Road ran from Long Gully Road (in current Chifley) to Cotter Road via the Woden Cemetery. Its

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section south of the cemetery has all but disappeared but its northern section is present-day Kent St. Long Gully Road was maintained by one man with a horse, cart, pick and shovel.

The Valley Community Farming in The Valley would have not have been possible without a very strong community in which everyone looked after each other, in good times and bad, sharing tasks, expertise and equipment. There is arguably no better account of that than in Not Without My Corsets by Marion and Fionna Douglas (ISBN 0-64642672-9), which is a book now out-of-print but available on loan via the ACT Public Library. This writer is indebted to the above authors and to Curtis Campbell - with whom he has spent many hours – for much of the material used in this article.

Neville Bleakley Neville Bleakley is a long-time resident of Canberra with a particular interest in the history of The Valley. He has written several articles on this subject.

Photos courtesy of Robert Campbell.

Notes on photos accompanying this article: 1

Taylor’s Hill (now Mt Taylor) is in the background. The homestead of Yarra Glen is in the trees in the centre of the photo. To the right of that are the trees around Melrose (the Maguires). It is clear that the Yarra Glen homestead is in a definite valley that made the spot particularly cold in winter.

Curtis and Robert Campbell told me that water would freeze in the dog bowls, and water taps would sometimes burst. On a winter’s night they would sometimes encounter a ‘solid wall of cold’ as they approached home.

2

The truck is filling a crop duster/spreader with superphosphate. The aircraft is likely to be a variation of a Grumman Schweizer Ag-Cat, the first type of aircraft designed by a major aircraft company specifically for agricultural aviation. The Ag-Cat gained its certification for agricultural work in January 1959, and was widely used throughout the world.

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From the President

Contents

Hello members.

The Valley – Six families who made a viable community _______________________________ 1 From the President ________________________ 5 People and Places/ Trusted Recipe ____________ 6 Notice of National Trust (ACT) 40th AGM _______ 7 Heritage Diary ____________________________ 8 Travels and at home with the Trust __________ 10 Heritage Happenings _______________________ 11 Inaugural Bathurst Macquarie Heritage Medal Award 2015 ____________________________________ 12 A visit to Bathurst _________________________ 13 ACT and Region Heritage Partnership Symposium Report __________________________________ 14 Movable Cultural Heritage _________________ 15 Dirk Hartog – 400th anniversary update / Thanks to Peter Lundy _____________________ 16 Speaker Evenings Reports __________________ 17 Trust Tour Report - Germany _______________19

As I write this report another financial year has come to a close. Pleasingly, I can report that we were actually able to slightly increase our bank balances over the course of the year due to a break-even operating result. Given where we were two years ago this is a fantastic effort and has come about through a combination of tight expenditure control and the continued unpaid efforts of our loyal volunteers. So again thankyou to those who continue to contribute in supporting our worthy organisation. For more information on how the operations of the Trust are going please consider attending our AGM which will be held at the National Archives on 29 October 2015 from 6:00pm.

By the time you read this edition of HiT you will also probably be aware that we have moved from our longterm home in the North Building to the Griffin Centre, which is part of the Canberra Centre complex.

Unfortunately the move was forced on us by the ACT Government who are expanding the Legislative Assembly and moving some of its operations into the North Building. On the positive side though I must thank the ACT Government who have looked after the Trust by providing much newer digs in the heart of the city much to the relief of Liz and our regular volunteers who come into the office. So, if you’re in town be sure to drop in and see Liz and the team.

We have established a petition on our website “Include Canberra on Australia’s National Heritage List” with the aim of delivering to Minister Hunt the strongest possible message that the Trust and its friends wholeheartedly support Canberra’s listing on the NHL. So please consider registering your support by either accessing the link (https://www.change.org/p/greghunt-mp-minister-for-the-environment-includecanberra-on-australia-s-national-heritagelist?recruiter=334036651&utm_source=share_petition &utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_r esponsive ) or completing the form on page 26 and scanning/posting it back to Liz in the office. I’m aware that some people have received some spam email after registering. My apologies for this but be assured that we undertake these initiatives with the best of intentions.

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A Young Australian Soldier, a Grieving Mother, a Letter and a Compassionate German Officer ___ 23 Canberra National Heritage List Petition _______ 26 In closing, most members would know that NTACT does not own any properties and that the closest Trust property is the NSW Trust owned and operated Cooma Cottage just outside of Yass. This year marks the 175th anniversary of Hamilton Hume moving into Cooma Cottage and in recognition of this milestone there will be a Costume Ball held on site on Saturday 3 October.

This will be a great fund raising opportunity for Cooma Cottage and there will be a number of NTACT Councillors attending so please consider joining us for a fun evening. More information can be obtained from the office or on our website.

Thanks again for your interest and support.

Scott McAlister President

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People and Places New members The National Trust (ACT) warmly welcomes the following new members:

Trusted recipe Chocolate soufflé with Shiraz syrup

Helen Swarbrick and Alex Breeze Mark Butz Susan and David Chessell Naomi Clarke Geoff and Rossalyn Clarke Lembit Suur and Joanne Constantinides David and Perdi Crawford Pam Daniel and Steve Dovey Kathleen and Trevor Dunham Michael and Kathi Eland Glenn Ford Narelle Ford Ros Greenwood Tim Jensma and Katie Hamilton Greg and Dinah Irvine Michael Jensma Rhonda and Ken Jorgensen Deb and Butch Louden Lindsay and Malcolm Mackerras Sarah Robinson and Luke McDonald Phil McFadyen Gini McFadyen Ruth and Peter Meadows Brendan Moore Trish Moore Ernie and Janet Oxwell Brendan and Grace Price Andrew and Ann Proctor Barry and Norah Sloane Sue and Paul Street Robyn Oswald and David Thomson

http://www.wineselectors.com.au/about-wine/recipes/allrecipes/chocolate-souffl-with-shiraz-syrup

While spring is round the corner, there are still a few wintry evenings ahead. This chocolate soufflé with Shiraz syrup will be sure to warm you up.

Serves 4. Preparation 10 minutes Ingredients 20 g unsalted butter ½ tbsp caster sugar 1 tbsp cornflour ½ cup (125ml) milk 100g 70% Cocoa chocolate (eg Lindt), broken 2 large egg yolks 3 large egg whites ¼ cup (55g) extra caster sugar 1 punnet fresh raspberries Shiraz syrup 1 ½ cups (375 ml) shiraz 1 /3 cup (75 g) caster sugar Method Preheat oven to 200o C. Grease four small (180 – 200 ml) soufflé dishes. Place sugar in one dish, turn dish to coat sides and base, then tip excess sugar into next dish and repeat. Place dishes on oven tray.

3. Combine flour with a little of the milk and stir to dissolve. Add rest of milk slowly and heat to boiling, stirring constantly.

Simmer for 1 minute then remove from heat.

4. Stir in broken chocolate pieces and whisk till smooth.

5. Add egg yolks, whisk, and transfer to large bowl to cool.

6. Beat egg whites separately until soft peaks form. Gradually add extra sugar one tablespoon at a time, and dissolve before adding more, until thick and glossy.

7. Fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture until just combined.

8. Divide soufflé mixture into soufflé dishes.

9. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes until puffed up but still a little wobbly in centre.

10. Meanwhile make shiraz sauce by simmering wine and sugar until sugar dissolves, then simmer till thickened and reduced to half cup.

1.

2.

Serve with shiraz sauce and fresh raspberries

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New address for the Trust office The National Trust ACT office moved at the end of July 2015 to a new location in Civic.

The new physical address is: Unit 3.9, Level 3, Griffin Centre, 20 Genge Street, Canberra City, ACT 2600.

All other contact details remain the same.

See photos on page 24. Full contact details are on page 25.

National Trust (ACT) 2015 Councillors Scott McAlister (President and Treasurer) Dianne Dowling (Vice President) Mary Johnston (Secretary/Public Officer) Graham Carter Grahame Crocket Bethany Lance Eric Martin Jim Nockels Linda Roberts Jon Stanhope John Tucker Chris Wain

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Trust office hours from Monday 17 August to Thursday 17 September The Trust’s Office Manager, Liz, will be away from the office from Thursday 13 August, returning on Monday 21 September. During this time the office will be manned by Council members and volunteers on a part-time basis.

The 40th Annual General Meeting of the National Trust of Australia (ACT) will be held in the Menzies Room at the National Archives of Australia on Thursday 29 October 2015, 6.00pm for 6.30pm.

Council vacancies will be notified in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association prior to the meeting.

We will endeavour to keep disruption to a minimum but over the period of 17 August to 17 September office hours may vary. Phone messages and emails will be checked regularly; bookings for tours and events can still be made and membership cards processed.

Members are invited to nominate persons for election to Council. Nominations must be made and seconded in writing and signed by current members of the Trust accompanied by signed consent from the nominee.

Nomination forms can be obtained from the Trust office (Phone 02 6230 0533 or email info@nationaltrustact.org.au ) and must reach the office 30 days before the AGM.

Please leave a daytime phone number and your call will be returned.

For further information please check our news page on the website www.nationaltrust.org.au/act/news

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Heritage Diary August to December 2015 A selection of heritage-related events of interest to members Details of National Trust (ACT) events are provided in Travels and at home with the Trust on page 10.

Date and time

Event and location

Organiser

Contact

Blundell’s Cottage, reopened May 2015 after heritage and interpretive works, is now open every Saturday with tours at 11.30am and 1pm. New exhibits interpret Ginn and Sainsbury families – the first and last families in occupation.

Numbers limited, bookings recommended.

NCA

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/blundellscottage-families-of-workers-tickets16854262553

History with a Difference. Popular Canberra storyteller, Elizabeth Burness brings stories of Canberra’s pioneering past alive with tales of the old schooldays. Admission: gold coin Tuggeranong Schoolhouse, 34 Enid Lorimer Circuit Chisholm

Tuggeranong Schoolhouse Museum

Elizabeth Burness (02) 6161 6383 or 0400 391 440 http://www.historywithadifference.com.au/t uggeranong-schoolhousemuseum/index.html

Until 15 November

Life Interrupted: Gallipoli Stories The stories of our soldiers at Gallipoli – all in their own words.

National Archives, Queen Victoria Terrace

NAA

(02) 6212 3600 naa.gov.au/visit-us/exhibitions

Sat 15 August

Cooking demonstration: Anzac biscuits.

Commemorate the centenary of ANZAC at Calthorpes’ house and try the Calthorpes family Anzac biscuit recipe. Normal admission, this program runs continually throughout the afternoon.

Calthorpes’ House, 24 Mugga Way, Red Hill ACT

ACT Museums and Galleries

www.museumsandgalleries.act.gov.au/calt horpes

CDHS talk – Dr Alan Roberts, A Georgian clergyman and his son. Menzies Room, National Archives, Queen Victoria Terrace

CDHS

6281 2929

Wednesday 19 August 3.00 – 4.30pm

ANZAC Parade – Conflict and Sacrifice Remembered. Walking tour of selected memorials on ANZAC Parade. Meet: 2.50pm Hellenic Memorial, cnr Limestone Avenue & ANZAC Pde

NCA

Bookings essential http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/anzacparade-conflict-and-sacrifice-rememberedtickets-17059026006?aff=erelexporg

Wednesday 19 August 6.30 for 7.00pm

CAS/CAR lecture - Nick McClean, on Conservation across the cultural divide- where are we up to? Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.

CAS

www.cas.asn.au

Saturday 29 August 11.00am – 1.00pm

Listening to the Past - Music in Historic Places Mugga-Mugga ANU School of Music Visiting Fellow, Jennifer Gall, explores the different kinds of sounds heard at Mugga-Mugga from indigenous occupation and from the 1830s when Europeans settled in the district. Chance to try out instruments belonging to Curley family.

ACT Museums and Galleries

Bookings essential $15 (ACT M&G members free), Payment by Tue 25 August at Eventbrite: http://muggalisteningtothepast.eventbrite.co m.au.

7 – 11 September

INTO 2015 Conference 16th International Conference of National Trusts Cambridge UK

INTO

http://www.internationaltrusts.org/10409 http://www.icntcambridge2015.org.uk/

Wednesday 9 September – day trip

National Trust bus trip to Love Desire and Riches: The Fashion of Wedding Dresses at Old Government House, Sydney

National Trust

6230 0533

On-going Every Saturday 11.30am - 2.30pm

On-going Monthly Second Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm. other times by appointment

1.00 – 4.00 pm

Tuesday 11 August 5.30pm

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Tuesday 15 September 10am - midday

Magna Carta 800th Anniversary – Stepping Stones to Democracy. Walking tour from Magna Carta Place, via democratic landmarks to Parliament House to see the copy of the Great Charter held there, including a viewing of the 'Charters of Our Nation'.

Meet at 9.50am at Magna Carta Place, Langton Crescent, Parkes.

NCA

http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/magnacarta-800th-anniversary-stepping-stones-todemocracy-tickets15868310544?aff=erelexporg

Wednesday 16 September 6.30 for 7.00pm

CAS/CAR lecture - Bec Parkes, Googong Heritage Project. Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.

CAS

www.cas.asn.au

Sunday 20 September – day trip

Bombala in the spring. National Trust bus trip

National Trust

6230 0533

Saturday 3 October

175th Anniversary Costume Ball Cooma Cottage Yass

National Trust

6230 0533

Sunday 11 October Sunday 18 October Sunday 25 October

ACT Museums and Gallleries

For costings and further details: http://www.museumsandgalleries.act.gov.a u/lanyon/public.html Bookings essential

Sunday 18 October Wednesday 21 October 6.30 for 7.00pm

Writers workshop series: Sundays at home Join Sarah St Vincent Welch to discover how ideas of home, place, and memories can be sources for poetry, life writing and fiction, over three Sundays at the historic Lanyon, Calthorpes’ House (18 Oct) and Mugga-Mugga.

Tharwa – details to follow CAS/CAR lecture - Stuart Hawkins, Vanuatu.

Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.

National Trust CAS

6230 0533 www.cas.asn.au

Thursday 29 October 6.00 for 6.30pm

National Trust AGM – details of speaker to follow Menzies Room, National Archives

National Trust

6230 0533

Sunday 15 November

Historic Queanbeyan walk – details to follow

National Trust

6230 0533

Wednesday 18 November 6.30 for 7.00pm

CAS/CAR lecture - Billy O’Foghlu, Iron Age Music. Manning Clark Centre, Theatre 6, Bldg 26A, Union Court, ANU.

CAS

www.cas.asn.au

26 November – 28 March

Science and Art: 12 Years of the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize Retrospective exhibition of winning works, and material from collections of the SA Museum, NAA, State Herbarium of SA and State Records of SA to delve further into the science behind the art.

National Archives, Queen Victoria Terrace

NAA

Bookings not needed.

(02) 6212 3600 naa.gov.au/visit-us/exhibitions

Sunday 6 December

National Trust Christmas Party – details to follow

National Trust

6230 0533

Notes: CAS is the Canberra Archaeological Society. CAR is the Centre for Archaeological Research. CDHS is Canberra and District Historical Society.

NAA is National Archives of Australia. INTO is International National Trusts Organisation, U3A is University of the Third Age. NCA is National Capital Authority. NMA is National Museum of Australia. UNSW is University of NSW. Information on events run by organisations other than the National Trust (ACT) is provided in good faith, but readers should check dates and times with the contacts indicated above.

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Heritage In Trust Travels and at home with the Trust

August 2015

Local and Interstate Love Desire & Riches: The Fashion of Wedding Dresses Bus Tour to Old Government House, Sydney

them available to the Trust and this will allow us to see two heritage sites that are still working properties

Wednesday 9 September 7.30am – 6.00pm Pick up Deakin 7.30am Pick up Northbourne Ave Lyneham 7.45am This day tour will take you to Old Government House, Sydney to see a collection of over 50 famous and rarely seen wedding gowns and accessories. The collection spans over 200 years of fashion and includes pieces from leading Australian designers such as Akira Isogawa, Collette Dinnigan and Marianna Hardwick, rare and beautiful pieces from the National Trust Collection, to gowns made famous through their connection with film, television and literature. The exquisite red dress worn by Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge, Carey Mulligan’s wedding gown from The Great Gatsby and Toni Collette’s gown from Muriel’s Wedding are on display, along with celebrity gowns of Catriona Rowntree and Kate Ritchie, including the bridal gown belonging to her on-screen character, Sally Fletcher from Home and Away.

Cost: $90.00 NT and U3A members; $100.00 nonmembers. Includes morning tea, lunch, and entry ticket. Bookings essential: Call the office on 02 6230 0533 or email info@nationaltrustact.org.au Please specify where you will board the bus and any dietary restrictions when booking

Bombala in the Spring Bus Tour Sunday 20 September 7.45am – 6.00pm Pick up Northbourne Ave Lyneham 7.45am Pick up Deakin 8.00am This National Trust day trip to the Bombala area will take us to two historic properties that go back to the earliest days of European settlement on the Monaro.

The owners of both private properties have kindly made

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Old Burnima in Autumn

We will arrive at Old Burnima property at 11.00 am for a tour of this historic home and garden and morning tea provided by our hosts Mr and Mrs Gillespie-Jones.

Lunch is at Bombala RSL Club at 12.30. After lunch we will depart for our second historic property, Aston, arriving at 2.00 pm for a tour. We will depart for Canberra at about 3.00 pm returning by 6.00pm.

Cost: $70.00 NT and U3A members; $80.00 nonmembers. Includes lunch, morning and afternoon teas Bookings essential: Call the office on 02 6230 0533 or email info@nationaltrustact.org.au Please specify where you will board the bus and any dietary restrictions when booking Please check the website or contact the office for details of these forthcoming tours and events:

Tharwa Tour- EOI accepted now Sunday 18 October

National Trust AGM Thursday 29 October 6.00 for 6.30pm National Archives See p7 for Notice of AGM

Historic Queanbeyan Walk- EOI accepted now Sunday 15 November

National Trust Christmas party Sunday 6 December – Details to be advised

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Heritage Happenings Heritage and Grants Committee Sandy Blair, the current convenor of the Heritage and Grants Committee will soon move to the south coast so the Heritage and Grants Committee make an open invitation for all members who may have an interest in heritage to join the Heritage and Grants Committee.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 19 August at 5.30pm.

The Council of the ACT National Trust extends a great amount of thanks and gratitude to Sandy who has led the Heritage and Grants Committee for a number of years since she stood down from Council.

There have been significant landmark activities largely initiated by Sandy such as the annual Regional Heritage Symposium which will have a lasting legacy.

Northbourne Housing Precinct The National Trust will continue to argue for due process to be followed and for a consideration of heritage values of the site with any future proposals for the site.

The National Trust classified the place in 2004 and the current Government proposals do not even respect the ACT Heritage Council's views. The National Trust website has more details .

  

National Capital Plan Exposure Draft Acton Peninsula Heritage Management Plan West Belconnen NCA Amendment 85 and ACTPLA Draft Variation 351 National Capital Exposure Draft



Current Issues Griffith Park and relocation of Manuka Occasional Care The National Trust is aware of community concerns and is considering if there are heritage issues involved.

Narrabundah Housing The National Trust has supported the community interest group in that a proper heritage assessment should precede any decision regarding the future of the site.

National Heritage Listing of Canberra A petition is being circulated by the National Trust in support of the listing of Canberra on the National Heritage List. See page 26.

St John's Schoolhouse There is some evidence that James Ainslie may have built and lived in the former Schoolhouse. The National Trust is investigating this further to see if the mystery can be clarified.

Capital Metro Light Rail Stage 1 EIS This is out for comment and the National Trust will make a submission.

Significant Trees This is a national project and includes a national register. Other states/territories are gathering in Canberra on 1-2 October 2015. The ACT National Trust is seeking any interested person to volunteer to be involved in this project.

Ongoing Issues  



Merry-Go-Round Conservation The National Trust has agreed to establish a special committee to manage National Trust involvement in the ongoing conservation of the Merry-go-Round.

Terms of reference are being drafted for Council consideration.

West Belconnen and Ginninderra Falls Oaks Estate and extent of any heritage listing.

Kingston Arts Precinct Feasibility Study has been circulated.

Eric J Martin AM

Submissions Made  



University of Canberra Masterplan and Draft Variation West Basin Stage 1 of City to Lake Pialligo Draft Variation 321

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Canberra Merry Go Round 1996

National Library Australia

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Inaugural Bathurst Macquarie Heritage Medal Award 2015 Heritage conservation consultant and immediate past Chair of the ACT Heritage Council Duncan Marshall was announced as the inaugural winner of the Bathurst Macquarie Heritage Medal at a dinner in Bathurst on 7 May 2015.

To keep up to date with information about the Bathurst 200 celebrations, visit bathurst200.com.au (Ed. For more information, refer to A visit to Bathurst on page 13 of this issue of Heritage in Trust)

Four nominees from three states were nominated for the national $25,000 award.

Bathurst, Australia's oldest inland European settlement, celebrating its bicentenary year in 2015, is staking its claim on history and heritage in awarding the inaugural Bathurst Macquarie Heritage Medal, funded by Bathurst Regional Council.

Duncan Marshall teaching

Text adapted from Media Release, Bathurst Regional Council, 8 May 2015 Photos Eric Martin & Associates

Mayor of Bathurst Cr Gary Rush said Council created the award to recognise the protection, enhancement and promotion of Australia's heritage and help raise awareness about the immense value of celebrating and acknowledging the people, places and events that have shaped us today.

Duncan Marshall is well known to members of the ACT National Trust and is described by his peers as a supreme professional, a forward thinker, who has made a significant and lasting contribution to heritage conservation, principles and practice through hundreds of projects and publications over 30 years.

As a leading heritage conservation consultant he has written hundreds of publications and speeches and delivered projects locally, nationally and internationally on World Heritage, conservation principles and practice, heritage identification and assessment, conservation planning and moveable cultural heritage.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Marshall praised Bathurst for its vision and commitment in creating such an award and its commitment to national heritage as well as local issues.

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A Visit to Bathurst As part of a U3A ACT trip in May, I visited Bathurst. It turned out we were present on the very day of the city’s 200th anniversary. Proclaimed in 1815 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, the city celebrated this major milestone on Thursday 7 May 2015. We didn’t take part in any of the celebrations but we were very aware of what was going on because our hotel had many Japanese guests from Bathurst’s sister city, Okhuma.

Being Australia’s oldest inland city means that Bathurst has many beautiful old buildings, including the Courthouse, as well as other historic sites.

Former Prime Minister Ben Chifley’s house and contents were purchased by the Bathurst City Council in 1972 and the property is now a house museum open to visitors. The young Chifleys moved into the house in 1914 and lived in it until they died, Ben in 1951 and his wife Elizabeth in 1962. Built in the 1880s near the railway, the house is tiny compared with most homes today and reflects a modest style of living that wouldn’t be common among today’s politicians. Furnishings are as they were in the Chifleys’ time there. The guides are local volunteers, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about both Ben Chifley and his home. As well as the usual house contents, there’s an interesting display of photos in the education centre.

It was originally owned by the first rector of All Saints’ Anglican Church in Bathurst and became the home of Miss Ida Traill and her mother in the early 1930s. Ida Traill lived there until her death in 1976. She left the house and garden to the National Trust, having built up a collection of a lovely objects – including furniture, paintings and ceramics – that are a feature of the property. When we visited, some additional objects were on display as part of Bathurst’s 200th anniversary celebrations. These included some pieces from the costume collection.

Miss Traill's House

The house has a lovely garden which includes a block that was originally a horse paddock. While the garden is said to be at its best during spring and early summer, even in May it was attractive, with late roses, sasanqua camellias, nerines and autumn-tinted leaves. (The garden was featured in the February 2011 edition of Trust News.)

Ben Chifley’s House

On a slightly grander scale is Miss Traill’s House which is owned by the National Trust. This house was built in 1845/46 in the Georgian style.

Miss Traill’s Garden

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One of the real surprises of our visit was the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, also known as the Somerville Collection. This might sound a bit dull, but in fact it’s an amazing collection of fossils and minerals, beautifully displayed, and housed in a restored school building. The collection is the work of Warren Somerville AM who gave part of his collection to the nation in 2000, on the basis that it will always be housed in Central Western NSW. It’s well worth a visit.

ACT and Region Heritage Partnership Symposium 2015 Sharing Heritage: Create, Change, Cherish This year's symposium titled “Sharing Heritage: Create, Change, Cherish” was held on Saturday 18 July and was well attended by heritage practitioners, government officials and interested community members.

It was a welcome opportunity to hear about and discuss a wide range of topics and issues as well as have Minister Gentleman advise us of the ACT Heritage Strategy to be made available for public comment in the future. Interested people should contact ACT Heritage.

Minister Gentleman releasing the ACT Heritage Strategy

Fossil and Mineral Museum

I’m sure we saw only a fraction of what Bathurst has to offer the visitor interested in history and heritage, and I’m keen to start planning a second trip.

Wendy Whitham ______________________________________________

Heritage Symposium: First session speakers receiving questions

The session on heritage learning experiences revealed the difficulties of retaining and resourcing school archives (Esther Davies Telopea Park) and the wonderful detective conservation project at Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House (MOAD)(Brendan Carroll). It was pleasing to note that following last year's symposium steps have been taken to record and assess part of the University of Canberra collections (Hakim Abdul Rahim and Dr Andrew Simpson).

Heritage and change provided evidence that heritage buildings can be adapted with a successful outcome such as New Acton (Tracy Hill). However there needs to be controls so heritage fabric is protected (Richard Sharp) and energy and sustainability needs to be better balanced to consider existing fabric (Rachael Jackson).

We also enjoyed the amazing scope of work by Alberto Soares which was mainly churches in the region (Graeme Barrow).

Community involvement is important and the value of owner/architect in-house design was explored and some

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details of the Springbank Island Archaeological dig (Lucy Blackam, Melandri Ucok) revealed. Particular collections were presented including Oral History at MOAD OPH (Dr Barry York) and the National Film Sound Archives audio Visual collection (Rod Butler) provided information most people were not aware of.

Lucy & Melandri from CAS discussing the archaeological dig on Springbank Island

An international touch was presented on communities and change (Marilyn Truscott) and a case study of West Lake of Hangzhou in China looked at tourism and resident impacts.

Movable Cultural Heritage An invitation to comment: In December 2014 the Minister for the Arts appointed Mr Shane Simpson AM to undertake a broad-ranging, independent review of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986. Mr Simpson has now released a position paper, outlining a new model for the protection of cultural property. The position paper, along with a summary, is available at www.arts.gov.au/topics/publicconsultations/review-protection-movable-culturalheritage-act.

The position paper is being supported by a national, online survey, seeking public comment on the proposed model. The survey can be accessed at www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2223721/Review-of-thePMCH-Act, and will be open until 14 August 2015.

Information provided by stakeholders will be used in developing Mr Simpson’s final report, which is due to be presented to the Australian Government by 30 September.

You are encouraged to participate, and to distribute this information as widely as possible throughout your networks, to ensure that all interested stakeholders have an opportunity to participate.

Marilyn Truscott on China

The symposium closed with a panel of views of the day and other issues from Sandy Blair, David Flannery, Steve Brown and Duncan Marshall. A good day for all and looking forward to 2016.

The PMCH Act plays an important role in protecting Australia’s cultural heritage by regulating the export of objects that are significant to our history. It also provides for the return of foreign cultural property which has been illegally exported from its country of origin. The review intends to provide improved clarity on the processes and requirements of those importing and exporting cultural objects in Australia. The position paper proposes a simpler legislative framework, objective standards to define those objects being regulated, a flexible and risk-based approach to assessment processes, and clearer guidance to decisionmakers throughout the process.

Please direct questions to the review secretariat at PMCHreview@arts.gov.au

Expert Panel discussing their views

Eric J Martin, AM

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Photos Dianne Dowling

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Dirk Hartog Update The Dutch Embassy in Canberra advises that the Dirk Hartog 2016 website www.dirkhartog2016.nl was launched on 11 May. The website is to provide a platform for anyone interested in the commemoration and celebration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Dirk Hartog in Western Australia. There is also a Dirk Hartog twitter feed, @DirkHartog2016.

According to the Dutch site, the Western Australian Government has also launched a webpage (via its Department of the Premier and Cabinet) which mentions a range of State Government-funded activities. This page indicates that there will be a particular focus on Dirk Hartog Island and Denham in the Shark Bay region and that one of the many highlights of the commemorations will be the journey to Denham by the replica Dutch ship of the era, the Duyfken.

Thanks to Peter Lundy Peter Lundy RFD Dip Law, D(Int) L, LDIC, MIAMA joined the ACT National Trust Council in 2004 and has been a vice president for most of the period since then.

Peter always provided sound quality advice, especially during some difficult financial periods where we had to reassess our situation and restructure ourselves. He has a legal background but his strength for us was in governance, and he oversighted constitutional refinements and ensured that we operated correctly, including establishing procedures to meet our obligations under corporate law.

He is a quiet and effective person who can be relied upon, and I always appreciated his advice and contributions to Council discussions and decisions.

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More information on these initiatives can be found on the website of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.

A map of Eendrachtsland by Dutch cartographer Hessel Gerritsz, dated 1627. Caert van 't Landt van d'Eendracht, uit Journalen ende affteyckeningen der stierluyden t' samengestelt. 1627. Š Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Verzameling Buitenlandse Kaarten Leupe, nummer toegang 4.VEL, inventarisnummer 502

Wendy Whitham (Refer May 2015 issue for more information on Dirk Hartog 400th Anniversary)

Peter attended most functions over his period on Council and could often be found lending a hand behind the bar especially at the end-ofyear Christmas function at Huntly.

Unfortunately his health has meant that he has been unable to contribute this year as he would have liked and he has now resigned from Council.

We wish him and Maureen all the best and we acknowledge his substantial contribution to the ACT National Trust.

Eric J Martin AM

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Speaker Evening Reports The many-layered Jerrabomberra Wetlands Wednesday 20 May It was on the occasion of Lake Burley Griffin’s 50th anniversary that I first attended Mark Butz’s talk on Jerrabomberra Wetlands. The connection? Once the lake had filled, the wetlands were more defined.

However, the many layered past had been neglected and was ripe for exploring.

Various floods, including in 1922, 1925, 1934 and 1945, accounted for soldier settlements and railway infrastructure. Today the area is a valuable wetland habitat and refuge for migrating birds.

About 50 members and a large number of guests enjoyed Mark’s talk at the National Archives and I encourage you to check out the birdlife and frogs from the new boardwalks at this wonderfully central amenity.

Linda Roberts

The 13-month delay in getting Mark Butz to repeat his fascinating presentation to the Trust actually worked well, with recent archaeological digs uncovering WWI trenches at Jerrabomberra Wetlands hitting the media.

Well-researched and entertaining, the talk involved Mark showing us numerous maps of the area over many decades, with a helpful, consistent marker on each map allowing us to orient ourselves to the changes in the area.

Beginning with geology, Aboriginal settlement of this lush Byalegee (Pialligo) region and on to European uses of the land, the recurring theme was “remember it is a floodplain”. Walter Burley Griffin’s plans included more stylised ornamental lakes with East Lake being several metres higher than the present Lake Burley Griffin. In 1950 East Lake and the Civic railway were deleted from the Canberra Plan.

Archaeological dig uncovers important WWI training site.

STOP PRESS: A collaboration between the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology, ACT Parks and Conservation Service, and the Jerrabomberra Wetlands Management Committee has resulted in a project that aims to locate, protect, interpret and promote physical evidence of the AIF Trench Warfare and Bombing School.

The trenches were dug 100 years ago to instruct officers with the latest ‘Island Traverse System’ to equip our troops leaving for the Western Front.

Mark Butz left with Park and Heritage staff at the dig site

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The site is of national importance as other trench warfare schools in NSW, Victoria and South Australia have all been built over. This area’s floodplain status has protected these trenches from development.

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Christmas and Cocos Islands—a different perspective Wednesday 1 July Our former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope is known for being up-front where perceived injustices occur. That passion was evident at the talk delivered to 48 members and guests on the heritage of Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands at the National Archives.

For most of us the five detention centres on Christmas Island and, on a lighter note, the colourful stamps marked with Cocos (Keeling) Islands are the only associations we have with this remote part of the world.

women’ here, that there is a German war cemetery, that the heritage is disappearing?”

Images of neglected structures, carvings, rusted train engines were slightly off-set by beautiful tropical views taken from the Administrator’s house verandah looking down on Flying Fish Cove. The presence of naval ships was never far away.

Thank you to one of our newest National Trust councillors for sharing this interesting part of his tenure at this remote Australian outpost.

Linda Roberts

In his background on the islands, Jon spoke of Dampier, of Alexander Hare and his harem of 40 Malay women, of self-proclaimed King of Cocos Islands John Clunies-Ross, of the discovery of phosphate and of wartime tragedies.

Christmas Island’s volcanic origin - it rises to 300m contrasts with Cocos Islands’ low-lying, idyllic coral atolls. We were rather astonished to hear that there are two mosques on Christmas Island, catering for its 80% Muslim population, and no churches. The population of 2,000 is 70% Chinese, 20% Malay and 10% European.

Jon, Administrator for the two years 2012-14, needed an interpreter to engage with residents of Cocos Islands.

Stamps from Cocos (Keeling) Islands http://www.pacificstamps.com.au/cocosislands.php

Apartheid existed, with demarcation between the indentured workers from Singapore, Malaya and China (coolies) who mined and transported the phosphate, the British and Indians.

Pictures showed traces of Japanese occupation during WWII including steps leading to the demolished, ornate Shinto shrine and gun towers. Jon’s frustration with the neglect of this and other heritage was palpable, with the jungle and trees smothering sites of significance and his appeals to the Commonwealth and WA governments falling on deaf ears.

WWI featured as well, with HMAS Sydney’s sinking of the SMS Emden near Cocos Islands and German soldiers buried on the island.

A repeated refrain was “This is now Australian soil. Do we accept this history that these islands practised apartheid, that the Japanese brought their ‘comfort

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Map showing location of Cocos and Christmas Islands

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Overseas Trust Tour Report Germany – Archaeology, History and Culture 18 May – 10 June 2015 Peter and Dianne Dowling devised a busy and greatly stimulating journey through time and place for eleven National Trust members over three weeks, with the emphasis on UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Geographically we began in the west at Trier, moved to Berlin, then Hamburg, Bamberg and Munich, using those cities as centres from which we explored surrounding localities of special interest. The time span extended from the Jurassic fossils at Solnhofen, Neanderthal Man 230,000 to 30,000 years ago in the Neander Valley near Düsseldorf, through the Neolithic and Bronze Ages at Lake Constance to the Romans at Trier and Saalburg.

There were Vikings at Hedeby near the Danish border; we visited several medieval cities and towns, the 19th century warehouse district of Hamburg, saw the impact of WW2 in many places and the sparkling showrooms of BMW in Munich!

Bonn, the story of their discovery and their place in human evolution is wonderfully set out in a museum in the Neander Valley near the quarry in which they were found. The latest ideas about the causes of their extinction are explored, and our pre-trip homework brought us up-to-date with current thinking that Homo sapiens interbred with H.neanderthalensis – we have 1%-4% of Neanderthal DNA in us if we are Asian or European. Following our visit to the Neander Valley we went to Bonn to see the actual Neanderthal skeleton which is now on display.

Neanderthal Man

BMW Munich

In each of the major centres we visited the stand-out museums and art galleries. Babylonian, Roman and Greek antiquities featured at the Pergamon and Altes Museums in Berlin, while the chance to see archaeological treasures such as beautifully crafted flint tools or classic Old Masters - van Dyck, Rubens, Breughel, Dürer and others – fulfilled the wishlist for several of us. Whilst the actual bones of Neanderthal Man now reside in the German National Museum in

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City walking or bus tours with local guides assisted us in appreciating the layout of settlements, providing a geographical and historical background to each town and enabling us to re-visit and experience particular areas on our free days, or simply to enjoy the shopping and food experience of Germany’s distinctive regions such as beer, sausages and Black Forest Cake!

Trier prides itself on being the most important town in Roman times in what is now Germany. Substantial remains include baths, a basilica, an amphitheatre, bridge foundations and the gateway known as the Porta Nigra. The local museum houses impressive mosaics.

Restoration still continues at some of the monuments.

At Saalburg further east, border fortifications known as Page 19

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Limes have been reconstructed, with watch towers, ditches and banks, together with associated buildings.

The outdoor museums of re-constructed Viking Age Hedeby and Bronze Age pile dwellings on Lake Constance were visited in very different conditions – cold damp weather in the north near the Danish border, and a warm sunny day at the lake on the southern border of Germany.

Pfahlbauten Panorama

The wattle and daub dwellings of the Vikings were fitted with items befitting the activities typical of their time; the pile dwellings of the Neolithic and Bronze Age folk demonstrated building techniques, dug-out canoes and textile manufacture. There were many small villages like this on the lakes of the Alpine region, and 111 have been inscribed on the World Heritage List. Both museums had indoor sections to display artefacts, maps and diagrams.

isolated basins, within which individual assemblages of creatures developed. So fine was the chalky sediment around them that when they died, or were trapped by a sudden slump of this material, even the soft parts of the fish, brittle stars, ammonites, jellyfish, reptiles and occasional plants were preserved. We saw the imprints of the skins of lizards, not just the bones; here were the circular imprints of the jellyfish and the scales of finned fish. One slab of rock showed one creature caught in the act of eating its prey. Another showed us "the living fossil” of the Coelacanth, a fish still to be found in today’s oceans. And of course the reason for the fame of this area – Archaeopteryx was discovered – the first inkling that birds might have evolved from reptiles! The faint imprints of what could only be feathers had been preserved in this fine matrix! In fact the quality of the rock is such that it is in demand for lithographic printing.

Archaeopteryx Pfahlbauten Group textiles

Naturally most of our sojourn traced human activities through the ages, but one special locality took us back to the Jurassic era. In the popular imagination this era is associated with dinosaurs, but here in the small town of Solnhofen, located in an area of extremely fine limestone which indicated the region was once a subtropical sea, the most perfectly preserved marine creatures were discovered. In this sea was a series of

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Cities such as Hamburg and Lübeck were given particular impetus during the Hanseatic era when a trading monopoly spread around the coasts of Germany, southern Scandinavia and eastern England. We had seen the Hanseatic warehouses in Bergen, Norway in 2008; now we saw the city known as “Queen of the Hansa” – Lübeck. As luck would have it, we visited Lübeck the day after the opening of a brand new museum so we explored both city and museum and were thoroughly immersed in all things Hanseatic. The medieval city Page 20

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centre fascinated us with its unique architecture – and we sampled a product for which it is famous – marzipan!

One of the more fascinating parts of Hamburg was seen on a harbour cruise; in 1887 red-brick warehouses were built in an area of the docks now known as Speicherstadt, to create a free port where customs duties were not payable. Some of these buildings, which are architecturally distinctive, now house tea, coffee, spices, cocoa – and electronic goods and oriental carpets! Several have been converted into museums; nearby, Greenpeace is a tenant of a modern red-brick building which blends well into the neighbourhood but incorporates many energy-saving technologies.

Castle Church Wittenberg

A day spent in Wittenberg Lutherstadt immersed us in the events leading to the Reformation; we examined the town centre and Martin Luther’s house with a local guide and afterwards explored in our own time. In 2017 the town is celebrating the 500th anniversary of Luther’s nailing his 95 theses to the church door – renovations underway for this event meant that we were unable to enter the church. Breaks for coffee and apfelstrudel punctuated the day’s activities.

Guide and group Bamberg

Other cities whose medieval centres we enjoyed were Bamberg, Strasbourg and Heidelberg. Castles and cathedrals dominated the heights while the rivers on which they were located had provided transport, trading centres, water and important crossing points in times past. Today these rivers are often canalised and provide the cheapest way of transporting non-perishable goods such as scrap metal, coal and building materials. River cruising tourism has also grown rapidly.

Six nights in Berlin enabled us to see a selection of the wealth of sights on offer. Since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, much reconstruction and modern development has occurred, and the remaining section of the Wall itself has become a monument and art gallery.

Berlin Wall art

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A visit to Checkpoint Charlie provided a somewhat harrowing experience when viewing the black and white photos of the fortifications and people attempting to escape. Later in the trip we visited Nürnberg to see the courtroom where the Trials were held, and a recently established museum display depicted the people who were tried. Whilst in Munich we visited Dachau, site of the first concentration camp in Germany built in 1933 and where Poles, Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and others were imprisoned.

A happier evening was spent at the Berlin concert hall where the Staatskapelle Berlin performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.4 to considerable applause. On a sunny day we glimpsed the summer palace of Charlottenburg and were guided around the palaces of Sans Souci and St. Cecilienhof.

A day was devoted to Dresden, flattened by the Allies in 1945, now incredibly rebuilt. Its museums are undergoing “staggered renovation” – at any one time one wing is closed, but the remainder is open, and thanks to the safe-keeping of many items during WW2, a wonderful collection of Old Masters, porcelain and scientific items are on display. Dresden and the Elbe valley were inscribed on the World Heritage List – then removed five years later by UNESCO when the city authorities felt they had to build a new bridge to cope with the increasing traffic congestion.

Dresden Frauenkirche

Time in Munich enabled us to experience a Biergarten and visit the Hofbrauhaus – and the most recent aspects of culture, BMW World – showrooms exhibiting the latest models in a building itself worthy of note: two cones, the upper one inverted over the lower; nearby the BMW museum, offices and the factory. It is built opposite Olympiapark which hosted the 1972 Games, and whose facilities are still in regular use.

Many thanks to Peter and Dianne for all their preparation and organisation before and during the trip; it was wonderful to see and feel the wealth and variety of human endeavour spanning such a long period of time.

Map of Germany (from Wikipedia)

Text and photos: Carol Hall B.A.Hons, Geography, University of Sheffield. Dip.Ed. Nottingham University.

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A Young Australian Soldier, a Grieving Mother, a Letter and a Compassionate German Officer The record collections in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra represent the very spirit of the Memorial itself.

They range from official military documents, personal records, images, recordings, objects, films and the personal diaries and letters of those who served. For the professional historian they are a vital source of information constantly used when researching and trying to understand and tell of Australia’s involvement in conflict.

While researching in the basement of the Memorial I have often ordered a file from the catalogue and found that I have in front of me an original letter or diary written by hand describing a young soldier’s or nurse’s experience and their thoughts before going into danger and after surviving the horrors of war – it is a wonderful but sobering experience to handle these original documents. But every now and then a researcher can come across something that really touches the heart.

This happened to me just a few months ago. I opened a very slim folder and found just one page, a fading handwritten letter that told a tragic story of a grieving mother who had lost her son and a very noble German officer who recounted how her son had died. The letter is a rare connection between an Australian mother, her dead son and a compassionate enemy.

Alan Serafino Righetti was born in Heywood, Victoria, on 23 August 1889. He was educated at St Patrick’s College, Ballarat prior to his family moving to Queensland. Alan was 25 years of age when he left his job as a storekeeper and joined the Australian Imperial Force. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant with the 2 nd Australian Light Horse Regiment and served with his unit in Egypt and at Gallipoli. After Gallipoli he returned to Egypt where he was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 March 1916.

On 4 August 1916, he was leading his unit just outside Romani when they engaged an Ottoman patrol. The Ottoman unit, led by Heinrich Romer Andreae, a German Army machine gun Officer, returned fire with

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devastating effect on the Australians. Lieutenant Alan Righetti, along with several of his men, was killed.

Following the conflict Alan’s body was identified by Turkish soldiers from an identity disc he was wearing.

The disc was removed by the Turkish soldiers and handed to Andreae, who in turn handed it to the German military. Lieutenant Righetti’s body was later recovered by Australian forces and was buried at Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Suez Canal, Egypt.

Kantara War Memorial Cemetery where Lt Alan Righetti is buried is situated on the eastern side of the Suez Canal (Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

In 1920, following the end of the war, Alan Righetti’s identity disc was received by the Australian Imperial Force authorities in London and then sent on to Base Records Office, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. It was then forwarded to Lieutenant Righetti’s mother, Mary Righetti. Mary received the disc along with an official cover note, which gave the address of Heinrich Andreae as the person who handed the disc to the military authorities.

Mary Righetti then wrote a letter to Heinrich Andreae.

While the archival records do not have a copy of this letter (it was most likely hand-written by Mary and no duplicate made), we can assume that she asked after the details of her son’s death. The reply from Heinrich Andreae would surely have gone a long way towards reconciling her with the death of her son.

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Letter from Heinrich Romer Andreae (German Army) to the mother of Lieutenant Alan S Righetti, 2 nd Light Horse Regiment describing her son’s death (AWM PR89/179) “Barmen” Cleferstrasse 18 Germany 14-xi-20

Most Honoured Gracious Lady Many thanks for your welcome letter of 24.8.20.

I write these few line because I believe that it will be satisfactory to you to know that your son has died a hero’s death without undergoing an instant of pain.

On 4.8.16 about 8 o’clock in the morning we succeeded in reaching the height of the Katib Gannit & scarcely had we looked over the top of the range when a tremendous machine gun fire was experienced by us. A very plucky enemy had occupied a position behind a small battery place. As I had a few killed I lost no time in ordering the defence guard to be erected & my company to get into position. As the enemy was very bold & scarcely kept under cover I succeeded in a few minutes to silence their guns. The [Australian Troops] showed such courage as we had never seen since the beginning of the war in France. They fought without any regard for cover or personal losses. Subsequently we had to [approach] the enemy’s machine guns & with them lay a young lieutenant struck in the head – who died almost immediately.

On the following day a Turk brought me an identification badge. (When I asked him what regiment had been engaged)[sic]. I hope it will be a solace to you to know that your son fell as a hero without suffering pain.

Letter from Heinrich Romer Andreae (German Army) to the mother of Lieutenant Alan S Righetti, 2nd Light Horse Regiment describing her son’s death (AWM PR89/179)

**********************************************

Packing up to move to the new office at Griffin Centre, Level 3

Assuring you of my highest esteem Yours faithfully Heinrich Romer Andreae

Peter Dowling

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About Heritage in Trust Heritage in Trust is published quarterly as an electronic magazine in conjunction with the national magazine Trust News in February, May, August and November. It is produced and edited by Maree Treadwell and Wendy Whitham assisted by Dianne Dowling and Mary Johnston.

The editors invite articles and letters from Trust members with an interest in the heritage of the ACT and these should be addressed to The Editor, Heritage in Trust, at info@nationaltrustact.org.au.

Deadlines for copy mid January (for February issue) mid April (for May issue) mid July (for August issue) mid October (for November issue) The views expressed in Heritage in Trust are not necessarily those of the National Trust of Australia (ACT). The articles in this emagazine are subject to copyright. No article may be used without the consent of the ACT National Trust and the author.

Heritage in Trust

www.nationaltrust.org.au

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Heritage In Trust

August 2015

National Trust of Australia (ACT) PO Box 1144, Civic Square ACT 2608 Unit 3.9, Level 3, Griffin Centre, Canberra City ACT 2600 P: 02 6230 0533; F: 02 6230 0544; E: info@nationaltrustact.org.au Facebook: NT(ACT) facebook; Twitter: @NatTrust_ACT Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 9.30am-3.00pm ABN: 50 797 949 955

National Trust of Australia ACT Petition to include Canberra on the National Heritage List Petition summary and background

As a 20th Century city planned in the garden city style after an international competition for the seat of our Federal Government, Canberra must be recognised on Australia's National Heritage list. The natural, historic and Indigenous heritage values of the city must be respected and preserved.

National Heritage listing will not stifle development but will stimulate interest in the city. We are proud of the city and believe National Heritage listing will recognise its special place as the capital city of Australia.

Action petitioned for

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now to include Canberra on the National Heritage List.

Printed Name

Heritage in Trust

Signature

Address

www.nationaltrust.org.au

Date

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