Trust Issue 1

T RUST THE NATIONAL T RUS TS OF AUS TRALIA magazine Issue No. 1 Summer $8.95

The Outlander effect

Launch Issue

How a hit TV series revived SCOTLAND’S heritage tourism

PRIVATE LIVES Inside Prime Minister Joseph Lyons’s home

The fight for SA’s Martindale Hall

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Festival Dates: April 18 – May 21 2017

Open doors...

... eyes

GET INVOLVED!

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Register your event now at

www.australianheritagefestival.org.au By registering with the Australian Heritage Festival you can &v; |_; †v|u-Ń´b-m ;ub|-]; ;vা ˆ-Ń´ 0u-m7 ; r-u| o= o†u "|-|;ġ $;uub|ou‹ -m7 -া om-Ń´ m;|‰ouh ;| o†u v†rrou| v†1_ -v =u;; -7ˆb1;ġ ruoloা om -m7 -7ˆ;uা vbm] Get in touch with our Australian Heritage Festival Month team mail@australianheritagefestival.org.au

www.australianheritagefestival.org.au

FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS the National Trust and its band of dedicated volunteers has been at forefront of preserving and promoting our heritage...

Welcome

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH KARA ROSENLUND EDITOR’S PORTRAIT MICHAEL WEE

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here is something about our heritage that inspires and intrigues us. Be it a building, a place, a landscape or a story — our heritage lives with us, it is part of us. It provides an insight into who we were and who we have become. And by appreciating, valuing and understanding our heritage we are able to frame a vision of who we want to be, who we can be. Of course for each of us what constitutes our heritage and how we interpret it can be different — in many regards this is what makes it so alive, unique and interesting.

As Governor-General I experience a daily connection to Australia’s heritage, having the privilege of working and living in Government House in Canberra and Admiralty House in Sydney. These buildings and their wonderful surrounds are two of Australia’s finest heritage properties. They are redolent with history, as sites of indigenous cultures, as witness to the swearing in and passing of governments, to visits by royalty and world leaders, to the thousands of receptions and events held annually for charitable and volunteer organisations whose good work contributes so much to our nation.

For more than 70 years the National Trust and its band of dedicated volunteers has been at the forefront of preserving and promoting our heritage, bringing it to life for so many Australians. The Trust’s work in conserving and interpreting Australia’s heritage is without peer.

And as we evolve as a diverse, cohesive and multicultural nation, the insights and values that come from Trust activities will continue to be vital as we reflect on our past and set forth into the future.

As Patron of the National Trust it is my great pleasure to welcome the publication of this new magazine, Trust. All Australians are fortunate to benefit from the National Trust’s work and its commitment to bringing our past to life.

His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia

Publication is co-ordinated by the Australian Council of National Trusts on behalf of the National Trusts of Australia and is supported by the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Energy. The views expressed in TRUST are not necessarily those of the National Trusts or the Department of Environment.

The articles in this magazine are subject to copyright. No article may be used without the consent of the National Trust and the author.

Australian Council of National Trusts, PO Box 413, Campbell ACT 2612; admin@nationaltrust.org.au; www.nationaltrust.org.au For advertising rates, contact: admin@ nationaltrust.org.au

Printed by Blue Star Web, 83 Derby Street, Silverwater, NSW 2128 under ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems certification.

TRUST is published by the Australian Council of National Trusts (ABN 54 008 444 684) for National Trust members and subscribers. Issue 2 will be published in April, 2017.

ISSN: 1835-2316

WELCOME to the first issue of TRUST, a magazine devised to tell you about the wonderful work the National Trusts of Australia does around the country — we hope these pages increase your awareness and understanding of Australia’s heritage and lead to a commitment to it. And there are so many good stories to tell. From Andrew Batt-Rawden’s stay at Gallop House as composer in residence to the fight to preserve Windsor’s Thompson Square, they all reveal just how important the National Trust of Australia is to our cultural life.

There have been many highlights in this first issue. Who knew that Dame Enid Muriel Lyons loved to do her own wallpapering? We discover her domestic side at Home Hill in Tasmania’s Devonport on page 34 (and I’m still wondering how this accomplished woman managed to have 12 children and become the first woman in the House of Representatives).

But perhaps my favourite is At Home: Modern Australian Design, an exhibition of contemporary furniture at our oldest surviving public building, Parramatta’s Old Government House. The power of that juxtaposition of history and modernity is reminiscent of Milan Design Week and it’s a refreshing way of looking at our permanent collections.

And finally, the Last Word on page 102 goes to ‘domestic-archeo-anthropologist’ Franklin Vagnone who is challenging traditional heritage management. He recently stayed in two National Trust of Australia properties as part of his series of blog posts, One-Night Stands. “It is one of the things I love most about the One-Night Stands, that the sounds of conversation, laughter, and singing bounce around these tired old houses,” he writes about his night at Melbourne’s tiny Iron House. “There is a part of me that understands that these silent spaces yearn for the voices of people — these spaces want to feel useful again. Meaningful.”

Enjoy the issue.

Victoria Carey Editor-in-chief

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The Georgian furniture at Parramatta’s OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, our oldest surviving public building, was imported from England and India, or made from catalogues by CONVICT cabinetmakers.

This beautiful chair in Governor Macquarie’s office at Old Government House is actually a replica — the original is kept in the State Library of NSW. Until January 22, Sarah King’s ‘Wingback’ carbon chair will take up residence as part of the At Home: Modern Australian Design exhibition.

Contents Issue No. 1

Summer T RUST THE NAT IONAL TRUSTS OF AUSTRALIA magazine Issue No. 1 Summer $8.95

Launch Issue

The Outlander effect How a hit TV series revived SCOTLAND’S heritage tourism

PRIVATE LIVES Inside Prime Minister Joseph Lyons’s home

The fight for SA’s Martindale Hall

COVER STORY

24

What does the future hold for South Australia’s Martindale Hall?

Writer DARREN PEACOCK Photographer MARNIE HAWSON

Cover stories 34

PRIVATE LIVES Inside Prime Minister Joseph Lyons’ home

42

THE FIGHT FOR SA’S MARTINDALE HALL

68

OUTLANDER EFFECT How a hit TV series revived Scotland’s heritage tourism

OPPOSITE PAGE PHOTOGRAPH MICHAEL WEE THIS PAGE PHOTOGRAPHS KARA ROSENLUND/MARNIE HAWSON

Advocacy 10

THE GOOD FIGHT It may be on the State Heritage Register, but Windsor’s Thompson Square is under threat.

42

PARADISE LOST? Famed for its starring role in Picnic at Hanging Rock, Martindale Hall’s future is uncertain.

Art & Design 16

MODERN TIMES An exhibition of modern furniture in the Georgian surrounds of Parramatta’s Old Government House.

20

A BEAUTIFUL PAST The art of Arnhem Land’s Milingimbi community is explored at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Travel 24

HIGHWAY TO HISTORY Photographer and author Kara Rosenlund follows in the footsteps of Hamilton Hume on Highway 31 — and visits the famous explorer’s home Cooma Cottage.

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THE OUTLANDER EFFECT When Diana Gabaldon wrote the first of the Outlander books in 1991, she would not have predicted Scotland’s heritage tourism boom.

34 58

SECRET SIGNS Queensland’s Wolston Farmhouse sits on the Brisbane River but an intriguing new discovery has been revealed.

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TALES OF OLD The importance of volunteers at Alice Springs’ Hartley Street School Museum and the Stuart Town Gaol.

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PEOPLE POWER The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme’s important role in Australian history has been recognised by its inclusion to the National Heritage List.

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THE ESSENTIALS Twelve things you may not know about the James Cook Museum in Cooktown.

People 74

the first composer in residence at West Australia’s Gallop House.

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LYONS’ SHARE Step inside the Tasmanian home of former Prime Minister Joseph Lyons and his wife Dame Enid for a fascinating glimpse of their domestic life.

RESTORING LABASSA Not accessible to the public for a decade, Labassa’s magnificent tower will be unveiled in January after restoration work.

SCOTT’S JOURNEY Meet one of our leading volunteers — the multi tasking National Trust of Australia (ACT) president and treasurer Scott McAlister.

Books 84

EXTRACT: VOTES FOR WOMEN A book from the National Library of Australia that explores the history of women’s suffrage.

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ON THE SHELF History, cooking, decorating and craft — the best of the latest book releases.

Place 34

MAKING MUSIC We speak to Andrew Batt-Rawden,

Regulars 92 102

NEWS & EVENTS Your guide to keeping in touch with what the National Trust is doing around the country.

LAST WORD House museum anarchist Franklin D. Vagnone on his visit to Australia.

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We invite you to experience Wolston Farmhouse.

NationalTrust.org.au

,ŝƐƚŽƌŝĐĂůůLJ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂƐ tŽůƐƚŽŶ ,ŽƵƐĞ͕ ƚŚŝƐ EĂƟŽŶĂů dƌƵƐƚ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ ŝƐ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŽůĚĞƐƚ ĞdžŝƐƟŶŐ ƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƟĂů farmhouses in Brisbane. Its history is the story of ĐhanŐe on the frinŐes of the Đity ʹ from Ɖastoraůism to aŐriĐuůture anĚ ĚairyinŐ anĚ Įnaůůy to heritaŐe tourism.

Today’s Wolston Farmhouse captures the ambience of a tradiƟonal rural homestead, surrounded by paddocŬs of caƩle and ŬanŐaroos, the ǀiews stretch down to the tree-lined river banks and across the lands once part of this extensive estate.

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nũoy tea on the terrace, and a fascinaƟnŐ wander throuŐh the rooms and stalls as they once were. all ;ϬϳͿ ϱϱ3ϰ ϬϴϬ3 for addiƟonal informaƟon.

223 Grindle Road, Wacol.

contributors 50

Amy Richardson Amy, who penned our story on the Outlander TV series (page 68), hails from Western Australia but now works in London as a travel editor at Monocle. She enjoys exploring the architecture and history behind Europe’s heritage sites but always gets a pang of homesickness when she spots a eucalyptus in an unexpected city. “The more I travel, the more I realise what an incredible country Australia is.

It’s a relief to know the National Trust is preserving the important sites and collecting all the fascinating stories that make our cultural heritage so rich.”

Marnie Hawson

Anthony Basheer

Joanne Gambale

Steve Dow

This photographer from the Macedon Ranges, who has a special interest in the ethical and sustainable, went to Tasmania to shoot Home Hill (page 34) and had a “great adventure” shooting Martindale Hall (page 42). “It was a lovely meandering drive out from Adelaide, exploring the grandeur of the hall, and meeting the charismatic caretakers.” For Marnie, the National Trust is an “essential part of protecting our built heritage and ensuring these magnificent properties are maintained for the public to enjoy for a long time to come”.

Anthony Basheer turned to photography only five years ago after 20 years as a database analyst, and his creative outlet quickly became a strong skill set.

His is a considered, quiet and nostalgic sensibility, focusing on the built environment, interiors and landscape. “It was a privilege to be given the access and time to photograph Labassa (pictured, top, and page 50).

I think it’s important to present all buildings of this nature in a contemporary light.”

For Anthony, the National Trust represents hope.

Joanne has taken the freelance route after close to a decade at Vogue Living, and continues to pursue her love of design, whether in homes or on the runway. She wrote our story on the At Home design exhibition (page 16), a show close to her heart being under the curation of VL’s former editor David Clark, but also because it represents the balance of old and new ideals.

“I’m incredibly nostalgic for the great architectural and design eras of the past, but I think the National Trust champion the new dawn just as effectively.”

Sydney-based Steve Dow writes for The Saturday Paper, Guardian Australia and Art Guide. He’s reported on debates around arts funding and is impressed the National Trust sees its brief as much broader than preserving our built heritage, but also the nurturing and promotion of culture, such as collaborating on the Prelude composer-inresidence project (page 74). “We need the stability of heritage and foundation,” he says, “but art and culture is crucial to understanding the human condition and knowing we’re not alone.”

Patron His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Editor Victoria Carey Creative director Jo Quarmby Sub editors Leah Twomey, Jennifer Stackhouse, Joanne Gambale Writers Alex Speed, Amy Richardson, Claire Mactaggart, Darren Peacock, Hilary Burden, Ian Evans, Jennifer Stackhouse, Kara Rosenlund, Steve Dow Photographers Anthony Basheer, Kara Rosenlund, Liz Looker, Mark Roper, Marnie Hawson, Michael Wee Calendar and news editor Leah Twomey

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Thompson Square NSW A D V O C A C Y THIS PAGE: The Hawkesbury River runs through the town of Windsor. Settled in 1791, it’s the third-oldest settlement in Australia. OPPOSITE PAGE: Sydney-based heritage architect, and National Trust of Australia (NSW) board president, Dr Clive Lucas OBE advocates for the keeping of Windsor’s architectural treasures.

The GOOD FIGHT In the town of WINDSOR, northwest of Sydney, a small yet powerful group of protestors are working to save the historical bridge and town square’s long celebrated COLONIAL and ARCHITECTURAL heritage from a new highway. photographer MARK ROPER writer STEVE DOW

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A D V O C A C Y Thompson Square NSW

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he NSW Government’s plans to demolish an historic bridge over the Hawkesbury River at Windsor, 60 kilometres northwest of Sydney, and replace it with a two-lane bridge and major new roads and intersections risks harming colonial heritage, warns heritage architect and National Trust of Australia (NSW) board president, Dr Clive Lucas OBE. The adjacent Thompson Square, named as open public space in 1811 after local businessman and magistrate Andrew Thompson, boasts a large number of restored Georgian buildings, and the highest state protection in NSW, on the State Heritage Register.

Thompson’s rise from emancipated convict, having been transported to NSW colony for stealing cloth, is often cited as a foundational story in Australia’s ‘fair go’ mythology. Moves are underway to place an emergency order on the site under national heritage listing.

In the 1970s, Clive Lucas was commissioned by the then Cumberland County Council to do a study of Thompson Square. Over the next decade, the facades of nearly all the historic buildings were restored.

In 1988, the then NSW Premier, Nick Greiner, unveiled the square.

“Having done all this good work, the state government decided four or five years ago to route the new road right through the middle of the square,” says Lucas. “It will make the square impossible for people to enjoy. All these buildings are occupied; people are living in them. They’ll become almost unliveable because of the traffic.”

Typical of the elegant restorations is the two-storey brick Regencystyle building at 10 Bridge Street, constructed in 1856-7 for Dr Joshua Isaac Dowe and his family on what had been a portion of Andrew Thompson’s estate, using local cedar, hardwood and sandstone.

Significant other buildings include the School of Arts, the Moses store, Howe House and another called The Doctor’s House. The only facade that wasn’t restored was the 1815-built Macquarie Arms Hotel.

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“The council could never come to an agreement with the publican to do it, which was a tragedy, really,” says Lucas, remarking on the “wonderful” Georgian staircase inside. The hotel is “fantastically intact, it just needs a careful restoration”. The vibrations of passing traffic will impact sandstock brick originally laid in lime mortar, adds Lucas.

“It seems almost unbelievable that in 2016-17 we should be doing something like this when for at least 100 years this area has been fairly sacrosanct from a heritage point of view,” he says.

Meanwhile, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for more than three years, a group of committed residents have maintained a vigil at Thompson Square. In pairs, volunteering for four-hour shifts since July 2013, their plight is drawing greater support.

“There’s a lot of passion,” says the group’s roster clerk Harry Terry, aged 74. “A lot of people have seen the stupidity of the project.”

The traffic impact on the local community will be “catastrophic”, says Community Action for Windsor Bridge (CAWB) member Kate Mackaness, while from a heritage perspective “there is not a single expert in Australia that genuinely believes this is a good idea”.

The NSW Government wants to demolish Windsor Bridge, built in 1874 and the oldest crossing of the Hawkesbury, and replace it 35 metres downstream. NSW Roads and Maritime Services argues the “existing structure has deteriorated and no longer meets current road design standards”. There will also be new approach roads, intersections, traffic lights and roundabouts, as well as modifications to existing roads. The state’s Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Duncan Gay, says the NSW Government “takes the community feedback seriously” and is “committed to getting the balance right”.

But protesters say their concerns about plans to direct heavy traffic through the middle of the historic square are being ignored. They argue the existing bridge can be safely maintained and upgraded and a town bypass built.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The property known as The Doctor’s House, circa 1830; magnificent native trees; the entrance to the 1815-built Macquarie Arms Hotel; the historic properties of Windsor. OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT: 10 Bridge Street, the former home of Dr Joshua Isaac Dowe, built in 1856; in the 1970s, Dr Clive Lucas, pictured in front of the Georgian staircase of the Macquarie Arms Hotel, undertook a study of Thompson Square. Over the next decade, the facades of nearly all of the historic buildings were restored. Thompson Square enjoys the highest protection in NSW on the State Heritage Register.

A D V O C A C Y Thompson Square NSW

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A union green ban placed on the site cannot stop private construction companies employing non-union labour. Ironically, the NSW Government has used the site’s heritage significance to justify declaring the project to be significant state infrastructure.

“They have switched off the heritage protections of this square,” says Kate Mackaness. “They’re putting in a major arterial road down the eastern side of the square. They’re separating the historic buildings with a multi-lane road. They’re slicing [the square] in half.”

Graham Quint, advocacy manager at the National Trust NSW, says the bridge demolition is just part of the equation. “It’s basically the opposite of the bypass you would do to most historic towns, putting a major expressway through the middle of the town,” he says. “We can’t really work out what’s driving it.”

There is speculation, says Quint, that sandmining transport, whether by river or road, may be part of the project’s driving force.

Small sandstone remnants remain of the local wharf, designed by Australia’s first government architect, Francis Greenway. “You look at this place now and you can picture how it was,” says Quint. “You put an [expressway] across there, you won’t be able to do that any longer.”

The NSW Government is undertaking an archaeological dig of the site, but CAWB’s Kate Mackaness is concerned excavators are being used to cart sand off site for examination on the opposite side of the river, with no documentation to show brushes or tiny trowels are being used, thereby “destroying” future archaeology of the site where the local Aboriginal people, the Darug, once lived. “I can’t sleep over the archaeological techniques they’re using out there,” she says.

Could the political tide turn to suit the protesters? Public opposition is reflected in local political changes: in the 2016 federal election, the seat of Macquarie shifted from Liberal to Labor. Independents and Labor, who oppose the bridge rebuild, now dominate the previously Liberal-dominated Hawkesbury City Council. The next state election, however, is two years away. Notes CAWB’s Harry Terry, “Whether the political change comes soon enough is the critical issue.”

For more information, visit Community Action for Windsor Bridge website cawb.com.au; also National Trust at nationaltrust.org.au/nsw.

Working to save the historical buildings of Windsor, THIS PAGE, the Community Action for Windsor Bridge (CAWB) group has maintained a vigil at Thompson Square without break (taking turns in four-hour shifts) since July, 2013. OPPOSITE PAGE: Passionate CAWB protestors Noelene and John Lindop are concerned about NSW Government plans that may direct heavy traffic through the middle of the historic square thanks to new road plans as well as a new bridge.

Old Government House NSW E X H I B I T I O N

MODERN TIMES The unlikely union of CONTEMPORARY DESIGN and an architectural relic of Australia’s colonisation invites fresh perspective and a new wave of visitors to Parramatta’s OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE. photographer MICHAEL WEE writer JOANNE GAMBALE

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THIS PAGE: Exhibtion curator David Clark at Old Government House with Roxanne Fea, regional manager at the National Trust of Australia (NSW) for Western Sydney, next to Adam Goodrum’s folding ‘Stitch’ (2007) chair for Cappellini.

hen a watercolour painted around 1890 plops out of a 3D printer as an accurate representation in nylon plastic, the distance between old and new feels wide and close at once. The 3D-printed model of French-Australian artist Lucien Henry’s waratah-shaped decanter sketch was a commission from the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences to Vert studio in Sydney, and the result in soft white can be found at this summer’s At Home exhibition at Old Government House.

The National Trust is endeavouring to tell an old story in a new voice; exhibiting some of the most relevant Australian contemporary furniture, objects and art alongside the house’s collection of Georgian furniture, one of the strongest in the country. The choice of curator in David Clark, former editor of Vogue Living and always at the zeitgeist of Australian design, ensures exhibits that speak a suitably interesting language (and the occasional industry anecdote).

“Walking around the house it seemed an obvious show to me,” says Clark. “To put contemporary design in this interior — such an interesting context.”

He immediately recalled the 2011 inaugural exhibition by Broached Commissions on colonial Australia. “It’s the perfect fit for this house because it was about interpreting aspects of Australian colonial history through contemporary design.” From there, Clark drew on his infinite black book, contacting designers he respected, and borrowing the critical pieces that would be the core of the show, some from private collections.

“I wasn’t selecting things because they ‘fit’ or shared a theme but was mindful of the context of the house, the contrast between various pieces and the different rooms they would fit into,” he says. > Issue 1/Summer 2016 T R U S T

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“It’s a meeting point for two different worlds. The National Trust is all about the history, then you’ve got the design world that is all about the future. I was interested to see these two things cross over.”

Australian design has come far since Elizabeth Macquarie decreed their country residence in Parramatta be renovated in a provincial Georgian style, as per the architectural pattern books she had shipped from England. Georgian furniture was also imported from England or India, or made from catalogues by convict cabinetmakers.

“These were relatively meagre beginnings,” explains David. “It was just a semblance of civilisation.”

Among the early 19th-century cedar pieces will sit Marc Newson’s futuristic ‘Cone’ chair (1986), from his very first collection, in steel, aluminium and silk damask. A screen by Korban/Flaubert divides a modestly elegant room with its stainless steel geometric form, which appears to have just landed from outer space.

“The sometimes surprising placement of modern objects alongside the Georgian collection will help visitors see our house and its contents in new ways,” explains Roxanne Fea, regional manager at the National Trust of Australia (NSW) for Western Sydney.

“We’re really excited about seeing new audiences who have an interest in design but aren’t overly familiar with house museums and heritage properties,” says Fea. “It will create a new narrative with our established collection; not just in terms of aesthetics but also about how function and social behaviours have changed.”

Clark recognises the show’s impact beyond aesthetics: “I like the juxtaposition of contemporary against the historical. There’s a sort of optimism in contemporary Australian design and that’s a lovely quality — that sense of looking forward.”

Since this is at the start of a new wave of temporary exhibitions across the National Trust’s heritage sites, the sense of optimism is palpable.

Old Government House is at Parramatta Park, Pitt Street entrance, Parramatta, NSW. For more information, telephone (02) 9635 8149.

To buy tickets online, visit nationaltrust.org.au/event/at-home

“There’s a sort of optimism in CONTEMPORARY Australian design and that’s a lovely quality — that sense of looking forward” The Broached Colonial ‘Dream Lantern’ (2011) by Chen Lu sits on an antique chest in Old Government House.

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Old Government House NSW E X H I B I T I O N

1. Broached Colonial ‘Dream Lantern’ (2011)

by Chen Lu in brass, glass, timber, Marblo and LED, for Broached Commissions.

2. Broached Colonial ‘Prickly Lamp’ (2011)

by Lucy McRae in wood, brass, steel and 20,000 pieces of wood, hand-dyed with vegetable dye, for Broached Commissions.

3. ‘Waratah Decanter’

by Lucien Henry (1889-91); 3D-printed polymers made by Vert Design (2016).

Broached Colonial ‘Tall Boy’ (2011) by Charles Wilson in handcrafted blackwood with French polish finish, for Broached Commissions.

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EXHIBITION

‘Copper Ice Cream Scoops’ by Guy Keulemans in cast copper, tin and wax.

here are 60 pieces on display among the Georgian furniture of Old Government House for At Home: Modern Australian Design. At play here is curator David Clark’s intuition combined with the National Trust’s faith in that intuition, and the latter suggests there’s much to look forward to in the temporary exhibitions to come.

“It’s a challenge to weave modern design amongst a 200-year-old collection that manifests the day-to-day experiences of the governors who lived here,” says the National Trust’s Roxanne Fea. “David’s careful selection has helped us to honour those stories.”

Plucked from the work of some of Australia’s most revered contemporary designers, the range runs the gamut from copper ice-cream scoops by Sydney’s Guy

3 Keulemans to a three-metre table made for the exhibition by Fred Ganim in Melbourne.

When asked how he placed such pieces, Clark is quick to explain: “I don’t overintellectualise these things... it’s intuitive.”

One work that stands out for Clark is Tony Kenway’s ‘Signature Rocker’ in Queensland maple. “Tony’s more a master timber craftsman than a designer so his work is really about the craft of the hand,” says Clark.

“At first glance you might not know whether it’s a historical piece or contemporary so it sits in that in-between place.”

Another is an artwork by Joan Ross that references the era’s politics: a facsimile of the first land grant that Governor Macquarie wrote for an Aboriginal community in 1818, possibly written at Old Government House itself. “It’s a comment on the absurdity of providing a land grant to the land’s true owners,” he says, adding that he decided to hang it in Macquarie’s office.

It is expected the exhibits will elicit a similarly enthusiastic response from visitors, so there will be a special consignment gallery space of pieces made by some of the invited designers, on sale through Old Government House.

Broached Colonial ‘Briggs Family Tea Service’ (2011)

by Trent Jansen in slip-cast porcelain, bull kelp, wallaby pelt, copper and brass, for Broached Commissions.

Korban/Flaubert ‘Armour Screen’ (2012) in stainless steel.

“

David’s CAREFUL SELECTION has helped us to HONOUR those stories

“

AT HOME MODERN AUSTRALIAN DESIGN Until January 22, 2017

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A R T Milingimbi Arnhem Land

A beautiful

PAST A new exhibiton at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, ART FROM MILINGIMBI: Taking Memories Back, reveals the exquisite 1950s works of ARNHEM LAND’S Milingimbi community. writer CARA PINCHBECK

A selection of the incredible artworks of the Milingimbi small island community in Arnhem Land in far northern Australia, featured in Art from Milingimbi: Taking Memories Back, an exhibition at the Art Gallery NSW. THIS PAGE: Kutkut/Warrak (ceremonial headdress), unknown artist, worn in Makarrata ceremony, c1950s. OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT: Milka (teredo worms in the mangroves) by Djäwa, natural pigments on bark, c1950s, © Djäwa Estate; Birrkulda ceremony by Djäwa, natural pigments on bark, c1960, © Djäwa Estate.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this book contains images of, and written references to, people who have died.

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A R T Milingimbi Arnhem Land

PHOTOGRAPHERS: JENNI CARTER, AGNSW BRENTON MCGEACHIE, AGNSW CHRISTOPHER SNEE, AGNSW PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER: JIM DAVIDSON © MALCOLM DAVIDSON

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here are particular moments in the history of art when exceptional things happen: a certain alignment occurs, artists come together and their collaborative efforts and unique vision give rise to a distinct school of expression whose influence is keenly felt. Such a moment occurred in the 1950s on the small island of Yurriwi, more commonly known as Milingimbi, off the coast of Arnhem Land. Gathered in groups in the deep shade of the tamarind trees along the beach, artists of varying ages and experience worked alongside one another, their individual approaches and shared visual language resulting in a distinct style of painting of a quality and scale never before seen.

These artists — including Binyinyuwuy, Buranday, Dawidi, Dayngangan, Djäwa, Djimbarrdjimbarrwuy, Lipundja and Makani — created exquisite bark paintings with jewel-like surfaces that capture the complexities of land, sea, sky and cultural inheritance in the one seemingly abstracted image.

Beautifully painted in brilliant local pigments, the generally diminutive scale of these works belies the complexities they capture and the influence they had at the time on the appreciation of Aboriginal bark painting as art. These artists were not only painters; alongside their bark practice they made elaborate sculptures of varying materials, from paperbark figures bound with handmade string and boldly painted, to finely carved wooden objects adorned with intricate designs, tightly twined baskets of pandanus and delicate feathered forms, the origins of which lay in ceremony.

The creative endeavours of these men held manifold functions. Most importantly they enabled a representation of who they were as people — their cultural identity — in works the curator Wally Caruana has defined as ‘conceptualised self-portraits’, portraying not “the artist’s physical likeness but… their identities, which, in Aboriginal terms, are of greater significance”. The works are also a tangible celebration of the artists’ home countries and clan affiliations, capturing the dynamism of country, the unseen forces that have given form to the land and remain as an animating presence. Innately linked to this is the transmission of knowledge, as intimate details of the landscape are referenced along with a diversity of locations, environmental conditions and the shifting weather patterns of seasonal change. And, naturally, art allowed the expression of the singular vision of each artist. Within Milingimbi at this time art was a meaningful way to earn an income.

The particular history of Milingimbi greatly informed this flourishing artistic moment, for it TOP: Artist Dawidi at had long been a meeting place for Milingimbi, Arnhem the trade of valuable items. For Land, circa 1950. TOP centuries Macassan trepangers RIGHT: Dhawundu from Sulawesi visited its shores to (armband with pendants), unknown artist, c1950s. live and work with local Yolngu LEFT: Djeritmingin spirit people, collecting and harvesting the – Woolen River by abundant delicacy that then made Binyinyuwuy, natural pigments on bark, c1960, its way to Asia. The memory of this © Binyinyuwuy Estate. time remains, with the main source BELOW: Ceremonial of freshwater on the island being dugout canoe, unknown known as the Macassan Well, while artist, c1963. grand tamarind trees, brought by the Macassans, now line the beach.

Words have also been absorbed into Yolngu languages and Macassan customs have influenced cultural life.

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Wägilak sisters story – Wititj (olive python) by Dawidi, 1961, © Dawidi Estate; Gupapuyngu bathi (basket), attributed to Lipundja, c1950s, © Lipundja Estate; Banumbirr (morning star) by Binyinyuwuy, natural pigments on paper, 1948, © Binyinyuwuy Estate; Murayana (spirit) looking for guku (honey)

by Lipundja, c1950s, © Lipundja Estate.

This pattern of exchange informed the choice of Milingimbi as an appropriate site for the establishment of a mission in the early 20th century. Upon the arrival of missionaries, and subsequently anthropologists and sociologists among others, these systems continued, with Yolngu people trading local goods and handmade objects for commodity items.

This trade persisted during World War II, when Milingimbi became a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base and new systems of collaboration were established as Yolngu people worked with military staff.

While in other areas such systems of exchange were used to the extreme advantage of the visitors, the history in Milingimbi seems to be more equitable, with local people actively shaping the manner of these collaborations and controlling the nature of material disseminated from the community. This speaks of the advocacy of local people and a determined exertion of their rights, as well as the characters of those non-Indigenous people who played a major role in the history of the community and, significantly, appreciated the value of local people, culture and cultural practices.

When Reverend Edgar Wells and his family arrived at Milingimbi in 1949, this history of collaboration greatly informed the manner in which Yolngu people worked with him. Wells had been appointed by the Methodist Overseas Mission as the mission superintendent and, like one of his predecessors, Reverend Thomas Theodor ‘Ted’ Webb, he valued the preservation of Yolngu customs not deemed contradictory to the missionary way of life. Wells became fascinated by the art at Milingimbi and actively encouraged people to create artworks to sell to the mission, which were then distributed to the Methodist Overseas Mission shops.

Beautifully painted in BRILLIANT LOCAL PIGMENTS, the generally diminutive scale of these works belies the COMPLEXITIES they capture

Extract from Art from Milingimbi: Taking Memories Back by Cara Pinchbeck with Lindy Allen and Louise Hamby (Art Gallery of New South Wales, $39.95). The book is published in conjunction with an exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, on until January 29th. For more information, visit artgallery.nsw.gov.au.

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T R AVE L Highway 31 NSW

ON THE ROAD Photographer and storyteller KARA ROSENLUND leaves the city behind to follow one of the OLDEST HIGHWAYS IN AUSTRALIA, proving the old adage that it’s more about the journey than the destination. photographer and writer KARA ROSENLUND

A beaded chair and footstool at Riversdale, a former coaching inn now run by the National Trust of Australia, sit below an embroidered wall hanging made by Emily Twynam when she lived in the house. OPPOSITE: Heading down the Old Hume Highway for a drive.

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T R AVE L Highway 31 NSW

“Being behind the wheel and watching the landscape constantly changing is intoxicating”

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Approaching the front of Harper’s Mansion, Berrima; wattle in bloom beside the road; Kara Rosenlund loves nothing more than being behind the wheel out in the country; a road well travelled; the delicious offerings inside the Little Hand Stirred Jam Shop, Berrima; a display of handmade soaps at Bare Body Beauty Co, Berrima; late afternoon sunlight on the road near Gunning between Goulburn and Yass; pretty cherry blossom at Harper’s Mansion; the parlour at Harper’s Mansion.

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here’s something uplifting about a weekend drive.

It stirs the emotions and floods the senses with equal parts of nostalgia and freedom. It’s alluring to escape modern life and head out of town to explore, knowing there are endless possibilities ahead. Moments are frozen in time and every detail can be recalled because they meant something.

Driving makes me feel alive. Being behind the wheel and watching the landscape constantly changing is intoxicating.

I put the windows down and let the fragrances of the bush waft inside the car as I pass. Recently I delved deep within my inner explorer and hit one of my favourite travel routes for the weekend: the Old Hume Highway — Highway 31.

It made the trip even more thrilling to know that much of countryside followed the pioneering footsteps of colonial explorer and bushman Hamilton Hume, who struck out along this route in 1824. Hume was an Australian-born adventurer and his name is on every signpost that says Hume Highway.

Hume travelled with William Hovell and a party of six convicts.

These men were the first Europeans to traverse an overland route south from Appin near Sydney to Port Phillip, later to become Melbourne, Victoria.

The Old Hume is a ribbon of bitumen that snakes between Sydney and Melbourne, encompassing clusters of small historic towns, slices of iconic Australian landscape and glimpses of everyday rural life along its way. Highway 31 is more of a meandering scenic drive than its big ‘highway’ name might > Issue 1/Summer 2016 T R U S T

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suggest. It grew from a collection of zigzagging roads and tracks, morphing later into a roaring, thundering highway. The old highway sometimes joins the motorway, the dual carriage road that joins Sydney and Melbourne, but mostly it meanders from town to town through the countryside.

Between towns Highway 31 takes in a heavy dose of country Australia at an easy pace that embraces the leisure of a classic road trip. The old highway reveals an intimate and rare portrait of our country that the big, fast freeways deliberately hide away as they bypass towns and villages.

From family-run bakeries with vanilla slices piled up in the glass cabinets, to shops with their old wares spilling out onto the footpaths, the atmosphere of these towns feels familiar and honest.

I set out early to witness the magic of the bush at sunrise, heading off from misty Bowral in the picturesque Southern Highlands of New South Wales, heading for Hamilton Hume’s former residence Cooma Cottage in Yass (not Cooma, as one might suppose). The famous explorer lived here for more than 30 years after he ended his travels and decided to become a grazier and it’s one of the oldest surviving rural houses in Yass. I gave myself two days for the round trip as I wanted to call in to as many small towns as took my fancy and to visit two other intriguing National Trust properties along the way.

My first stop was Berrima, which is a sweet and romantic National Trust-listed village in the Southern Highlands. Widely recognised as the best example of a Georgian village in Australia, it is also home to Harper’s Mansion, a grand Georgian-style home >

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Highway 31 NSW T R AVE L

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Early morning mist along Highway 31 heading out of Berrima; the dovecote in the garden at Riversdale, Goulburn, home to the Twynam family for almost 100 years; the small wooden frame above the Victorian sofa was hand carved by Emily Twynam; dovecote and outbuildings at Riversdale; sheep grazing; a hand-carved wooden chair by Emily Twynam. THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: A walk in the beautiful gardens at Riversdale is sure to be a highlight of your visit; the Italianate post office building at Goulburn dates from 1880-81; the interior at Riversdale, Goulburn.

“Between towns Highway 31 takes in a heavy dose of country Australia at an easy pace that embraces the leisure of a classic road trip�

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T R AVE L Highway 31 NSW

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Cooma Cottage, Yass; a dirt road heads towards Cooma Cottage and begs further exploration; the sitting room at Cooma Cottage with a portrait of Hamilton Hume above the fireplace. He lived here from 1840 until his death in 1873.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A sculpture exhibit in a gallery at Cooma Cottage; Hamilton Hume portrait, Cooma Cottage; 70km to Yass but plenty to see along the way; the heritage neon sign atop the Commercial Hotel, Yass; an interior at Cooma Cottage; these rolling hills and paddocks are the view enjoyed from Cooma Cottage.

“I gave myself two days for the round trip as I wanted to call in to as many small towns as took my fancy”

built by James and Mary Harper in 1834, just after Berrima was gazetted in 1831. Before visiting Harper’s Mansion I stopped for a wander through Berrima. This village has retained its historic charm but can also turn on a good coffee and has plenty of shops to browse. Harper’s Mansion is not far from the centre of Berrima.

The two-storey brick and sandstone house is nestled in expansive grounds with beds of heritage roses and a large and thriving produce garden alongside an enchanting yet confusing hedge garden maze — one of the largest in Australia. I thought I wouldn’t escape the maze but finally found my way out and back to my car to hit the road for Goulburn, my next stop.

From Berrima I headed down the Old Hume to the home of the Big Merino. Goulburn’s giant concrete ram is testament to the area’s fine wool industry, but I was headed to the estate of Riversdale, a former coaching inn and now National Trust property.

The generous grounds of Riversdale include rambling outbuildings and beautiful abundant gardens carefully restored by volunteers. Edward Twynam, who was New South Wales Surveyor-General from 1887 to 1890, bought Riversdale in 1873.

Edward died in 1923 but the property remained in the family until 1967, near a hundred years later.

Today a historic house museum, it is still decorated by sketches, embroideries and botanical-themed, carved wooden furniture pieces made by Edward Twynam’s pioneering wife Emily.

Alongside these handcrafted pieces, the estate also has a fine collection of Australian colonial furniture and the cafe does a wonderful Devonshire tea.

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T R AVE L Highway 31 NSW Beaming with happiness at the chance to be at one with the road, I continue my drive down the Yass Valley Way, as this particular stretch of Highway 31 is named, basking in the flared afternoon light. Gentle green hills roll across the horizon and grazing sheep dot the landscape. Although I was heading for Hume’s Cooma Cottage at Yass, there was no sense of urgency to quell my desire to stop along the way and take photographs.

That is the beauty of a road trip: there is nothing quite like slowing life down and letting the country into the soul, to appreciate the easier way of life.

There was time to enjoy the rural scenery, nose down quiet dirt tracks, poke about in Yass before turning into into the driveway of my final destination.

Cooma Cottage is a low-lying building, well settled in its landscape. It’s not grand but seems homely, well-loved and welcoming.

As I wander through the old cottage, I finally come face to face with Hume the man, with his portraits hung above the fireplaces in both the dining and sitting room. He lived out his life here at this cottage, no doubt enjoying the gentle landscape himself.

To see more of Kara’s travels, follow her on instagram @kararosenlund. If you’d like to help us to protect the special places you have seen in the magazine, then donate today.

Visit www.nationaltrust.org.au/donate/

Where to eat, shop and stay DIRTY JANES, BOWRAL No trip to Bowral is, well, a trip to Bowral without a visit to Dirty Janes Antiques, a huge emporium of more than 75 dealers selling the gamut of antiques and vintage.

315-17 Banyette Street; www.dirtyjanes.com

THE POTTING SHED, BOWRAL Recently reopened after renovations, this nursery and purveyor of vintage gardenalia is located at the back of Dirty Janes, and now has another retail offering: The Green House sells plants, candles and gifts. The Green House, 247 Argyle Street, Moss Vale, 0419 154 860, www.thepottingshedbowral.com.au

SALLY BERESFORD, MOSS VALE Doyenne of country interiors and antiques Sally Beresford has created a shopping destination with her range of bespoke, locally handcrafted furniture within the historic Produce Store on the Mount Ashby Estate Winery. 128 Nowra Road, (02) 4869 4144; sallyberesford.com.au

ESCHALOT, BERRIMA Fine dining in a heritage-listed sandstone cottage with a menu as classically refined as its decor. 24 Old Hume Highway, (02) 4877 1977; www.eschalot.com.au

BENDOOLEY ESTATE, BERRIMA The estate is home of the iconic Berkelouw Book Barn. Lunch on the deck or enjoy a glass of local wine at the cellar door.

3020 Old Hume Highway, (02) 4877 2235; www.bendooleyestate.com.au.

PARAGON CAFE, GOULBURN This 70-year-old cafe is an institution. If you enjoy milk bars with mirrored walls, booths and good old-fashioned service you won’t go wrong. 174-176 Auburn Street, (02) 4821 3566; www.paragoncafe.com.au

GOULBURN ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES STORE This family-run business is a treasure trove of antiques plus interesting vintage pieces ranging from old signage to fine bone china.

14 Hume Street, 0422 506 409

THE GLOBE INN, YASS For some country glamour, stay in this boutique Georgian guesthouse — the Mediterranean garden room with wood fire and bath is particularly lovely. 70 Rossi Street, (02) 6226 3680; www.theglobeinn.com.au

BARE BODY BEAUTY CO, BERRIMA Pamper yourself at this all-natural, organic skincare store. Shop 5, The Gazebo, 117 Old Hume Highway, 0410 436 743; www.barebodybeauty.com

CLEMENTINE RESTAURANT, YASS A new restaurant impressing the critics with its homegrown ethos and sense of restraint.

104 Meehan Street, (02) 6226 3456; www.clementinerestaurant.com.au

SURVEYOR-GENERAL INN Built by the same 19th stonemasons who constructed the nearby Court House, this heritage inn is Australia’s oldest continually licensed hotel. Old Hume Highway, (02) 4877 1226; www.surveyorgeneralinn.com.au

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: Bare Body Beauty Co, Berrima; the crowded counter at Clementine Restaurant, Yass; an enticing collection of old wares spills onto the pavement outside the Goulburn Antiques & Collectables Store; coffee stop at Berrima General Store & Cafe; time for lunch at Clementine Restaurant; Berrima General Store & Cafe on the Old Hume Highway, Berrima. OPPOSITE: The historic Surveyor General Inn, Berrima was established in 1834.

LYDIE DU BRAY ANTIQUES Find exquisite French antiques here, as well as in the attached barn and parterre garden.

117 Old Hume Highway, Braemar, (02) 4872 2844; www.antiquesonconsignment.com.au

WHERE TO EAT, SHOP AND STAY WORDS ALEX SPEED

HOW TO DRIVE HIGHWAY 31 This stretch of Highway 31 is the basis for a heritage drive south from Sydney.

For those wanting to venture further afield, or drive north from Melbourne, there are downloadable maps of the Old Hume Highway, Highway 31. To download History Begins with a Road, which includes detailed road maps and historic information, visit www. oldhumehighway31.com.au

VISITOR DETAILS Check the opening times at these three National Trust properties just off the Old Hume Highway at www.nationaltrust.org.au.

Harper’s Mansion, 9 Wilkinson Street, Berrima, (02) 4877 1508; Riversdale, 2 Twynam Drive, Goulburn, (02) 4821 4741; Cooma Cottage, 756 Yass Valley Way, Marchmont, (02) 6226 1470.

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H O U S E Home Hill Tasmania

LYONS’S SHARE Once the family home of 1930s AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER Joseph Lyons and his wife Dame Enid Lyons, HOME HILL remains exactly as the widow Enid left it in 1981. Celebrating its centenary this year, the property, overlooking the town of DEVONPORT in Tasmania, may well be one of the state’s best-kept secrets. photographer MARNIE HAWSON writer HILARY BURDEN

Joseph and Enid Lyons built their weatherboard home in 1916 and first called it The Orchard after the fruit trees that grew on the hill overlooking Devonport and Bass Strait. Later known as Home Hill, the property has been maintained by the local Devonport City Council and the National Trust since 1981.

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ain bucketed down last spring when Devonport’s Home Hill celebrated its centenary with a traditional Sunday garden fete, but it didn’t matter to the children who ran through the garden, playing games organised by the local mayor. The turn-out was a measure of how connected the community is to what was the family home of former Prime Minister Joseph Lyons (1932-39) and his wife Dame Enid Lyons.

Visitors to Home Hill, tucked away beside the Bass Highway in Devonport, are reminded of a more peaceful and serene past. Since opening to the public in 1982, property manager Ann Teesdale says almost every visitor is overwhelmed by the significance of the property and collection, and suggests it is one of Tasmania’s best-kept secrets.

Home was everything for Dame Enid: it’s where she raised her large family as well as developed a commonsense political philosophy.

In her parliamentary maiden speech as Australia’s first woman elected to the House of Representatives, Dame Enid was inspired by the words of King George V as he neared the end of his reign: “The foundation of a nation’s greatness is in the homes of its people.”

Dame Enid was married to the only Tasmanian-born Prime Minister Joe Lyons from the age of 17 (he was 35) to his death in office in 1939. The island state’s first power couple built their family home in 1916 in an orchard with sea views overlooking the northern Tasmanian coastal town of Devonport. Dame Enid lived here as a widow, and mother to 11 surviving children, until her death in 1981.

Now managed jointly by Devonport City Council and the National Trust of Australia (Tasmania), Home Hill hosted its centenary in October.

Manager Ann Teesdale says, “As one of only three prime minister’s houses in public hands [along with the Curtin family home in Perth and the Chifley’s Bathurst home], Australia is lucky to see the remaining property of 1.6 hectares preserved.”

Home Hill Tasmania H O U S E THIS PAGE: The Wedgwood Room, named after the wallpaper, was once the master bedroom but became Joe’s office when he was prime minister. OPPOSITE PAGE,TOP: In the Blue Room, French doors open on to the garden.

A once much-used radio cabinet sits against the wall. OPPOSITE PAGE, BELOW: Ornaments are a blend of Enid’s favourite pieces and State gifts from Joe’s time in office.

When the Lyons’s late son Brendan opened HOME HILL to the public in 1982, he said it should serve as a REMINDER “not of her or him but of THEIR LIFE TOGETHER”

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A view inside the Home Hill library shows Enid’s skill at upholstery and soft furnishings — she made all her own cushions and covered chairs herself.

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Home Hill Tasmania H O U S E

When asked how she found time to be a member of PARLIAMENT and raise 11 children on her own...

Dame Enid replied, “I just use all my ODDMENTS OF TIME”

Ann says the former head of state’s home relies on community volunteers who show pride in maintaining both homespun and worldly treasures “as if the couple had just left the room”. When the Lyons’s late son Brendan opened Home Hill to the public in 1982, he said it should serve as a reminder “not of her or him but of their life together”. Two of Joe and Enid’s grandchildren, Alison Richardson and Chris Lacey, children of their eldest daughter Sheila, serve as volunteers to this day.

Despite the connections the couple made with royalty and world leaders, Home Hill brought them back to a sense of themselves, as northwest coasters from humble homes. Soon after World War II was declared in 1939, Dame Enid advised garden lovers to keep their gardens and to grow flowers to take their minds off depressing subjects of the moment. She believed gardens were an outlet for the stress and anxiety of those dark days. “Gardening,” she said, “brings heart’s ease.”

The garden played an integral part in life at Home Hill for the Lyons family. Every room in the house has a window allowing a peek into a special part of the garden. An article and photograph appeared in the Australian Women’s Weekly in 1937 showing Joe Lyons, PM, at home with his shirt sleeves rolled up, happily pruning his favourite rhododendron, ‘Pink Pearl’. Dame Enid loved to share her garden with visitors and they often left with cuttings of plants.

Like many Australians who lived during wartime, Dame Enid was immensely adept at handiwork, from upholstering her own furniture and lampshades to painting landscapes, fresco-style, on a bedroom wall, to making paving out of stones collected on the property. “She was extraordinarily talented at a great many things,” says Ann. French doors that open from the Blue Room on to the garden were rarely closed, and Dame Enid installed a blue neon strip light above the doors to continue the mood into the garden at night. “She even enjoyed turning old doorways into display cabinets,” says Ann, “using all her own timberwork. She did all her own wallpapering, too.”

When asked how she found time to be a member of parliament, raise 11 children on her own, and do all the home and garden decorating, Dame Enid replied, “I just use all my oddments of time.”

A highlight of the tour of Home Hill is the Wedgwood Room, originally the master bedroom where Dame Enid had the window lowered so she could lie in bed and look out to sea. When Joe became PM, it became his office. Today, it is a fascinating reminder of his powerful life in Canberra. A visitors’ book contains the signatures of Harold Holt and Robert Menzies, as well as the English cricket team.

It was from this room the PM had a radio connection through the ABC network so he could transmit news to the nation. An extract from one of Joe’s speeches is framed on the wall: “Honesty is, in the long run, always the best policy. It is the only policy for Australia if we wish to maintain our solvency, to preserve our honour and retain our selfrespect. I am a plain man and I have spoken plainly what is in my heart.”

Dining room display cabinets and cupboards reveal a collection of memorabilia, both family and high office. There’s a tea set Joe bought for his mother from his first adult pay; the Bible Joe was sworn in on as PM; and an embellished invitation to the Coronation luncheon for George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Dame Enid attended two coronations and as Dame Grand Cross of the British Empire, held the highest honour outside British royalty.

Matthew Smithies, managing director of National Trust of Australia (Tasmania), says there’s a great honesty about a visit to Home Hill.

“It’s a place that clearly shows Joe and Enid Lyons were extraordinary people and also very ordinary people,” he says. “It’s rare that you gain such a personalised glimpse into the lives of public leaders.”

Home Hill, 77 Middle Road, Devonport, is open for tours Wednesday to Sunday. Telephone (03) 6424 8055 for bookings. To help us to continue to protect special places, donate today. Go to www. nationaltrust.org.au/donate/

Home Hill Tasmania H O U S E

THIS PAGE: Enid’s bedroom, where her ingenuity and thrift matched bedhead with wallpaper (although fading now). She even hand painted the door detail to match the knob.

OPPOSITE PAGE: In this, one of many bedrooms, Enid chose the paint colours and painted a large tree on the wall. In one spot you can see where she drew a branch to conceal a crack in the plaster.

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P A R A D I S E

L O S T ?

MARTINDALE HALL in South Australia is one of the country’s most sublime colonial 32-roomed Georgian manor house sitting proudly in a pastoral setting carved from the photographer MARNIE HAWSON writer DARREN PEACOCK

Martindale Hall SA A D V O C A C Y

buildings. It is also one of the most IMPROBABLE. The story of this ďŹ nely styled, Australian bush is like no other. Now, its future HANGS IN THE BALANCE.

Exterior view of Martindale Hall, a grand residence built in 1879-1880 for pastoralist Edmund Bowman.

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A D V O C A C Y Martindale Hall SA

“Immortalised in the classic 1975 film directed by Peter Weir, PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, the Hall faces an UNCERTAIN future”

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ocated in the picturesque Clare Valley of South Australia, 130 kilometres north of Adelaide, Martindale Hall is one of Australia’s iconic 19th century mansions. Immortalised in the classic 1975 film directed by Peter Weir, Picnic at Hanging Rock, the Hall faces an uncertain future as the South Australian government considers selling the property to private investors.

The National Trust of South Australia is leading a campaign to prevent the privatisation of the Hall and its conversion into an exclusive luxury resort. The Trust has submitted its own plan to create a major heritage-based tourism attraction to ensure the Hall remains in public hands and accessible to all.

The story of Martindale Hall begins in Cumbria in northern England, the home from at least the 15th century to the Bowman family. Edmund Bowman served as steward for the Hasell family on the Dalemain estate near Askham in the late 1700s. In 1829 his son, John Bowman, and family left Cumbria for Van Diemen’s Land.

John’s eldest son, who was also Edmund, was just 11. Nearly a decade later in 1838, Edmund was to be sent from Van Diemen’s Land to investigate prospects in the new settlement of South Australia.

The family was impressed by the opportunities of the fledgling colony and was established on pastoral runs north of Adelaide early in the 1840s. Their runs included the land later named Martindale after a valley near Dalemain. It was here the Hall would be built.

Edmund married Elizabeth Hackney in 1854 and Edmund Junior was born in 1855. Tragically, Edmund Senior drowned in 1866 when Edmund Junior was just 11 years old. Despite this loss, the Bowman family prospered in the boom decades of the 1870s and 1880s.

Edmund Bowman Junior travelled to the UK to study at Clare College in Cambridge and visit his ancestral home around Askham and Dalemain. It is here he found inspiration for Martindale Hall.

According to one account, Edmund sought to win the heart of the unmarried Frances Hasell of Dalemain, vowing to woo her to Australia with the promise of a home there to rival her own. The plans for Martindale Hall, which Bowman had drawn up in London by architect Ebenezer Gregg, bear a strong resemblance to the Georgian symmetry and proportions of Dalemain. However, Frances never saw Martindale Hall. It is believed she rejected Bowman’s proposal for another, which later fell through. Frances spent the rest of her life, unmarried, at Dalemain.

Bowman returned to South Australia in 1878 and construction of Martindale Hall began the following year. It was completed in 1880 at a cost equivalent to more than $5 million today. The Hall and its grounds, featuring a polo field, boating lake, cricket pitch and extensive gardens, were testament to the success of early Australian pastoralists.

However by the end of the 1880s, drought had brought the wool

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industry to a crisis. After overextending themselves, the Bowmans were forced to relinquish Martindale Hall in a fire sale of assets in 1891.

William Ranson Mortlock acquired the property and it remained in the Mortlock family for the next 80 years. The Mortlocks also enjoyed prosperous times at Martindale Hall. John Andrew Tennant Mortlock succeeded his father in 1913. In 1948 he married Dorothy Beach, but sadly, died just two years later.

In his will, Mortlock bequeathed 400 acres (around 160 hectares) of farmland and the Hall to the University of Adelaide and the Libraries Board of South Australia, while providing a life interest in the estate to his widow Dorothy Mortlock. After her death in 1979 the Hall came under the exclusive management of the University of Adelaide. The University’s plans for using it as a conference centre proved unsuccessful and after negotiation it was resolved that the Hall and 19.5 hectares of land would be passed to the South Australian government in trust for the people of South Australia.

Beside the Hall is a plaque that states the intention for the transfer of property. Cast in bronze so it would be remembered in the future are the following words: ‘In the State’s sesquicentenary year, 1986, the University gave Martindale Hall to the Government in trust for the people of South Australia, to ensure its preservation as a place of heritage significance.’

For 30 years the Hall has been managed as a museum and bed and breakfast. In 2014 the government ran an expression of interest process for the future management of the Hall and grounds. Since that failed to produce a new plan, its future has been in doubt.

Last year the government received an unsolicited bid to turn the Hall into an exclusive private resort. Despite overwhelming public opposition, the government has not revealed its intentions.

The National Trust is leading a campaign to keep the Hall for the people as intended by the Mortlock bequest and in the transfer from the University with an exciting proposal to create a world-class heritage-based tourism attraction along the lines of National Trust properties in the UK and Sovereign Hill in Victoria. Plans include a heritage orchard and adventure ground, horse-drawn carriage rides, as well as a dynamic exhibition space to showcase national and international heritage collections.

We need your help to ensure Martindale Hall is not sold and is kept for all Australians to enjoy for all time. You can show your support for keeping Martindale Hall for the people by emailing martindalehall@nationaltrustsa.org.au or by visiting our Facebook page www.facebook.com/sharethelovemartindalehall/. Find out more at www.nationaltrust.org.au/sa/martindalehall. Martindale Hall is open to the public every day (except Tuesdays), 11am−4pm.

Dr Darren Peacock is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Trust of South Australia.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: The grand staircase is made from Tasmanian blackwood and oak and was hand carved on site; the first floor landing is adorned with portraits; Martindale Hall’s entry hall has coffered ceilings and parquetry floor. The 5-metre high ceilings create a cool oasis from the summer heat. Fifty English tradesmen took nearly two years to build the Hall; some of the many treasures in the Hall; the dining room; a chaise longue in the entrance hall. Most of the furniture was bought in England and arrived in Port Adelaide on April 6, 1880, on the ship India.

Martindale Hall was completed in 1880 at a cost equivalent to more than $5 MILLION today THIS PAGE: The smoking room is elaborately decorated with collections of artefacts covering the walls. They were assembled by John Mortlock on his travels and include items from Africa, Asia and New Guinea.

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Martindale Hall SA A D V O C A C Y

A D V O C A C Y Martindale Hall SA

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Bulter’s servery — it is thought up to 14 servants once worked at Martindale Hall so the family had someone on call 24 hours a day; a wall in the smoking room displaying primitive weapons and tools collected by John Mortlock; this grand coach house once housed Edmund Bowman’s polo ponies and the property also had its own polo field — Edmund is regarded as the man who introduced polo to South Australia; the table in the magnificent billard room weighs about 1.5 tonnes.

Imported from England, it was made from English slate not Mintaro as many believed; a painting of much-loved dogs; one of the many bedrooms.

OPPOSITE: A comfortable and quiet corner set for tea.

Labassa

RESTORED Step through the front door of Melbourne’s LABASSA and step back into the OPULENCE of the late 19th century. Now its restored tower is about to be unveiled. photographer ANTHONY BASHEER writer JENNIFER STACKHOUSE

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Labassa Victoria H O U S E

THIS PAGE: The stairwell at Labassa Mansion, in Melbourne’s Caulfield North, is a gracious ascent to the first floor bedrooms. The Rottman Strome wallpaper is believed to date from the 1890 refurbishment, while the niche light dates to the Watson family’s occupation from 1904. OPPOSITE PAGE: The Louis XV décor of the entrance hall dates to the 1890 refurbishment.

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oday, Labassa is surrounded by suburbia, but in the late 1880s when it was remodelled into the grand two-storey, 35-roomed mansion it is now, it was set on 15 acres (six hectares) with extensive outbuildings and gardens.

The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) bought the property at public auction in 1980, helped by a generous donation from Australian business corporation Alcoa. Since then Labassa has been a work in progress as the ornate decoration, the structure and, more recently, the garden and tower are put to rights.

Heritage-listed Labassa was the family home of several leading Victorian families including Alexander William Robertson, a Canadian and partner in the Cobb and Co. coach company.

It was Robertson who commissioned architect John A.B. Koch to redesign and enlarge the house in the 1880s and who also changed the property’s name from ‘Sylliott Hill’ to ‘Ontario’.

The rebuilding took two years — from 1889 to 1890 — and employed teams of local craftsmen to produce the magnificent French Second Empire-style mansion. The lavish interior decorations that survive today include the trompe l’oeil ceiling decoration above the stairwell, stained glass, ornate fireplace surrounds, lavish wallpaper and mouldings.

‘Ontario’ was renamed ‘Labassa’ in 1904 by its new owner John Boyd Watson II. Watson changed wallpaper and paint colours in some rooms but retained much of the home’s opulent late-Victorian decoration. The estate was subdivided in 1913.

In the 1920s the mansion was purchased by real estate agent Stanley Sargeant and partitioned into flats. Despite being tenanted for more than 60 years, much of the decoration was untouched and has been restored and repaired. >

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Labassa Victoria H O U S E THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: Labassa was remodelled in the late 19th century to create this vast 35-roomed mansion, which once sat on six hectares of landscaped grounds; the master bedroom, first floor. The light fitting dates from the 1950s. OPPOSITE PAGE: Part of an elaborate arch decoration.

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Labassa Victoria H O U S E

‘Ontario’ was renamed ‘LABASSA’ in 1904 by its new owner John Boyd Watson II THESE PAGES, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The billiard room’s Corinthian columns are iron but clad with wood and decorated with an acanthus leaf design.

The original 1890s wallpaper survives; the billiard room; the elaborate painted ceiling in the billiard room; the east bay window in the billiard room; a Rococo fireplace in the boudoir. The embossed paper dado has alternating panels of birds and dragonfly motif in a Japanese style; the hallway’s painted ceiling.

H O U S E Labassa Victoria

The MAGNIFICENT two-storey, slate-roofed TOWER has views across Melbourne CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP: The elaborately carved Rococo fireplace in the drawing room and a glimpse of the western bay window; the entrance hall ceiling is painted with dragons, arabesques and architectural motifs; the entrance looking towards the front door. It has Rottman Strome wallpaper and a Lincrusta Walton dado; the western bay window in the drawing room. OPPOSITE PAGE: Looking up in the drawing room reveals a painted scheme on the ceiling thought to date from the early 20th century.

After more than 30 years of ownership by the National Trust, restoration work at Labassa continues. The most recent work — the restoration of the tower — will be unveiled on January 19th (as part of a special event being held at the house called ‘Private Lives at Labassa Mansion’) before it is opened to the public. The tower has not been accessible for more than a decade due to its unsafe conditions.

The magnificent two-storey, slate-roofed tower has views across Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay extending along the coast and across to the mountains. It was built in 1873 when the house was extended from a modest eight-roomed dwelling to one with 20 rooms. Originally open, the tower was enclosed in the 1889-90 redesign of the house.

During its most recent restoration the tower was repaired, re-plastered and repainted inside and out with special care taken not to destroy evidence of its occupational history, including that of its colourful tenants.

Labassa’s front and rear gardens have also had a revival in recent years. Three years ago it was restored to reflect the style of the 1890s garden. The sweeping gravel drive to the front entrance has been re-instated, while myrtle hedging and plantings of palms, cedar and magnolia complete the picture and give the house a sympathetic period setting.

Labassa is at 2 Manor Grove, Caulfield North, Victoria. Private Lives at Labassa Mansion is on January 19, 7pm-9pm. For bookings, visit www.nationaltrust.org.au/event/private-lives-at-labassa-mansion and for general opening hours, www.nationaltrust.org.au.

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Tiny HEXAFOIL markings recently discovered at WOLSTON FARMHOUSE near Brisbane provide an intriguing insight into the property’s 160-year HISTORY. photographer KARA ROSENLUND writer IAN EVANS

OPPOSITE: The long verandah at Wolston Farmhouse offers a cool retreat from the Queensland sun. The main section of the house was built in 1852 and extended in sandstone in 1860. THIS PAGE: Recently discovered hexafoils inscribed on a doorframe of Wolston Farmhouse to ward off evil spirits.

H O U S E Wolston Farmhouse Queensland

taff at the National Trust of Australia (Queensland) made a remarkable find recently when assisting a television production crew at Wolston Farmhouse.

During a break from filming, a staff member sat on a step at the entrance to the parlour. Her eye was caught by a mark low down on the frame of the French doors. Closer investigation revealed that it was a symbol known as a hexafoil.

A hexafoil is a small circular symbol inscribed into the fabric of early buildings. It is there to provide protection from malevolent spirits. These marks shine a light on the ancient beliefs of those building or living in these dwellings. They believed that the underworld, a place where malevolent spirits roamed, existed everywhere and occasionally provided opportunities to inflict harm on human beings who lived in houses without protection.

The use of hexafoils can be traced back to the northern hemisphere. It seems the ritual accompanied British people on the long journey to the other side of the world. They are widely found in old buildings in England and appear also on the exterior wall of the chapel in the Crusader castle of Krak des Chevaliers in Syria. This symbol is reliably dated to before 1272 but its origins are lost in antiquity.

Hexafoils have been found elsewhere in Australia and are associated with early 19th century buildings. There are hexafoils in the great stables at Shene, near Pontville in Tasmania and at Redlands near New Norfolk, also in Tasmania. >

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Since the initial discovery of the HEXAFOILS at the entrance to the parlour, several more have been found in the building

A portrait of original owner Dr Stephen Simpson presides over the sideboard in the dining room.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: The shady verandah; a collection of late 19th- and early 20th-century kitchen utensils; a table arranged for cooking; a laden dresser and table in the kitchen.

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H O U S E Wolston Farmhouse Queensland

The ‘Grindle Room’, one of the main living spaces, is furnished with pieces from the late 19th and early 20th century. The collection at Wolston is not originally from the property, although some pieces are associated with those who lived in the house or on the estate before it was acquired by the National Trust in 1965. OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP: French doors open out from the drawing room; the main bedroom.

These symbols have also been found at Wandiligong in rural Victoria and in homes in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood.

The Wolston find is the first in Queensland.

Since the initial discovery of the hexafoils at the entrance to the parlour, several more have been found in the building. The smallest yet discovered in Australia, they measure a mere 22mm in diameter and are positioned just 32mm, 43mm and 815mm from floor level. The tiny circular marks on the door frame leading into the older part of Wolston hint at a time of trouble and pain in the history of one of Queensland’s oldest houses.

Placed at points of entry to a building, as they are here, they were intended to warn off evil spiritual beings who might be tempted to enter and do harm to the people of a house.

HISTORY OF WOLSTON

Wolston was built by Dr Stephen Simpson, a surgeon and Commissioner of Crown Lands, who purchased 640 acres (259 hectares) in 1851 at £1 per acre. The original building consisted of four rooms with a combined parlour and dining room, bedroom upstairs and a cellar that housed the kitchen and laundry. After its completion in 1852, someone added the hexafoils.

Back in 1852 there was no such place as Queensland. Wolston and the whole of what became the state of Queensland in 1859 was still part of New South Wales — Simpson was an agent of that state. The house he built was gradually extended and subsequently owned by several farming families, including Matthew Buscall Goggs, Robert and Eliza Grindle, and the Hurley family. The National Trust of Australia (Queensland) acquired the property in 1965 and opened it to the public four years later.

A NEW CHAPTER

Known throughout much of its history as Wolston House, this National Trust property at Wacol is today called Wolston Farmhouse. It is one of the oldest farmhouses remaining in Brisbane and its history is significant. It tells the story of change on the fringes of the city — from pastoralism to agriculture and dairying, and finally to heritage tourism. After Stephen Simpson constructed the earliest portions, Wolston was extended during the 19th century and was still occupied as a farmhouse until the 1960s. It quickly fell into disrepair and was rescued from demolition by the National Trust of Australia (Queensland) .

Renovations have recently been underway at the property.

Today there’s a new visitor welcome point, improved wheelchair access and an enhanced cafe on the deck. In early 2017 the opening hours at Wolston Farmhouse will be extended. The property will be open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am–4pm, to allow better visitor access. Wolston Farmhouse is set to become the place to enjoy a farmhousestyle morning coffee or afternoon tea while drinking in the history at this significant rural oasis so close to the cities of Brisbane and Ipswich. Jonathan Fisher, Chief Executive Officer, National Trust of Australia (Queensland)

Wolston Farm is at 223 Grindle Road, Wacol, Queensland. For more information, visit www.nationaltrust.org.au/places/wolston-house/ Architectural historian and author Ian Evans is looking for more Australian sites where hexafoils and other evil–averting marks are found. He can be contacted on 0455 173 456 or by email at evansthebook@gmail.com Issue 1/Summer 2016 T R U S T

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TALES of OLD ALICE SPRINGS’ intriguing old jail and tiny school are among the NATIONAL TRUST sites that rely on local volunteers to have their fascinating stories told. photographer MICHAEL WEE producer/writer CLAIRE MACTAGGART

Alice Springs NT P L AC E When visiting National Trust of Australia sites in Alice Springs, there’s plenty more to add to the itinerary. Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell Ranges, just 18 kilometres out of town, is a popular destination. It’s a spiritual site for the Arrernte people. OPPOSITE PAGE: Alice Springs’ Stuart Town Gaol in is the oldest building in town.

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A mural behind the Stuart Town Gaol depicts the history and aspects of law and order in central Australia. It was painted in 1995 by Bob Kessing of Desert Graphics along with Kaye Kessing, Julie Burdis and Sue Richter.

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Hartley Street School began with only one teacher and 20 students back in 1930. Student numbers grew as the town developed and the first School of the Air broadcast was made in 1950 with the assistance of the Royal Flying Doctor Service radio. It didn’t take long before there were more than 500 students at the little school, and eventually it had to close due to overcrowding in 1965.

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There will be opportunities for VOLUNTEER support from younger people — developing social media links and information apps

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artley Street School Museum and the Stuart Town Gaol in Alice Springs are humble buildings with extraordinary stories, but these stories wouldn’t see the light of day were it not for the local volunteers who work on behalf of the National Trust of Australia.

“Our volunteers are very important to us as they allow visitors access to a place with significant community value,” says Trevor Horman, president of the National Trust of Australia (Northern Territory). There are 10 volunteers already stationed at Hartley Street School, which is run as a museum by the McDouall Stuart Branch of the National Trust and they were kept busy this year with 918 visitors between February and September.

Finding volunteers is often a challenge in small communities but those who do put up their hands find it a rewarding experience, as Maureen Durbridge has discovered. Maureen had worked in juvenile justice in Darwin as well as being a youth worker in Alice Springs before she joined Hartley Street School and nearby Adelaide House last year. “I really wanted to get out and do something useful,” says Maureen.

“It’s nice chatting with people who appreciate our history and seeing them enjoy these places. Life was hard for the early people who came here.”

Prue Crouch, a representative of the McDouall Stuart Branch and former student of Hartley Street School, is currently digitising the school’s library with funds from the Northern Territory government’s Regional Museums Grant. The local branch hopes to obtain more funding in the future to upload the school’s admissions register as well.

Nearby, the Stuart Town Gaol is the oldest remaining building from Stuart Town, as

Alice Springs was formerly known. It was built in 1908 by stonemason Jack Williams along with Jim and Tom Turner and operated until 1939, so its walls have witnessed some of central Australia’s fascinating stories of early police and prisoner life.

“The stories of the Stuart Town Gaol and Hartley Street School include many that relate to the contact history of central Australia,” explains Prue. “It’s a wonderful chance to include Aboriginal volunteers in the work of the National Trust, while telling their own stories.”

She adds that the experience of volunteering with the National Trust is set to change with the advent of new technology and she expects more opportunities will open up for the younger generations. “As we become more time-poor but more focused on technology there will be opportunities for volunteer support from younger people — developing social media links, information apps and pop-up story telling events.”

Within our grasp is the opportunity to learn from our local history while embracing the good that can come from change.

Visit Hartley Street School, 39 Hartley Street, Alice Springs, (08) 8952 4516; Stuart Town Gaol, 8 Parsons Street, Alice Springs, (08) 89524516; www.nationaltrust.org.au.

To help us to continue to protect special places, donate today. Go to www. nationaltrust.org.au/donate/

Alice Springs NT P L AC E CLOCKWISE, FROM BELOW: A view of the MacDonnell Ranges; opened in 1930, Hartley Street School was Alice Spring’s first official, purpose-built school; inside Hartley Street School Museum; the rear cell of the Stuart Town Gaol; Adelaide House was the first medical facility in central Australia, designed by the Rev. John Flynn and built by the Australian Inland Mission in 1920; volunteer Maureen Durbridge inside Hartley Street School Museum; school memorabilia from 1930-1965.

The

OUTLANDER EFFECT The world’s love affair with the SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS isn’t new, but the huge popularity of the Outlander series has inspired a fresh wave of visitors to delve deeper into its bloody but poetic past. writer AMY RICHARDSON

Falkland is one of many Scottish National Trust sites used as a location for the hit TV series Outlander. Actress Caitriona Balfe poses as Claire Randall (née Beauchamp) during the 1940s, before she stepped 200 years back in time.

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PHOTOGRAPHERS: KENNY LAM/VISIT SCOTLAND © 2014 SONY PICTURES TELEVISION INC

While a budget of £50 million for the first season alone has resulted in exceptional production values, and the show has been applauded for the accuracy of its depiction of life during these times, certain creative liberties were essential when dealing with such a historically nuanced and complex event as the Battle of Culloden, according to the National Trust’s head education guide, Catriona McIntosh.

“Historians struggle to get the nine months of conflict, let alone the build-up and aftermath into a 600-page academic book,” says Catriona. “It would take an entire library to scratch the surface.”

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They’re coming to see the locations featured, but they’re also interested in the aspects of SCOTLAND that lie beneath the storylines

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cotland and its heritage sites are enjoying a surge in visitor numbers thanks to Outlander, the big-budget drama series that chronicles the bloodiest and most cataclysmic events of the country’s history.

The television show, based on US author Diana Gabaldon’s eight-book series that has so far sold 20 million copies worldwide, was directed by Ronald D. Moore for Starz Entertainment. The story revolves around a married World War II-era nurse, Claire Randall, who is transported back in time from the 1940s to the Scottish Highlands of 1743 after witnessing a druid ceremony. She falls in love with Jamie Fraser, the heir to the Fraser clan, and the pair become embroiled in the events leading up to the ill-fated Jacobite rising of 1745 that sought to reinstate the Stuart royal, Bonnie Prince Charlie, on the British throne. In retribution for the failed attempt the British army dismantled the clan system, banned the wearing of tartan and effectively stamped out the Highlander way of life.

In many ways the series is a love story to this lost Scotland of yesteryear and the historic locations are as vital to the narrative as the human protagonists — grand medieval castles and stone fortresses, muddy townships of thatched Highlander huts.

“While the sites where filming occurred are fictional — they’re standing in for other historic places — the show has certainly put Scotland on the map for a new audience,” says Anna Rathband, filming manager at the National Trust of Scotland. “It really does look beautiful and has inspired many people to come here.”

While the popularity of the books sent a flutter of footsteps across Scottish tourist sites, it was the first TV series, screened in late 2015, that turned it into a stampede. “There definitely has been an ‘Outlander effect,’ ” says Michael McCuish of Visit Scotland.

“The books and the shows have a huge, loyal fan base of hundreds of thousands of people.

“They’re coming to see the locations featured, but they’re also interested in the aspects of Scotland that lie beneath the storylines: the history and ancestry of the clans, the textiles.”

Operators of the sites, including the National Trust, have reported an increase of 10 to 45 per cent in visitor numbers. Doune Castle, the stand-in for the fictional Castle Leoch, has been a particular point of pilgrimage, with 40,751 visitors between April and July 2016 — an increase of 44 per cent compared to the same period in 2014.

The Bruce fountain marks the central meeting point of Falkland village and will be familiar to die-hard fans of the Outlander series.

“If you don’t have a lot of screen time it is understandable to simplify such things as the various religious affiliations that were involved.”

She says that overall the narrative arch of the uprising is as accurate as can be expected for a drama series of this nature.

“Outlander is a work of fiction, it follows the sequence of events but it is primarily a love story, and to keep Jamie and Claire as central to the story there has been a flexible approach to some details in the sequence.”

Michael McCuish of Visit Scotland praises the recreation of everything from the sets to costumes but is particularly impressed with the use of Gaelic (used to emphasise Claire’s foreignness to the Highlanders, with an omission of subtitles). “The Gaelic is very well spoken — it was well researched with a voice coach — so that attention to historical detail has become a great feature of the show,” he says.

The National Trust’s Anna Rathband was responsible for accommodating the complex filming requirements. “As a conservation organisation we have to be really careful; we have a team of specialists involved, from curators and building surveyors to ecologists and rangers,” she says. “It’s really about making sure we’re as film-friendly as possible while also looking after the sites.” Taking care involved monitoring the use of ‘haze’, a substance made from glycerin and water to create heavy mist, to ensure it didn’t negatively impact any buildings.

And while many of the interior scenes were recreated on a sound stage, some exterior locations required more in-depth makeovers. “The village of Culross probably took the most effort: the market square appears in numerous scenes in the first season and the buildings there are white, but they wanted to paint them greys and browns,” says Anna. “So we advised on the appropriate paints to use and also specified the contractor.”

She admits to being tricked by the cinematic magic woven by the Outlander team. “When I saw the Culloden scene, I had to call the location manager and check that they hadn’t filmed at Culloden without asking us,” she says, with a laugh. “They recreated it in a field but it was so good you wouldn’t have known it was a different place.”

With filming currently underway on the third series and the author committing to at least one more book, the Outlander effect seems destined to draw more tourists. “Our staff are so proud, they love the places they work to care for, and it’s so exciting to see them interpreted in different ways. It’s nice that these sites, that are so important for their historical value, are being re-appropriated and re-appreciated,” says Anna. “And of course all the income that’s generated goes straight back into the sites, so they’re also directly helping to conserve Scotland’s history.”

Outlander airs on Foxtel’s Showcase channel.

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With its quaint cobbled streets and 95 heritage-listed properties spanning more than 800 years of history, Falkland in the county of Fife offered plenty of picturesque locations that were transformed into Inverness in the 1940s for the initial episodes, where Claire and her husband Frank begin their fateful explorations of the Highlands.

Falkland was officially founded when it received a royal charter in 1458. “It is possible that a settlement of sorts did exist at Falkland prior to the 12th century,” says Tom Morton, whose firm Arc Architects conducted an appraisal into the conservation area in 2008, “but the crucial factor in its historical evolution was the erection of a castle some time after 1160.”

In 1458 King Malcolm IV gifted the estate of Falkland to Duncan Macduff, the sixth Earl of Fife. Around this period it became a favoured hunting spot and a town sprang up to accommodate the needs of these visiting nobles. Sadly, little remains of the ancient forest of Falkland; Thomas Cromwell cut it down during 1652 for its timber.

Falkland was decreed Scotland’s first conservation area in 1970 because of its well-preserved mix of medieval and Georgian-era architecture. Its centrepiece is undoubtedly the 16th century-built Falkland Palace, a Scots renaissance edifice erected by Kings James IV and James V between 1501 and 1541. (It’s said to have been especially beloved by Mary, Queen of Scots because it reminded her of the châteaux she lived in as a child.) The castle can be seen in the background of the first episode, while Claire admires a vase in a shop window. For season two, the castle’s cellar was transformed into an ornate French apothecary.

The palace has a turbulent history: in 1402, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, imprisoned his nephew David, Robert III’s eldest son and the heir to the throne, and starved him to death. The property fell into disrepair over the years (again, Cromwell’s army didn’t help in 1654 by burning down the eastern range of the property) but it was restored in the 19th century and is today under the remit of the National Trust.

Eagle-eye viewers of the series might also recognise the Bruce fountain where Frank happens upon Jamie’s ghost looking up to Claire’s window, and the Covenanter Hotel, which was transformed into Mrs Baird’s B&B. Falkland, (+44) 1337 857 397; www.nts.org. uk/property/falkland-palace-and-garden

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KINLOCH RANNOCH AND CLAVA CAIRNS

Fans might be disappointed to learn that the ‘stone circle’ at Craigh na Dun, via which Claire is transported 200 years back in time, is actually made of styrofoam. The faux stone circle was erected on a hilltop at Dunalastair Estate, near Kinloch Rannoch, an exceptionally beautiful place to view the Rannoch moor with its dramatic rocky outcrops, lochs and streams. If visitors to Scotland are keen to see real stone circles, they can be found across the country, particularly in Orkney and Shetland. Their original purpose is a mystery, although many were probably used for religious and ceremonial purposes and for astronomical observations.

The standing stones at the National Trust’s 4000-year-old Clava Cairns site, east of Inverness, were among those that inspired the Outlander team. Clava Cairns are

CULLODEN

The battle of 1745 that saw the end of the Jacobite uprising was actually filmed in a field near Greengairs, close to the production team’s studio. Hundreds of extras took to the field to recreate the fateful clash in which 1500 Jacobites, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, died in less than an hour (as some measure of the carnage, 50 Government soldiers fell in the same battle).

“The Jacobites were outnumbered and tired after marching all nights,” says National Trust historian Derek Alexander. “They also had less cavalry, inferior artillery and the terrain was poor for a Highland charge.”

Following the massacre, the victorious Duke of Cumberland waged a brutal regime of ‘pacification’ of the Highlands, banning the kilt, removing the clan chiefs and seizing the lands of any Jacobites. Contrary to popular belief, the use of different tartans to signify the different clans is a 19th-century

Falkland Palace is said to have been especially beloved by Mary, Queen of Scots, because it reminded her of the châteaux she lived in as a child incredible prehistoric burial monuments from the Bronze Age. Drive 10km east of Inverness, just east of Culloden Battlefield. www. historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/ places/clava-cairns

GLENCORSE OLD KIRK

This small church in Pentland Hills near Edinburgh was the romantic setting for the wedding of Jamie and Claire. It dates back to the early 17th century but records show it was extensively rebuilt in 1665; there is a dated inscription over the south door that bears the initials of Baronet Sir William Purves of Woodhouselee.

It was frequented by author Robert Louis Stevenson while he visited family nearby — it’s said to be the country church featured in his short story The Body Snatchers.

The current owners have restored the building and it’s once again a popular wedding site (and expected to book out thanks to the series). The property is part of a private family home so visits are by appointment only.

Milton Bridge, near Edinburgh, (+44) 1968 676 406; www.glencorsehouse.co.uk

invention; it is also one reason why it was difficult to quantify specific clan members who died on the field.

After the failed battle Prince Charles retreated back to France, where he experienced a brief period of celebrity but continued to be persecuted by the English.

He was constantly forced to move and died in ignominy in Rome in 1788.

The National Trust visitor centre at Culloden holds daily tours and guests can wander the site as they listen to the audio tour.

An interesting feature are the stones marking the mass burial sites of the various clans.

Culloden Battlefield visitor centre, Culloden Moor, Inverness, (+44) 1463 796 090; www.nts.org.uk/culloden

PRESTON MILL

The pretty stone buildings and water-powered mill of this National Trust-managed site in East Lothian was used twice as a filming location: an interior room was transformed into a courtroom for a witch trial (again, an example of creative license from Gabaldon as these had occurred around a century earlier than the events of Outlander), while the outside stood >

PHOTOGRAPHERS: STEFFAN HILL/STARZ/SONY PICTURES TELEVISION KENNY LAM/VISIT SCOTLAND, PAUL TOMKINS/VISIT SCOTLAND EWEN WEATHERSPOON © 2014 SONY PICTURES TELEVISION INC

FALKLAND

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Doune Castle from above; Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall and Lotte Verbeek as Geillis Duncan, standing in the garden of Culross Palace, but with Castle Doune grafted onto the background using CGI (Computer Generated Imagery); Doune Castle and the River Teith; Blackness Castle, which appears as Fort William; the army camp in Outlander’s season two; Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall; the Culloden Battlefield, Inverness; ‘Black Jack’ Randall, played by Tobias Menzies, with a captive Jamie Fraser, played

by Sam Heughan.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) wed at Glencorse Old Kirk; the church is now a popular choice for modern weddings; the dramatic Scottish Highlands; Preston Mill, East Lothian, with its conical-roofed kiln; a scene shot at Preston Mill; the ‘palace’ and garden at Culross, Fife; the Mercat Cross and oldest house in Culross, Fife; ‘Black Jack’ Randall (Tobias Menzies).

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The town of CULROSS features heavily in the first two seasons, with its egg yolk-yellow buildings used for scenes of the fictional village of CRANESMUIR in for the mill at Jamie’s home estate of Lallybroch. One of the oldest working mills in Scotland, it was built in the 16th century and extensively renovated in 1760, then used for commercial oatmeal grinding until 1959.

The misshapen tiled cone structure on the building is a kiln that was used to heat and dry the oats before they were processed, and the distinctive beehive-shaped French-style dovecote was used to house up to 500 pigeons for meat. The National Trust visitors centre was where the miller used to live, located a sensible distance away from the mill given the propensity of these structures to burn down.

Preston Mill and Phantassie Doocot, East Linton, Edinburgh and the Lothians, (+44) 1620 860 426; www.nts. org.uk/property/preston-mill-andphantassie-doocot

PHOTOGRAPHERS: DAVID ROBERTSON JOHN SINCLAIR HARVEY WOOD © 2014 SONY PICTURES TELEVISION INC

CULROSS

The town of Culross features heavily in the first two seasons, with its egg yolk-yellow buildings used for scenes of the fictional village of Cranesmuir.

Culross was declared a royal burgh in the late 16th century and the east coast town became an important port for trade, thanks in part to industrious local merchant Sir George Bruce, who introduced an innovative system of coal mining to access reserves under the seabed. Sir Bruce built himself an impressive mansion between 1597 and 1611, today a National Trust property known as Culross Palace (despite never being a royal residence).

The garden is a highlight, restored to its 17th-century glory and planted with heirloom varieties, including vegetables, that would have grown during this era.

It’s used for the scenes at Castle Leoch where Claire collects her medicinal herbs.

An interior was used as her friend Geillis’s parlour while the Great Hall was the setting for the Jacobite meeting in the second season, where Jamie swears an oath of loyalty to Prince Charlie. “We took all of the furniture out of the hall and they replaced it with similar furniture, just a little smaller in scale so they could fit everyone and their kit in,” says Anna Rathband.

The palace courtyard was also transformed into a village encampment in the second season, used for a scene

where Claire practises dentistry (her knowledge of dental health being, of course, centuries more advanced) and its kitchen and pantry were also transformed into a tavern.

The town itself featured prominently, most memorably as the Mercat Cross square where a young boy has his ear pinned to a board as punishment for theft. “They would put a stock up in the square and then nail the ear to the post,” Anna explains, “so they basically had to rip their ear lobe to get free. It was pretty gruesome.”

And while the scenes of the witch trial show Claire and Geillis locked in a pit, those suspected of witchcraft during this time were actually held in the attic of the 1626 townhouse.

Royal Burgh of Culross, Culross, Fife, (+44) 1383 880 359; www.nts.org.uk/ Property/Royal-Burgh-of-Culross

DOUNE CASTLE

This stately Perthshire building managed

by Historic Environment Scotland has been enjoying plenty of time in the limelight of late, with both Game of Thrones and Outlander filming there. Prior to this, it featured heavily in Monty Python’s Holy Grail (visitors can now tour the site while listening to historical information narrated by Terry Jones). The 14th-century castle was built for the first Duke of Albany, Robert Stewart, the so-called “uncrowned king of Scotland” who, as Governor of Scotland, effectively ruled in place of his sick elder brother Robert III until his death in 1420. Doune stars in Outlander as Castle Leoch, the home to Colum MacKenzie and his clan. It is one of the first structures to appear in the show, when Claire and her 21st-century husband Frank visit on a day trip, although computer graphic effects were used to increase its state of disrepair. The site’s Great Hall and kitchen were painstakingly measured, with casts made of the stone walls and replicated on a sound stage for interior shots. Part of the property was damaged during the Jacobite uprising and remains in ruins today.

Castle Road, Doune, Stirlingshire, (+44) 1786 841 742; www.visitscotland.com/ info/see-do/doune-castle

BLACKNESS CASTLE

This imposing stone structure, perched on the edge of the Firth of Forth, was used as the setting for Fort William because the original location no longer exists. It was built in the 1400s for Scottish admiral Sir George Crichton and used variously as a jail and an ammunitions depot.

In the show, it’s the ominous headquarters of the villainous ‘Black Jack’ Randall along with the British garrison and it features heavily in some of the more gruesome scenes, including those of Jamie’s incarceration.

Blackness, by Linlithgow, West Lothian, (+44) 1506 834 807 www.historicenvironment.scot/ visit-a-place/places/blackness-castle/

HIGHLAND FOLK MUSEUM

The Highland Folk Museum contains more than 30 historical buildings that exhibit how the Highlanders lived and worked the land from the 18th century through to the 1960s. It includes a township of thatched huts with turf walls (which also includes original buildings transported from elsewhere), and it was used as the location for Claire’s first night, where she took shelter with the Highlanders after travelling through time (it’s used again when Dougal collects rent from the villagers for the Jacobite cause). “It’s ideal for filming because there’s the surrounding environment, the houses and the ability to cook over the fires,” says curator Rachel Chisholm. “But the team did add a lot of props to make it more like a working township.”

The Highland Folk Museum holds an annual Outlander Day where many of the pastimes that Claire herself witnesses during the show are demonstrated, such as the ladies ‘waulking’ — or rubbing — cloth on a table to set dye. Today’s versions differ slightly. “The cloth was traditionally soaked in urine before the waulking took place; a pot was kept in the back of each family house to collect it,” says Rachel. “We don’t recreate this!”

Highland Folk Museum, Kingussie Road, Newtonmore, (+44)1540 673 551; www. highlifehighland.com/highlandfolkmuseum Issue 1/Summer 2016 T R U S T

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P E O P L E Gallop House WA

making music Gallop House in Perth hosts ANDREW BATT-RAWDEN as its first composer-in-residence for a program that would be close to the hearts of the music-loving PHILANTHROPISTS behind the building’s recent conservation. photographer LIZ LOOKER writer STEVE DOW

Gallop House WA P E O P L E

THIS PAGE: Andrew Batt-Rawden at Gallop House. OPPOSITE PAGE: The 1870s two-storey building overlooks the Swan River.

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P E O P L E Gallop House WA

The COMPOSER started writing a song each night, letting go of technique in favour of expressing deep emotions

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ydney composer Andrew Batt-Rawden needed time to block out everything and everyone to write new chamber music. In July this year, he took up the first position as composer in residence at Gallop House, a white, two-storey 19th-century home with an iron roof and a verandah front and rear, in what was once colonial fruit and vegetable farmland overlooking the Swan River at Dalkeith, eight kilometres from the West Australian capital. He’d never been to Perth before.

The residency in the National Trust-classified property, came at a time when Batt-Rawden was digging up the past: childhood scars, problems with friends, substance addiction. The solitude and leisure there was at first isolating and scary, but then the 32-year-old composer, accurately described in one newspaper profile as possessing ‘extraordinary levels of millennial chutzpah’, started writing a song each night, letting go of technique in favour of expressing deep emotions.

Importantly, he says, the loneliness at Gallop House has been mixed with bursts of creative companionship. Sitting now at a cafe, the ginger-bearded musician is recovering from a late night planning a music, dance and visual art project over bottles of wine with a couple of his now legion cross-art collaborators on both sides of the country.

Batt-Rawden’s productive stay would all be music to the ears of the two arts-loving sisters, Margaret and Patricia Feilman, whose financial legacy enabled Gallop House’s restoration from 2015-16 and therefore made possible his stay as the inaugural Feilman Foundation Composer in Residence. [It was announced on November 9 that Mace Francis, a fixture in Western Australia’s jazz scene, will be the next composer to call Gallop House home as part of the Prelude residency, a joint venture between the National Trust, two artistic trusts, federal arts bodies and the Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA)].

“I’ve been really able to infiltrate the Perth arts scene,” says Batt-Rawden, ordering a short black coffee and a tall bottle of sparkling water to quell the hangover. “Mainly through life modelling, actually.”

The nudity began on day one of Batt-Rawden’s residency. James Beck, artistic director of musical group the Australian Art Quartet,

had asked Batt-Rawden to pose for Archibald Prize-winning artist Wendy Sharpe. So Batt-Rawden decided to “desensitise” himself to disrobing by finding life modelling gigs, and discovered Perth’s “gigantic” community of life drawers.

Getting his gear off regularly has become his new form of artistic expression, and whetted his appetite to perform his compositions: voice and piano, no amplification, explaining to his small audiences a song about, say, missing his ex-boyfriend, then playing.

Normally, Batt-Rawden composes for others: a piano concerto for Roger Woodward, or ensemble pieces for the Australian Art Quartet and The Song Company. A lot of his compositions start with words and end with music, the words discarded. While these intimate scores can be categorised as chamber music, Batt-Rawden bends convention. For instance, he has collaborated with technologist Ben Hinchley, matching human biodata to music; a heartbeat for tempo.

“For me, the whole raison d’être is to share and express; it’s not to listen to my own music at home,” says Batt-Rawden. “I perceive things all around me — pain or beauty or love — and I want other people to perceive these things. Some of them can’t be expressed in an essay or a Facebook post; they do need a piano concerto or dance triptych format.”

Gallop House stands on the Noongar people’s country, and Captain Adam Armstrong had named the area Dalkeith Farm, after his Scottish home, in 1831 before building a limestone cottage there.

Financial difficulty forced Armstrong to sell the estate, which was leased by James Gallop I, who eventually bought the land.

The present building replaced the cottage in the 1870s, and was home to James Gallop II and his wife. The National Trust took over its management in 2009 from the Royal Western Australian Historical Society, who had saved the house from demolition half a century earlier.

The Feilman Foundation donated “in excess of $600,000” to restore Gallop House, says the foundation’s chairman, Alan Good.

He knew architect Margaret Feilman well: “She didn’t stand fools at all; she was forceful and a very good negotiator. She would stand up for what she believed was right. She couldn’t be pushed around.”

THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT: Music sheets belonging to Sydney composer Andrew Batt-Rawden; a rear view of Gallop House, the 19th-century heritage building that hosts Prelude.

OPPOSITE: Batt-Rawden worked on composing chamber music during his six-month residency at Gallop House.

Margaret, who died in 2013, was Perth’s first professionally trained town planner, and a collector of fine and visual art. Her younger sister, Patricia, who died in 2008, was the long-time executive secretary of the Ian Potter Foundation in Melbourne. The siblings were philanthropists all their working lives, starting the Feilman Foundation with their own earnings in 1967.

The Feilman gift achieved two remarkable things, says Julian Donaldson, the chief executive officer of the National Trust of Australia (WA). “The first was the conservation of a very important historical house,” he says, “and without the generosity of that gift, it’s unlikely the Trust would have been able to find the substantial amount of money that was required to fully conserve the house. Secondly, the Feilman gift then enabled us to be able to run the home for a composer, which has huge community benefit.”

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“

The Feilman gift then enabled us to be able to run the home for a composer, which has huge community benefit

Consider the Prelude project an example of “cultural re-use” that gives Gallop House contemporary relevance, as opposed to a commercial adaptive re-use such as a restaurant or a bar that might upset its neighbours, says Shane Simpson, a former music lawyer turned chairman of the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Composers’ Trust and the Bundanon Trust. “This is residential domestic use very light on heritage fabric,” says Simpson. “It’s new life for an old building, engaging with the local community.”

Simpson explains Prelude is a collaborative effort: the 20 years’ fundraising experience of the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Trust, which also runs a better known composer-in-residence program in Sydney’s Paddington; the governance and administration of the Boyd artist

family’s Bundanon Trust; and funding from APRA, the Australia Council, and the Federal Government’s Catalyst program.

Simpson had brought the Prelude composer-in-residence idea to the attention of Tom Perrigo, who was then the long-serving National Trust of Australia (WA) chief executive officer as well as a Feilman Foundation board of governors trustee. “Immediately, the penny dropped,” says Perrigo, “we have the perfect facility on the river.”

Perrigo then stepped aside from the foundation’s deliberations on whether to support the project.

Over the next year, however, the Prelude project will require “little top-ups” from state governments and philanthropy, says Simpson.

Now the National Trust’s national CEO, Perrigo says it’s impossible to rely on “sporadic” government arts funding, so the Trust will aim to find new opportunities for the community to invest in heritage. There are hopes to expand Prelude with residencies in Tasmania and South Australia. “Our vision is to have one in at least every state and territory,” says Perrigo. “We have the capacity nationally to be a very significant contributor to the cultural capital of Australia by having artists in residence from Australia and from overseas.”

Batt-Rawden, significantly, is so committed to the nation’s cultural capital that three years ago he became publisher of Limelight arts magazine, which had been in danger of closing, despite the composer having no personal assets and incurring the magazine’s $200,000 in liabilities. He so loves his profession that he devotes time to coaching other composers in marketing and networking. “There’s a difference between someone who can write music, and a professional composer,” he says. “I have a number of colleagues I respect so much for their talent, and I love listening to their music, but they’re entirely unheard of. If a composer doesn’t know how to get their music heard, how are you as an audience member ever going to hear of them?”

For more information, visit www.ntwa.com.au and www.bundanon. com.au/residencies/2017-prelude-composer-residence-program/. To help us to continue to protect special places, donate today. Go to www. nationaltrust.org.au/donate/ Issue 1/Summer 2016 T R U S T

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SCOTT’S JOURNEY Scott McAlister devotes a lot of his time to the NATIONAL TRUST, not to mention his family’s, as it is a cultural cause he passionately believes in. photographer MICHAEL WEE writer LEAH TWOMEY

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s both treasurer and president of the National Trust of Australia (ACT), not to mention also being the chairman of the Australian Council of Nationat Trusts, Scott McAlister ensures his work with the Trust is a family affair. “With the Urban Polaris bike event I put on in Canberra, I got all my family involved: my kids, my brother, his partner, my sister. It was great, and we’re getting ready to do it again in April!”

But it all began with the garden McAlister and his wife Helen created at their 1936 home in Reid, Canberra. Listed on the ACT heritage register, the garden was opened and the former CEO of the National Trust of Australia (ACT) paid a visit. While walking around the garden, he asked the busy stockbroker if he would be interested in becoming treasurer.

McAlister’s decision to say yes has left him less time for gardening and unexpectedly involved his entire family — he often calls on Helen and their three daughters, Emily, 25, Lindsay, 23, and Georgia, 16, to help out with fundraising activities such as serving sausages at local Bunnings barbecues.

Having such a green thumb, one of McAlister’s favourite properties is Retford Park in Bowral, NSW, recently given to the National Trust of Australia (NSW). “It’s nice when the Trust gets classical properties like this one to manage as custodians for future generations to enjoy.

I like what the Trust stands for; conserving our built and cultural heritage. And, like a lot of these things, the more you become involved, the more it pulls you in.”

Rippon Lea, the glorious 19th-century mansion set on nearly three hectares of Victorian gardens in Melbourne, is another that has left a lasting impression — especially as it was the first property McAlister visited as a member of the board. “I remember going to Rippon Lea with the CEO of the Victorian Trust and there was no-one there. That’s what struck me the most; that there were all these beautiful properties but no-one seemed to have interest in them,” says Scott. “He took affront to that and told me that, actually, things have changed. And he was right — they’d just organised the Miss Fisher costume exhibition that ended up with thousands of people going through the property. And that’s one of the exciting things the trust has been doing recently — bringing these properties to life by giving them uses and getting the public in.”

Looking to the future, McAlister is excited to breathe new life into the Trust by involving young people as much as he can, and recognises the power of events such as the Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries Costume exhibitions. “We’re broadening our offerings, including a revamped national magazine together with a national retail offering so we can reach everybody in society. There is an air of excitement around the National Trust movement right now.”

To become a member of the National Trust, visit nationaltrust.org.au.

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Volunteers P E O P L E

“I like what the Trust stands for; CONSERVING our built and CULTURAL heritage”

Scott McAlister, treasurer and president of the National Trust of Australia (ACT), in front of Canberra’s National Museum of Australia. An enthusiastic cyclist, Scott is looking forward to the next National Trust Urban Polaris seven-hour cycling event coming up in Canberra in April.

PEOPLE The 25-year-long project behind SNOWY RIVER’S pioneering hydro system has left a lasting legacy now recognised by its addition to the Australian National Heritage List.

POWER writer ALEX SPEED

The revolutionary Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme employed over 100,000 people from more than 30 countries and remains one of Australia’s largest producers of energy, including nearly a third of renewable energy fed into the eastern mainland grid. It manages water flows for over $3 billion in agricultural produce.

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Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme P L A C E

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ally Mills has an encyclopedic knowledge of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme.

His love of this revolutionary hydroelectric engineering feat, which was recently placed on the National Heritage List, has spanned almost a lifetime.

Now 77, the retired electrical engineer was still a schoolboy when construction began in October 1949. He grew up in Murgon, Queensland, more than 1000 kilometres away from the project, which straddles Australia’s highest ranges in the southeastern corner of NSW. “In 1957, when I was in my final year at school, I saw an advertisement in the Courier Mail newspaper and applied, saying I was interested in studying engineering, but I never heard back. I was dux of my school so I went off to study engineering at the University of Queensland in Brisbane,” recalls Wally from his home in Cooma, which is at the foot of the pioneering hydro power scheme.

“One year later I saw another ad and applied again. This time they flew me to Sydney for an interview, and I remember asking how they planned to cope with transmission lines in snow country, what with all the ice and snow loading, and that must have impressed because they took me on. They supported me to finish my engineering degree while I worked on the Snowy Mountains Scheme, and my parents had to sign a £500 bond to ensure I would stay five years after I graduated. In February 1959 I joined the Cooma Snowy Hydro office and later worked in the electrical design office. I fell in love with the vision of the project and never left.”

The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme remains the largest industrial development Australia has ever attempted.

Conceived to ensure long-term water stability to vital inland agricultural food bowls along the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers, the scheme’s diversion of the Snowy River and its tributary, the Eucumbene, today generates enough power to supply more than 30 per cent of the renewable energy to the mainland’s electricity grid. The newly listed National Heritage area covers 4600 square kilometres and includes 15 dams, nine power stations and a pump station, all still fully operational. The scheme collects, stores and diverts water collected in the Snowy Mountains through 16 major dams, seven power stations (two of which are underground), and 225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts. Only 2 per cent of the construction is visible above ground. The

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project was only possible because of more than 100,000 workers just like Wally, who went on to marry a local high school teacher, have four children and make a life in Cooma.

Overseen by New Zealand-born civil engineer Sir William Hudson, commissioner of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority, the project took 25 years to complete, often uner harsh conditions and freezing temperatures. It was finished on time, and on budget in October 1974.

Those who worked on the scheme included 70,000 European migrants, some displaced from their homes during the Second World War and many highly

A young Wally Mills overlooking the construction of the dam, being built to hold the headwater storage to feed into Tumut 2 underground hydropower station, 1959-60.

skilled in engineering and construction.

Brigitte Mackay’s father was one. Brigitte, 70, vividly recalls arriving by boat as a five-yearold with her mother Sibille from Cologne, Germany to be reunited with her father, Heinrich Bergerhausen, a pilot in the Luftwaffe. A heavy earth-moving mechanic, Heinrich lived in barracks in Cooma and worked in the nearby mountains on the scheme for two years before his wife and daughter joined him.

“Before my mother and I arrived in Cooma my father lived in East Camp, which were barracks with outside toilet and shower blocks and hundreds of other migrants,” recalls Brigitte. “When we arrived, there was such an influx of other migrants we stayed

with a German lady in Cooma before we got a Snowy house in Cooma East. The engineers and office staff had accommodation in Cooma North but the mechanics and more blue collar workers were in Cooma East.”

Despite the split housing districts, Brigitte recalls a happy childhood. Her parents assimilated and felt welcomed, she says.

“My father liked the work and the atmosphere and came to love the Snowy scheme and its people. After the scheme finished he opened the Mercedes car dealership in Cooma.”

Like many children of Snowy workers, Brigitte followed her father into work there.

“I worked in the tracing pool when I was 26 until I got married three years later. I have lived in Cooma all my life and have a great fondness for the Snowy. I feel lucky I saw it being built. On the weekends, Dad would take Mum and me for drives and we’d look at the progress of the dams and the power stations. Even as a child I understood the size and idea were revolutionary.”

After the project’s completion, Wally Mills worked for the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation on other hydro schemes such as the Shoalhaven and the Wivenhoe Dam project on the Brisbane River.

He later returned to the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority, which later became Snowy Hydro, where he worked as a high voltage test engineer until his retirement a year ago. He remains hugely proud of the advancements in safety and engineering procedures the scheme made such as the introduction of seatbelts in all vehicles before it was mandatory as an Australian design rule; rock bolting and the use of 330kV transmission lines. Wally is a regular organiser of reunions with other Snowy workers.

“It was such an important part of Australia’s history and future, and allowed migrants to find respect in their new country, working shoulder to shoulder with Australians. When we all get together it’s like a big family catching up, reminiscing in the parts we played building that amazing piece of infrastructure.”

The National Heritage List, a register of Australia’s most significant places and buildings with outstanding value to the nation, was created in 2004. Other listed sites include Cockatoo Island, Kakadu, the City of Broken Hill, the Sydney Opera House and Fraser Island. The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme is 170th on the list.

If you’d like to help us continue to protect the special places and spaces featured in the magazine, then donate today at www.nationaltrust.org.au/donate

BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES © COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA. REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION OF SNOWY HYDRO LIMITED UNDER LICENCE FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA. COLOUR IMAGES © SNOWY HYDRO LIMITED

P L A C E Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: Harsh weather conditions added to the challenge of the Snowy Mountains project, which covered a mountainous area within the Kosciuszko National Park; the scheme is made up of 225 kilometres of pipelines, tunnels and aqueducts, with only two per cent visible above ground; the major dams, power stations, tunnels and pumping station are among the most complex engineering feats seen in the world; engineering geologist Kenneth Sharp at a surveying table on one of the construction sites in 1950.

Women writing pro-suffragette graffiti on a wall in chalk, between 1900 and 1910, from the papers of Bessie Rischbieth.

Legislation for women’s suffrage began in 1895 in South Australia. By 1908 all states had passed the right to vote for women, with Victoria being the last.

Extract B O O K

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OTES for WOMEN In this extract, taken from the National Library of Australia’s book What Do We Want? The Story of Protest in Australia

by Clive Hamilton, the fascinating history of women’s suffrage and the first wave of feminism is explored.

The intriguing characters defied tradition here and abroad to play leading roles in the international suffrage movement.

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for women, but the conservative minority prevailed. Some took the view that ‘man is the sturdy oak, woman the clinging vine’. An MP described women as ‘shrieking cockatoos’ until it was pointed out that it is the male of the parrot species that does the shrieking.

By the end of the 1890s, the acknowledged leader of the radical women’s movement in Victoria was Vida Goldstein. A witty and eloquent public speaker — ‘We thought that we lived under a democracy, but it was a male-ocracy’ — she let it be known she would be prime minister. When, in 1903, she stood for the Senate on a feminist, pacifist and anti-capitalist platform, she provoked a vicious campaign against her ‘temerity’, led

by The Age. She polled well, but not well enough.

A visionary throughout her life, Goldstein was a forceful influence in the International Woman Suffrage Alliance. When she visited England in 1911, she drew crowds and was hailed as ‘the biggest thing that has happened to the woman movement for some time in England’. Back in Melbourne for the outbreak of hostilities in Europe, she was soon ridiculed by the press for her implacable pacifism.

She saw women as the world’s civilising force.

Feminists were at the forefront of the peace movement during the Great War. When Archbishop Mannix blamed women

for the declining birthrate, Vida Goldstein defended women’s right to control their fertility. ‘Women are not going to be made breeding machines for the god of war... for women will increasingly refuse to give life that men may take it’. Joined by Adela Pankhurst and Cecilia John, she led the campaign by the Women’s Peace Army against conscripting men for shipping to the blood-soaked battlefields of France.

The achievements of feminism’s first wave were hard-won but transformational.

Although the work continued, it would be several decades before social forces aligned in a way that permitted the spectacular arrival of the second wave.

ADELA PANKHURST

Adela Pankhurst is an intriguing but neglected character in the story of Australian protest.

The daughter of famous suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst, she was a born agitator and as a young woman grew into a compelling orator.

Yet in the arc of her political career, she would alienate many of her allies. Adela was imprisoned for her militancy in England, but in 1914, after falling out with her family including her sisters Sylvia and Christabel, she arrived in Australia, aged 29, where she became active in the peace movement.

ADELA PANKHURST PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY FAIRFAX SYNDICATION

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ustralian women had won the vote early. Victoria was the last state to grant it in 1908, but only after a long struggle.

In 1891, the Victorian Parliament received a ‘monster’ petition signed by 33,000 citizens calling for women’s enfranchisement. The gentlemen of the parliament were unmoved.

They remained unmoved in 1898, when 250 indignant women turned up to lobby them. A Mrs Lowe addressed the deputation of suffragists. “There are thousands of women in Victoria who at this latter end of the nineteenth century do not wish to remain political babies. But every woman who loves home and good government, who loves her country and good morals, wants a voice in electing parliamentary representatives in the country where she resides.”

The Tocsin, a left-wing newspaper, captured the mood: ‘The weighty, businesslike, and earnest speeches of good women voicing the aspirations and heart-wishes of hundreds of thousands were interrupted by low jests and idiotic exclamations.

Two years later, in August 1900, a huge crowd, reported to number 40,000, gathered in Flinders Park, Melbourne, in support of votes for women. Most men favoured votes

Extract B O O K

‘The speeches of GOOD WOMEN

voicing the aspirations and HEART-WISHES

of hundreds of thousands were interrupted by low jests and idiotic exclamations’ THIS PAGE: The deputation of suffragists making their way from their Russell Street headquarters to the Victorian Parliament, 1898. OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT: Adela Pankhurst Walsh giving a speech outside the Carrington Press Printers, 1941; Great Suffragette Demonstration in London: Mrs Andrew Fisher, Mrs McGowen and Mrs Vida Goldstein from Australia, 1911; petition of some 30,000 signatures for Universal Suffrage, known as the ‘Monster Petition’.

In 1915, anticipating with acute foresight the return of ‘thousands of maimed, brutalised, maddened men’, she warned: ‘Those who build upon foundations of blood and violence are building their house upon the shifting sands; let us, therefore, erect a new human society upon the rock of Universal Justice.’ Her uncompromising campaigning meant she soon came to know the insides of Melbourne’s jails.

Pankhurst and her trade unionist husband Tom Walsh were founding members of the Australian Communist Party. She brought a strong brand of ‘domestic feminism’ to the party, writing in 1921: ‘We want emancipation from poverty, dirt and drudgery’. She led fiery protests in which windows were smashed.

But through the 1920s and 1930s, rebelling against party orthodoxy and increasingly sceptical of the Soviet experiment, her politics moved a long way to the right. With the Depression, she began urging workers to cooperate with employers and crossed picket lines to support strikebreakers.

By the mid-1930s, Adela was defending fascism in Europe and, in 1941, she helped found the proto-fascist Australia First Movement, an anti-Semitic organisation advocating appeasement with Germany and Japan. She travelled to Japan in 1939–1940

and was interned in 1942 for advocating peace with the enemy, a foolhardy move after Pearl Harbor. She withdrew from public life the following year and died aged 75 in 1961.

Extract taken from the book What Do We Want? The Story of Protest in Australia by Clive Hamilton, NLA Publishing, $39.99.

COLLECTION

The National Library of Australia’s collection holds extraordinary material relating to women’s suffrage, including leading figures Vida Goldstein, Rose Scott, Bessie Rischbieth and Louisa Lawson. Alongside letters from Vida Goldstein, Dame Enid Lyons and Sylvia Pankhurst, the collection includes medals, photographs and banners, and papers relating to the International Women’s Suffrage Alliance and the United Nations. Of special interest is the collection on the suffragette movement in England between 1906 and 1928, including Letitia Withall’s hunger striker medal and Louise Cullen’s Holloway Prison brooch.

The Library’s annual appeal recently raised money to improve access to the papers of Bessie Rischbieth and related women’s suffrage items, including making selected material accessible online through Trove.

Library donations can be made online www.nla.gov.au or telephone (02) 6262 1336.

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BADGES OF WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE 1. Louise Cullen’s Holloway Prison Brooch, 1908 2. and 3. Badges of women’s suffrage groups worn

by Bessie Rischbieth 4. A sash from the Bessie Rischbieth Collection, c. 1913.

ON THE SHELF Add these wonderful NEW RELEASES to your summer reading list, from BOTANICAL wonders to art and culture, DESIGN, fine food and gardens. writer LEAH TWOMEY

PLANT: EXPLORING THE BOTANICAL WORLD Phaidon, $79.95

FLORA : AN ARTISTIC VOYAGE THROUGH THE WORLD OF PLANTS

IN THE MOOD FOR COLOUR: PERFECT PALETTES FOR CREATIVE INTERIORS

Sandra Knapp, Murdoch Books, $50

Hans Blomquist, Hardie Grant, $55

Acquired from the National Trust in the UK, Flora is a box set looking at the history of what we now know as common garden plants and flowers in paintings and essays.

They detail the stories of adventurous botanist explorers who braved disease, slave traders, wars, jungles and other dangers to collect plants such as cacti, daffodils, iris, magnolia, poppies, roses, tulips, waterlilies and more. These plants are ones that many of us now take for granted but they have changed history — from the Dutch and their love for tulips to the 17th century spice trade, it’s a fascinating subject. The exquisite colour illustrations have been selected from the collection of original botanical paintings held at the Natural History Museum in London, where author Sandra Knapp is a Merit Researcher and Head of the Plants Division. The box set also includes 36 frameable prints.

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Swedish interiors stylist and author Hans Blomquist’s latest book — his first two In Detail and The Natural Home can be spotted on the shelves of many professional creatives — explores the impact of colour, specifically in choice of wall paints and how they influence the look of a room. Blomquist is a man who believes we should treasure what we already have and there’s no better way to enhance an interior than with a coat of new paint — the trouble is deciding on what colour! In this book, he guides the reader through dark, bold, soft and stark colours, showcasing them in a series of mood-board-type vignettes that evoke not only thought but also feeling. Blomquist knows how to create atmosphere on the page, and gives sound advice. The book is filled with inspiring images by him and British photographer Debi Treloar. This could well become an essential companion when it comes time to repaint.

A beautiful and diverse visual journey through more than 300 botanical images from centuries past to modern day, which have been carefully selected and sequenced by an international panel of experts. Works range from the delicately light touch of drawings to boldly saturated contemporary photography and 20th-century Aboriginal paintings. One particular highlight is the oldest surviving medieval manuscript from 512AD, while others include a 16th-century dandelion engraving and the pressed flowers of poet Emily Dickinson. There are also the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Darwin and Georgia O’Keeffe among many others.

VEGETABLES Antonio Carluccio, Hardie Grant, $39.99

The great Italian cookery writer Antonio Carluccio, who has long been a favourite of anyone who enjoys cooking Italian food, has turned his attention to vegetables. Not only does Carluccio explore the botanical family and history of each vegetable, but he also lovingly details how to prepare his favourites in more than 150 recipes that cover raw, cooked and preserved dishes. Included are pastas, soups, bakes, salads, risottos, pickles, stews, tarts and dips. There is also a sweets section of vegetable-based desserts, which are as tempting as they are healthy.

Reviews B OOK S

THENFORD: THE CREATION OF THE ENGLISH GARDEN Michael and Anne Heseltine, HarperCollins, $79.99

Michael Heseltine, former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and his wife Anne have created a stunning garden at their property Thenford, having painstakingly worked on the place since making it their home in 1977. Over 40 years, the couple has coerced a magnificent garden from what was once a woodland. This is their story, with all of its ups and downs, anecdotes and a mix of private and professional photographs, culminating in not only the landscape, but also an arboretum with more than 3,500 species of trees and shrubs, including wild-collected rare plants.

GARDENISTA: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO STYLISH OUTDOOR SPACES Michelle Slatalla, Hardie Grant, $75

Former New York Times style columnist Michelle Slatalla looks at 12 inspirational gardens, alongside planting guides, colour palette and climate guides, DIY projects and landscaping tips, in a fusion of a book that is as good for beginners as it is likely to become a favourite of longtime home gardeners.

MANY HANDS: THE FIRST 40 YEARS OF THE AUSTRALIAN TAPESTRY WORKSHOP HarperCollins, $49.99

It is interesting to note that the Australian Tapestry Workshop is one of the largest producers of Australia’s public art. Skilled weavers use the same technique perfected in Europe in the 15th century, and their work is shown here in tapestries that are beautiful in their vibrancy, technical aptitude and invention. It’s also fascinating to discover that the artists and architects who have worked with the ATW’s weavers include Arthur Boyd, Sally Gabori, John Olsen, Jorn Utzon and John Wolseley, to name just a few.

DISOBEDIENT GARDENS: LANDSCAPES OF CONTRAST AND CONTRADICTION Michael Cooke and Brigid Arnott, Murdoch Books, $59.99

New South Wales Central Coast designer Michael Cooke highlights five of his garden designs, including his own, seen through the photography of co-author Brigid Arnott. Each landscape possesses a unique personality, imbued with the style of the owners that has been cleverly taken into consideration by Cooke. The contrast comes with the mix of wildness and order, creating landscapes of character and interest that are organic in their ‘disobedience’.

TREASURE PALACES: GREAT WRITERS, GREAT MUSEUMS Edited Maggie Fergusson, Allen and Unwin, $29.99

A gathering of some the world’s greatest writers — such as Tim Winton, Julian Barnes, Margaret Drabble, John Burnside — give their personal tours via intriguing essays of museums that have awed and inspired them. Some will no doubt evoke readers’ memories of places visited, others may inspire future holiday planning. It’s a fascinating discovery of far off places accessible to all.

AUSTRALIANS: A SHORT HISTORY Thomas CAKES, BAKES AND BISCUITS National Trust, HarperCollins, $24.99

The National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with their impressive four million members, know how to celebrate teatime with a delectable treat. Here is their collection of recipes, traditional and new, with classics such as Victoria sponge, fruit cake and preserves, and regional specialties like Bath buns and Banbury cakes.

Keneally, Allen and Unwin, $49.99

This Short History brings together the previous three volumes of the author’s history of this country and its peoples in a concise tome that nevertheless goes deeply into our rich and inspiring history.

A huge amount of time is traversed, from first Indigenous Australians and European settlers through to now, but if anyone can do it deftly and thoroughly and with great humanity, an outstanding local literary icon such as Keneally can.

No1

JAMES COOK Museum Once a 19th CENTURY CONVENT, James Cook Museum now houses a delightful treasure trove that puts the spotlight on the history of the FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND town of Cooktown. illustration RYN FRANK writer JENNIFER STACKHOUSE

James Cook Museum Queenland P L A C E

Captain Cook’s vessel, HMB Endeavour, was wrecked on the reef near Cape Tribulation on June 10, 1770. In a bid to free the ship, six cannons and the anchor were jettisoned. The pieces were recovered 200 years later and a cannon and the anchor are on exhibit in the museum.

The substantial three-storey brick building which houses the museum was once St Mary’s Convent and ran as a school for day pupils and boarders. It was built in 1888-89 for the Sisters of Mercy and designed by colonial architect Francis Drummond Greville Stanley.

It cost £4300 to build.

During their seven-week sojourn at Cooktown carrying out ship repairs, Cook and botanist Joseph Banks recorded more than 130 words from the local Guugu Yimithirr language including ‘gunguuru’ (kangaroo). It was the first time a kangaroo was seen, shot, cooked and eaten by Europeans, who described it as “excellent meat”.

There’s a model of the HMB Endeavour in the museum.

Built by Captain Dan Moynihan in 1915 it was used to represent the historic ship in annual processions that commemorated Cook’s visit in 1770. ‘HMB’ stands for His Majesty’s Bark.

There are magnificent views of the Endeavour River from the museum. The expansive view of the river from the front balcony was no doubt an advantage to the Fleet Radio Unit Detachment of the US 7th Fleet, who used the convent as their base during WW2.

The late elder Eric Deeral told the extraordinary story of the first recorded reconciliation between Indigenous Australians and Europeans on behalf of the Guugu Yimithirr and Kuku Yalanji people. His account is part of the significant collection of Indigenous items and history on display at the museum.

Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the James Cook Museum on April 22, 1970, by turning the key in the front door.

Someone was positioned behind the door to pull it open as the queen turned the key to make sure everything went as planned!

The building’s attic tells its own story with a collection of intriguing graffiti on the walls. There are several names and dates from 1970 and comments from numerous cheeky tradesmen and others who have also left their marks.

Far North Queensland was gripped by gold fever in the 1890s. Miners from around the world came to seek their fortune on the Palmer River. Items from this moment in history now in the museum include bullet moulds, a gunpowder flask, crucibles, a set of round playing cards and a marriage certificate from Maytown, where many of the prospectors lived.

The museum holds a family bible donated in 1969 by a member of a onceprominent local family. Several pages were sealed, marked ‘Strictly Confidential Information’ and it was forbidden for the pages to be opened.

In August, 2007, they were opened for the descendants’ eyes only but still remain closed to the public to this day!

Many Chinese joined the gold rush. This is evidenced by painted idols and intricate friezes from a joss house that once stood in Cooktown, and are now on show in the museum.

The museum garden is named for botanist Joseph Banks, who travelled on the Endeavour and, with Daniel Solander, collected 325 specimens along the Endeavour River.

The James Cook Museum is on the corner of Helen and Furneaux streets, Cooktown, Queensland.

Free admission to National Trust of Australia members. Visit www.nationaltrust.org.au/qld.

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News and Events nationaltrust.org.au/nsw

From fabulous events to the latest news, get out and explore our National Trust properties across the country.

RETFORD PARK

By Angela le Sueur

N SW

The National Trust NSW is delighted to announce that James Fairfax AC has gifted his highly significant and beautiful Bowral property, Retford Park, to the NSW National Trust. His intent is for the property to be enjoyed by the public, and particularly by the local community, for generations to come.

This is a wonderful gift to Australians, and the National Trust is proud to be entrusted with caring for it into the future.

A generous philanthropist, known for his gifts to the arts, medical research and education, James’s gift will fulfil his wish that this outstanding property be available to enrich the lives of everyone. The property comes with an endowment invested in the Trust Foundation for the maintenance and interpretation of the property. The next issue of the National Trust magazine will include

Retford Park, Bowral

a major feature story about this highly significant property and the generosity of its owner. Here is a just a taste: Located on the eastern outskirts of Bowral, Retford Park Estate includes a large Victorian Italianate villa, stables, swimming pool with pavilion and other ancillary buildings, some enhanced or designed by contemporary architects of note. The property is also known for its mature gardens.

The European history of the site extends back to 1821, when Governor Macquarie granted 1226 hectares of land near Bong Bong to Edward Riley the Elder. A few colourful decades followed before the property was acquired by Samuel Hordern in 1884. He named it Retford Park after the home of his grandmother in Nottingham, England, and established it as a cattle stud.

In 1887, Retford Park House was built to the design of architect Albert Bond. He was an architect of some note, having worked on Sydney’s Town Hall as the City of Sydney’s first full-time architect before resigning in 1877.

Samuel Hordern and his second son, Sir Samuel Hordern, were skilled cattle and horse breeders. Following the death of Samuel Hordern the 3rd the property was owned briefly in 1960 by American owned company King Ranch, which subdivided it into two allotments. In 1964 Lot 2 was purchased by James as a country retreat. He then began the process of consolidating and enhancing the property.

Murals by Donald Friend were part of a refurbishment in collaboration with interior designer Leslie Walford. The extensive mature garden has elements designed by landscape architects John Codrington and David Wilkinson. The English park and garden features magnificent trees, mature shrubberies and hedged garden rooms, with its famed red border known as the Persian carpet, and Cretaceous garden.

The National Trust NSW is currently considering the best uses for the property to maximise its accessibility to the public.

News and Events T R U S T

S.H. ERVIN GALLERY, THE ROCKS Portia Geach Memorial Award

Parramatta’s convict-built Georgian house, Old Government House, is a World Heritage Site.

UNTIL DECEMBER 18TH

The award for portraiture by contemporary Australian female artists displays selected entries from artists across the nation, and is recognised as one of the most important celebrations of Australian female portrait painters. Phone (02) 9258 0173.

Email shervingallery@ nationaltrust.com.au; shervingallery.com.au. Watson Road, The Rocks, Sydney. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-5pm.

S.H. ERVIN GALLERY, THE ROCKS Margaret Olley: Painter, Peer, Mentor, Muse JANUARY 7TH-MARCH 26TH

This exhibition explores the influence of Margaret Olley and her friendships with other artists. It includes works by Jean Bellette, Margaret Cilento, Moya Dyring, Anne Weinholt, and younger artists such as Cressida Campbell and Ben Quilty, alongside Margaret’s works. Phone (02) 9258 0173.

Email shervingallery@ nationaltrust.com.au; shervingallery.com.au. Watson Road, The Rocks, Sydney. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-5pm.

WOODFORD ACADEMY, WOODFORD Friday 13th Ghost Tours JANUARY 13TH

The Woodford Academy is renowned for its supernatural activity. Get your ghostly thrills with an intimate one hour behind-the-scenes tour of the Blue Mountains’ oldest building.

Tickets, $26. Maximum 20 people per tour. Bookings essential. Tours start at 7.30 and 8.30pm. Phone (02) 9258 0141.

Email woodford@gmail.com; nationaltrust.org.au/nsw/ woodford-academy. 90-92 Great Western Highway, Woodford.

OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, PARRAMATTA, Carols By Candlelight

DECEMBER 10TH Start the festive season with a night of carols played

by the Parramatta City Brass Band and a visit from Santa. Bring a rug and settle back to enjoy the evening. Sausage sizzle, candles and drinks for sale. Gold coin donation. From 7pm-9pm (gates open at 6pm). Phone (02) 9635 8149. Email ogh@nationaltrust.com.au; nationaltrust.org.au/places/old-government-house.

Parramatta Park, Parramatta (Pitt Street entrance).

UNTIL JANUARY 22ND

At Home is curated by Australian design expert David Clark to showcase objects from some of Australia’s leading contemporary designers alongside a significant Georgian collection of furniture.

Tickets, $18.50. Phone (02) 9635 8149. Email ogh@nationaltrust. com.au; nationaltrust.org.au/ places/old-government-house.

Parramatta Park, Parramatta (Pitt Street entrance).

Open 10am-4pm.

AUSTRALIA DAY AT THE NATIONAL TRUST NSW Open Days and Events at National Trust NSW Properties

Phone (02) 6772 3616. Email saumarez@nationaltrust.com. au; nationaltrust.org.au/places/ saumarez-homestead. 230 Saumarez Road, Armidale.

Open 10am-5pm.

WOODFORD ACADEMY, WOODFORD FEBRUARY 7TH, 12TH & 18TH

Phone (02) 9258 0141. Email woodford@gmail.com; nationaltrust.org.au/nsw/ woodford-academy. 90-92 Great Western Highway, Woodford.

Open 10am-4pm.

DUNDULLIMAL HOMESTEAD, DUBBO

JANUARY 26TH

MARCH 10TH-APRIL 16TH

Celebrate Australia Day with the National Trust NSW. House museums, grounds and gardens will be open, with special events for people of all ages. For details, visit nationaltrust.org.au/nsw.

Phone 02 6884 9984. Email info@nationaltrust.com.au; nationaltrust.org.au/places/ dundullimal-homestead. 23L Obley Road, Dubbo. Open Tuesday - Saturday, 11am-3pm.

NATIONAL TRUST NSW HOUSE MUSEUMS: Always

OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, PARRAMATTA

Was — Always Will Be 2016 Schools’ Reconciliation Challenge The NSW Reconciliation Council (NSWRC) and the National Trust NSW have joined forces to present a statewide tour of award-winning artworks from this year’s NSW Schools’ Reconciliation Challenge art and writing competition.

Ghost Tours

OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, PARRAMATTA

SAUMAREZ HOMESTEAD, ARMIDALE

At Home: Modern Australian Design exhibition

UNTIL DECEMBER 12TH, 2016 (weekends only)

FEBRUARY 17TH, MARCH 17TH

This event never ceases to intrigue. Wander through the candlelit corridors and rooms of this 216-year-old residence and sense the presence of Australia’s first governors, their families, the convicts and the native owners of the land. Tickets, $35. Bookings essential, over 16 years only.

Phone (02) 9635 8149. Email info@friendsofogh.com; friendsofogh.com. Parramatta Park, Parramatta.

EVERGLADES HOUSE & GARDEN, LEURA When In Rome… Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra JANUARY 14TH-29TH

Now in its eighth successful year, Sport for Jove’s acclaimed Summer Season has become a must-see on the theatrical calendar. This year we go on a Roman holiday with the epic tales of Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, told together in the exciting atmosphere of the Sydney Festival, full of feasting and invention in the outdoor theatre at Everglades.

Bookings essential, visit sportforjove.com.au.

37 Everglades Avenue, Leura.

Issue 1/Summer 2016 T R U S T

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Tickets, $30. Bookings advised.

Phone (02) 9498 2271. Email eryldene@eryldene.org.au; eryldene.org.au. 17 McIntosh Street, Gordon.

LEFT: A big discovery.

The 17th-century tin-glazed, earthenware ceramic plate made to commemorate King William III, recently found at the National Trust NSW’s Miss Traill’s House, Bathurst.

A PIECE OF THE 17TH CENTURY at Miss Traill’s House

The National Trust NSW’s property Miss Traill’s House in Bathurst, holds many special treasures — but one of the most valuable came to light only recently.

Sifting through the property’s repository where items in need of a bit of TLC are stored until they can have the attention they deserve, National Trust Board member and heritage consultant Meredith Hutton came across a plate that she knew was rare and deserving of expert conservation.

Brushing off the dust she saw a tin-glazed, earthenware ceramic plate, made to commemorate King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II, ruled England, Scotland and Ireland from 1689-1702. The 1691 Delft plate features a portrait of the King in the centre, flanked by his initials ‘K W’ and with a floral border.

International Conservation Services (ICS) was commissioned by the National Trust NSW’s Miss Traill’s House to carry out a full conservation treatment including cleaning, stain reduction, reconstruction of pieces and finally, retouching areas around the repairs. The plate was a highlight of the recent Our Oldest Treasures exhibition at the property, where it remains as an intriguing link in local history.

Miss Traill’s House, Bathurst, phone (02) 6332 4232.

94 T R U S T Issue 1/Summer 2016

NORMAN LINDSAY GALLERY, FAULCONBRIDGE Jazz in the Garden FEBRUARY 25TH

Jazz band Galapagos Duck will again feature in this annual event which brings world-class musicians to the grounds of Norman Lindsay’s Home and Gallery. Bring family and friends, a picnic and rug. Starts at 5pm.

Tickets, $35. Phone (02) 4751 1067. Email info@ normanlindsay.com.au; normanlindsay.com.au.

14 Norman Lindsay Crescent, Faulconbridge.

ERYLDENE HISTORIC HOUSE AND GARDEN, GORDON Twilight Jazz at Eryldene MARCH 12TH

The Moods will set the mood for young and old while you enjoy an autumn sunset in the gorgeous garden at Eryldene. Bring a picnic or purchase refreshments from the Garden Café. Order gourmet rolls before March 10th.

5-8pm (gate opens at 4pm).

WOODFORD ACADEMY, WOODFORD ‘Mrs Shiels’ – A Pioneer of the Blue Mountains Summer House MARCH 18TH

A talk by Blue Mountains historian Kate O’Neill on the successful 19th-century businesswoman Margaret Shiels, whose guesthouses in Bathurst, Blackheath, Mittagong and Leura encouraged tourism in the Mountains. 1-2pm. Tickets, $6. Email woodfordacademy@ gmail.com; nationaltrust.org. au/places/woodford-academy.

90-92 Great Western Highway, Woodford.

MUDGEE OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND COACH TOUR FROM CANBERRA MARCH 24TH-26TH

National Trust ACT members are invited to join a three-day coach tour to enjoy the Mudgee Weekend, leaving from three locations in Canberra (Deakin, Civic and Ainslie). It will include a garden inspection and lunch at ‘Mayfield’ near Oberon on Friday, two nights B & B motel accommodation in Mudgee, inspection tickets, a winery lunch and restaurant dinner on Saturday, a boxed lunch on Sunday and other refreshments en route on Friday and Sunday.

Bookings essential. Phone (02) 6290 1100

NATIONAL TRUST NSW HOUSE INSPECTIONS: Waverley/Bronte Day MARCH 14TH

Three historic properties will be open for inspection by National Trust members and their friends. Bronte House is, in the true Regency sense of the word, a gentleman’s residence. Its design is attributed to Mortimer Lewis (1796-1879) and is distinctive as a large and gracious cottage in the picturesque style, with Gothic detailing, set in a designed landscape setting. Other properties are a fine stone terrace and two-storey 1870s home, both in the vicinity.

Tickets, $38, NT members only.

Bookings essential. Phone (02) 9363 2401.

MUDGEE DISTRICT OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND MARCH 25TH-26TH

Mudgee, a name used by the traditional Wiradjuri people and meaning a ‘nest in the hills’ , is situated in the undulating hillsides of the Central Tablelands. The district was first settled by pioneer pastoralists in the early 1820s and is the second oldest town (after Bathurst) west of the Great Dividing Range.

The township retains much of its fine architectural character and, along with its attractive surrounding villages, is a centre of food, wine and warm country ambience. Four historic Mudgee homes will be opened to National Trust members and friends (up to two per person) on Saturday, and three in Mudgee and its surrounds on Sunday. Bookings essential.

House inspection tickets, $85 NT members, $105 friends.

Enquiries: National Trust Ticket Secretary, phone (02) 9363 2401.

Accommodation enquiries: Mudgee Visitor Information Centre, phone (02) 6372 1020; visitmudgeeregion.com.au.

NATIONAL TRUST NSW WAY HOLIDAY TOURS Norfolk Island Tour MARCH 20TH-27TH

Enjoy the wonderful scenery, foods and wines of Norfolk Island with our experienced National Trust guides, and make new friends in our small groups of people. By taking our tours you are supporting the National Trust and heritage everywhere.

Rich in history, Norfolk Island is beautiful with plenty to enjoy, including wonderful food.

Twice used as a penal colony known for its harsh treatment of convicts, it became home to the descendants of the Bounty Mutineers. The original township of Kingston, a World Heritage Site, includes restored Georgian buildings. Accommodation is in the prestigious Governor’s Lodge Resort. Maximum of 15 people.

Bookings and enquiries to David Smith, Travel on Capri.

Phone 1800 679 066.

FRANKLIN HOUSE, YOUNGTOWN Bubbles & Brunch FEBRUARY 5TH

A scrumptious brunch served with sparkling wine in the gardens. Tickets, $25, bookings essential. Phone (03) 6344 7824; nationaltrust.org.au/places/ franklin-house.

FRANKLIN HOUSE, YOUNGTOWN Heritage Fair MARCH 19TH

RUNNYMEDE, HOBART Captain’s House & Garden Tour TUESDAYS-FRIDAYS & SUNDAYS

This elegant homestead was built around 1836 for Robert Pitcairn, one of the first lawyers admitted to the Supreme Court in the Van Diemen’s Land colony. Come and see the artefacts related to the maritime interests of Captain Charles Bayley, who named the house after his favourite ship.

There are also historic artworks and possessions of previous owner Bishop Francis Nixon.

Bookings recommended. Tickets, $15. Phone (03) 6278 1269 or visit nationaltrusttas.rezdy.com.

RUNNYMEDE, HOBART Take Tea with Harriet (strolling theatre) WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS

Join Harriet Bayly around her afternoon tea table in the elegant Library at Runnymede.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES, PARKES SPEAKER’S NIGHT WITH DR PETER DOWLING:

nationaltrust.org.au/nt

DECEMBER 11TH

Built in 1838 for businessman Britton Jones, an ex-convict, in 1960, this rare colonial building became the birthplace of the National Trust in Tasmania, which was formed to save it. In December, the beloved annual Christmas Carols and Cake event is back.

Tickets, $10, bookings essential.

Phone (03) 6344 7824 or visit nationaltrusttas.rezdy.com/ franklin-house.

Let Harriet entertain you with stories of her life as a whaling captain’s daughter. After tea take the opportunity to see the Scrimshaw artifacts made by her father. A minimum number of 10 participants is needed for Take Tea to go ahead, and bookings are essential. Tickets, $28. Phone (03) 6278 1269; nationaltrusttas.rezdy.com.

THE ROADMASTER’S HOUSE, DARWIN

Goyder’s Day This special anniversary commemorates the arrival of SurveyorGeneral Goyder in the Top End. At the Roadmaster’s House museum, there will be talks, a walk to the original Goyder’s campsite, refreshments and music.

Entry is free. 4.30pm.

Phone (08) 8981 2848.

Email foh.ntnt@ internode.on.net.

NT

Christmas Carols and Cake

The Heritage Fair is the major fundraiser for Franklin House, with proceeds going towards upkeep and restoration. Events include stalls, food, heritage games, entertainment, Blessing of the Pets at St James Church and more. Phone (03) 6344 7824; nationaltrust.org.au/ places/franklin-house.

nationaltrust.org.au/act

FRANKLIN HOUSE, YOUNGTOWN

ACT

nationaltrust.org.au/tas

TASMANIA

News and Events T R U S T

Secrets, Ciphers and Codes West Block, ‘The Bunker’ and ‘The Cable Girls’ FEBRUARY 8TH

During the Second World War a small and innocuous building in Canberra’s Parliamentary Triangle was known as ‘The Bunker’. Dr Peter Dowling, historical archaeologist and National Trust ACT member, will tell the story of this building and its staff, mainly women, who played a vital part in Australia’s war effort. Tickets, $15. Bookings essential by February 6th.

Phone (02) 6230 0533. Email info@nationaltrustact.org.au.

PANDEMONIUM AT THE TENCH, Hobart Penitentiary Site The highly anticipated new tourism experience Pandemonium has recently launched at ‘the Tench’ Hobart Penitentiary Site. Pandemonium the film is an immersive experience within the original penitentiary chapel where convicts once sat.

In the early 1830s, a service in the chapel of the Van Diemen’s Land Prisoners’ Barracks Penitentiary (shortened by inmates to ‘The Tench’) was far from a holy experience.

The building, in the shape of a cruciform, was designed by John Lee Archer to make space for convicts arriving in the colony. The design

included 36 solitary confinement cells beneath the chapel floor, which were later declared inhumane. When transportation ended, the site became Hobart Town Gaol for more than 100 years. Sections of the chapel were converted into two Supreme Courts connected by tunnels to the gaol, and an execution yard and gallows were added.

National Trust of Australia Tasmania managing director Matthew Smithies says, “Pandemonium is telling the convict story in a way that will have mass appeal in the same way Port Arthur and MONA do.”

Australian convict life expert Prof. Hamish Maxwell Stuart says, “Projected four metres high onto the walls of Hobart’s most important convict building, Pandemonium delivers an experience that drives right to the heart of Tasmania’s dark past.” Pandemonium is a multi-sensory experience that uses geometrically mapped blended projections and a multi-point audio system to cleverly transport viewers to another time. It is simply unlike any other audio and visual experience in the state. Tickets, $15. Phone (03) 6231 0911 or visit nationaltrusttas.rezdy.com.

The beautifully ornate interiors of Barwon Park Mansion

nationaltrust.org.au/vic

VICTORIA

Barwon Park — an authentic bluestone mansion and stables set in a sweeping rural landscape.

BARWON PARK MANSION, WINCHELSEA Night Life Exhibition JANUARY 4TH–MARCH 26TH ON SELECTED DATES

An exhibition drawn from the fashion collection of the National Trust of Australia Victoria and displaying many never before seen garments, Night Life will transport you to a world of 1920s and ‘30s glamour.

The exhibition showcases a very dynamic and visually impressive time in Victoria’s fashion history.

Set in an atmosphere of exuberant play and optimistic discovery, the fashion on show references the night sky, stars and planets, neon lights, fireworks and dreams, while the costumes selected for the exhibition reveal embellished surfaces, ornamentation and pattern.

The gowns come from the Trust’s collection, and many have been made locally in Victoria so represent the fashion that was being worn here during the ‘20s and ‘30s. The exhibition features more than 35 gowns as well as menswear and accessories, and National Trust of Australia Victoria curator Elizabeth Anya-Petrivna says, “It’s exciting to present these costumes in a way that captures the spirit of the age.

“These are the clothes our great grandmothers and grandfathers were wearing when they danced the night away or enjoyed a Hollywood film.”

Tickets, $20. Phone (03) 9656 9889 or visit nationaltrust.org.au/event/night-life.

News and Events T R U S T

LABASSA MANSION, CAULFIELD NORTH

LA TROBE’S COTTAGE, MELBOURNE: Open House SUNDAYS

COMO HOUSE & GARDEN, SOUTH YARRA

Labassa Mansion Tours

FEBRUARY 19TH, MARCH 19TH

Labassa is an outstanding Victorian era mansion with opulent architectural features. The interior features gilt embossed wallpapers, ornate stained glass and a rare trompe l’oeil ceiling. Immerse yourself in Labassa’s history at one of the open days and enjoy a tour.

Tickets, $15. Phone (03) 9656 9889; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

Open Days

COMO HOUSE & GARDEN, SOUTH YARRA

RIPPON LEA HOUSE & GARDENS, ELSTERNWICK

MOST WEEKENDS

Como Dusk Tours

Teddy Bears’ Picnic

Como House is an intriguing mix of Australian Regency and classic Italianate architecture built in 1847. See the preserved dining and reception rooms, servants’ areas and kitchen. Tickets, $15.

Phone (03) 9656 9889; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

DECEMBER 9TH, JANUARY 6TH AND 20TH, FEBRUARY 10TH AND 24TH

FEBRUARY 26TH

THE HEIGHTS HERITAGE HOUSE AND GARDEN, NEWTOWN

Immerse yourself in Como and its history during a dusk tour of the mansion, followed by light refreshments. Tickets, $35.

Phone (03) 9656 9889; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

LABASSA MANSION, CAULFIELD NORTH

Virtually There — 60th Anniversary Exhibition

Private Lives

SUNDAYS UNTIL FEBRUARY 25TH

Marking the 60th anniversary of the National Trust, the exhibition is a journey through interactive virtual reality exhibits which include a hologram of Rippon Lea mansion and a chance to explore the Old Melbourne Gaol and Rippon Lea using a VR headset. Tickets, $10.

Phone (03) 9656 9889; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

Home to more than 700 residents over 143 years, Labassa is unique among Victoria’s heritage buildings. Join us to hear the stories of six families who called the mansion home.

The talk will be followed by a tour of the rooms where families resided. Pre-talk refreshments included. Tickets, $30.

Phone (03) 9656 9889; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

POLLY WOODSIDE, SOUTH WHARF

LA TROBE’S COTTAGE, MELBOURNE

Caribbean Pirates

Australia Day

JANUARY 19TH

FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

JANUARY 26TH

Caribbean Pirates is an exciting interactive theatre production performed on shore and on the decks of ship Polly Woodside.

Tickets, $25z. Phone (03) 9699 9760; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

Visit the homes of the first and current Victorian Governors at La Trobe’s Cottage and Government House. Tickets, $5. Phone (03) 9656 9889; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

RIPPON LEA HOUSE & GARDENS, ELSTERNWICK

COMO HOUSE & GARDEN, SOUTH YARRA

Twilight Christmas Festival

Market

DECEMBER 9TH

JANUARY 29TH

Capture the spirit of the season with family and friends at Rippon Lea’s annual Twilight Christmas Festival. Tickets, $10.

Phone (03) 9523 6095; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

Spend the day exploring a variety of local and handmade market stalls and playing games of croquet on the lawn. Gold coin donation. Phone (03) 9656 9889; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

Grab a picnic, some friends, family and teddy bears and enjoy a day at Rippon Lea for the annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

Tickets, $15. Phone (03) 9523 6095 nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

COMO HOUSE & GARDEN, SOUTH YARRA Vintage Clothing Sale MARCH 18TH-19TH

Vintage clothes and accessories will be on sale at this annual event. Phone (03) 9656 9889 nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

BARWON PARK MANSION, WINCHELSEA Hunt & Gather Winchelsea Field Day MARCH 31ST-APRIL 1ST

This festival features regional produce, art and agriculture, while celebrating innovation in farming. Phone (03) 5267 2209; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

WA nationaltrust.org.au/wa

Visitors to La Trobe’s Cottage will learn how Charles Joseph La Trobe, Victoria’s first Governor, lived with his family on their garden estate at Jolimont.

Tickets, $5. Phone (03) 9656 9889; nationaltrust.org.au/vic.

PENINSULA FARM, MAYLANDS Christmas Carols DECEMBER 17TH

Tuxedo Junction leads the singing of traditional songs of joy. Bring a picnic.

5.45 pm start (grounds open at 4.30pm).

Non-member tickets: adults $5, family $10. Phone (08) 9272 2630. Johnson Road, Maylands.

PERTH C.Y. O’Connor Lecture 2017 EARLY MARCH

Each year the legacy of engineer C.Y. O’Connor (below, left) is commemorated with a lecture.

Past speakers have discussed innovation, sustainability, threats to heritage and infrastructure.

Visit nationaltrust.org.au/wa for confirmed details in February.

C.Y. O’Connor, an Irish engineer known for his work in WA, in particular the construction of Fremantle Harbour.

OLD FARM, STRAWBERRY HILL: A Small Watercolour Tells a Big Story LATE MARCH Estate portraits were a common vehicle to capture a family’s wealth and position through their property. Melissa Harpley, Curator, Art Gallery of WA will compare evocative images in the genre at a talk in Albany.

Visit nationaltrust.org.au/wa for confirmed details in March.

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nationaltrust.org.au/sa

SA

Cape Jaffa lighthouse.

BEAUMONT HOUSE, BEAUMONT Summer Sundays JANUARY 15TH, FEBRUARY 19TH, MARCH 19TH

Enjoy live music, food, entertainment and wine on the lawns, treat yourself to a Devonshire tea on the verandah and browse our vintage market stalls.

Tickets, $10. Email events@ nationaltrustsa.org.au.

LIGHTHOUSE READY TO SHINE

BEAUMONT HOUSE, BEAUMONT

With a sense of excitement, work resumed on the conservation of Kingston’s extraordinary 40-metre-tall Cape Jaffa Lighthouse in September.

The original iron bolts have stood the test of time and tide, but at 144 years of age, the corrosion of the bolts was a major challenge faced by the team from Southern Steeplejacks undertaking the work. With great skill they removed the exterior corrosion, replaced the bolts and painted the upper section. As fine weather returned, they started work on the lower sections.

The lighthouse originally stood eight kilometres offshore on the Margaret Brock reef and helped save hundreds of vessels from disaster between 1872 and 1973.

In a salvage operation by the National Trust SA, the whole structure was moved onshore to ensure its preservation.

For 40 years the lighthouse has stood on Marine Parade, with public openings, including the chance to explore the eight-room living quarters of the lighthouse keep and climb to the top of this massive structure, with its two-tonne crystal lens.

This conservation project is one of the most ambitious ever undertaken by the Trust and we are still seeking donations to help complete this work. Visit saheritagefoundation.com.au/ appeals/cape-jaffa-lighthouse.

Experience the joys of the garden on a summer evening as Blue Sky Theatre and Open Gardens SA present Jane Austen’s romantic novel. Bring a picnic or order one online. Bar available (no BYO alcohol). Tickets, $35.

Phone (08) 8202 9200 or visit blueskytheatre.com.au.

Sense and Sensibility in the Garden JANUARY 26TH, 27TH, 28TH

BEAUMONT HOUSE, BEAUMONT Open Day FEBRUARY 5TH, MARCH 5TH

Beaumont House was built in 1849 and has a distinctive Mediterranean character with an open brickwork parapet in soft terracotta colours. Now it is the State Office of the National Trust of SA and a State Heritage listed property. Tickets, $10. Email admin@nationaltrustsa.org.au.

The distinctive Mediterranean character of Beaumont House.

AYERS HOUSE MUSEUM, ADELAIDE The Dressmaker Costume Exhibition UNTIL DECEMBER 11TH

Hot on the heels of Australian film The Dressmaker, the National Trust, in association with Film Art Media, proudly presents a major new exhibition of Marion Boyce’s masterful costume designs from the film. Be transported from the stately former mansion of Ayers House Museum to the dusty town of Dungatar in the 1950s, and experience the journey of transformation through the artful and luxurious costumes worn by Kate Winslet, Sarah Snook (below) and the rest of the cast of The Dressmaker. The exhibition reveals how the costumes, inspired by Parisian couture, were made and developed for the film.

Tickets, $20. Phone (08) 8223 1234; ayershousemuseum.org.au.

Sarah Snook in the movie The Dressmaker. The Ayers House Museum exhibition displays costumes from the film.

UNTIL FEBRUARY 23RD ON SELECT DATES

In 1894, as a mark of their respect and appreciation, 21 chemistry and pharmacy students at the Brisbane Technical College presented their lecturer, Dr Wilton Love, with a photo album of Brisbane and the surrounding area. To Sir with Love is a fascinating new exhibition telling the story of this album and its journey over the past 122 years.

For more information, visit ogh.qut.edu.au/whats-on.

BEAUMONT HOUSE PHOTOGRAPH: MARNIE HAWSON. ILLUSTRATIONS: MORPHART/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

ROYAL BULL’S HEAD INN, DRAYTON Ghosts at the Inn — Paranormal Experience Experience the paranormal with two-hour guided night tours at the Inn. Hear the tales associated with this Heritage building and spend time alone experiencing whatever might be there!

Check dates for 2017 on the Inn’s Facebook page. Tickets, $25 (over 12 years only). Bookings essential. Phone 0402 138 751 or visit facebook.com/ royalbullsheadinn.

CURRUMBIN TO COOKTOWN DRIVING TRAIL Summer is the best time of year to set off on a driving holiday and explore all of the state’s National Trust properties from Currumbin to Cooktown. Visit Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in the leafy beachside suburb and learn about the dedicated work being done to ensure the existence of some of our iconic Australian wildlife. Then travel through beautiful towns visiting hidden gems along the way, from the Chinese temple in Atherton to the museum in Charters Towers.

CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE HOSPITAL Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation Gala The hospital treats more than 9000 wildlife patients annually and relies on donations, grants and sponsorships. Each year the Trust hosts a Gala Event on the Gold Coast to raise critical funds to support the Wildlife Hospital.

Check savingyourwildlife.org.au for ticket details in early 2017 for the Gala, which is to be held April 29th, 2017.

CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Kids on Conservation Trail Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has developed the new Kids on Conservation Trail which highlights the sanctuary’s important work with conservation and breeding programs. Young visitors make their way around to 12 stamping stations to learn about how they can help. Each station has fun facts for all to enjoy. The passport includes information about our online Kids on Conservation content, including games and prizes. Successful completion of the passport results in a prize for the children. Visit currumbinsanctuary.com.au.

Kids can have fun and learn about conservation at Currumbin on a new trail.

CURRAJONG HOUSE, TOWNSVILLE HERITAGE CENTRE Currajong House and Gardens Currajong House and its gardens present the perfect venue for weddings, photography and receptions. Townsville Heritage Centre houses, including the historic 1888 villa residence ‘Currajong’, are surrounded by heritage inspired gardens. Castle Hill provides another element to this elegant backdrop with its sweeping lawns. The huge rain tree offers shade and the croquet lawn is the ideal place for a marquee. When the petrea vine is in flower, the shaded arbour is covered in delicate clusters of purple flowers.

Phone (07) 4771 5873; visit nationaltrust.org.au/places/ townsville-heritage-centre.

WOLSTON FARMHOUSE, WACOL Sculpture Festival JANUARY 17TH

Hidden in Brisbane’s outer suburbs is the 19th-century rural gem Wolston Farmhouse, the district’s oldest surviving residential farmhouse. Built in 1852 for Dr Stephen Simpson, its history is the story of change on the fringes of Brisbane.

Phone 1300 886 511. Email moreaustralian@cws.org.au.

NATIONAL TRUST NSW SHORT TOURS & TREKS: New Zealand Napier Art Deco Festival FEBRUARY 14TH-20TH

If you missed last year’s unforgettable visit led by D’Arcy Cheesewright to this festival celebrating NZ’s North Island Art Deco capital, now is your chance to make amends! Napier was rebuilt in the early 1930s following an earthquake.

It has 140 original Art Deco buildings, carefully protected by the Art Deco Trust. We fly direct to Napier where we stay at the immensely jolly Toad Hall (a nod to the famous vintage car rally).

Highlights include live music, guided tour and festival fun.

Bookings and enquiries to Andrew Conacher, email andrew@brarchitects.net.au. nationaltrust.org.au

To Sir with Love: An exhibition of the Dr Wilton WR Love album

Complete your journey with a visit to Cape York and Cooktown.

Visit National Trust website nationaltrust.org.au/qld for details on these properties.

NEW ZEALAND

OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, BRISBANE nationaltrust.org.au/qld

QUEENSLAND

News and Events T R U S T

Issue 1/Summer 2016 T R U S T

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L A ST WOR D Franklin Vagnone

ONE NIGHT STAND Heritage house bomb thrower, public HISTORIAN...

Franklin Vagnone is determined to change the way we think. photographer FRANKLIN VAGNONE FRANKLIN VAGNONE’S innovative way of drawing attention to heritage houses was to start a blog called One-Night Stand. He spends the night in these historic properties, taking up residence in the hope of understanding the house as only an inhabitant can.

Where was the very first One-Night Stand? It was at the Powel House in Philadelphia. It was one of the historic houses that I ran and after a late night fundraising event, I didn’t want to make the hour train ride home so I made a bed on the floor and slept there. It was after that experience that I realised how different the perspective would be if I could use the house as it was originally intended. From there I kept modifying the idea, then writing about the experiences — it has grown from there.

How do you feel about signs that say ‘don’t touch’ and red satin ropes cordoning off areas to make them out of bounds? Hate them! Take them down — all of them. That is all I will say about that.

When your book Anarchist’s Guide to Historic House Museums was published in 2015, you were quoted as saying you thought historic homes had a potentially dire future as funding and visitor numbers decline. Are you seeing a shift? The answer is that all of these sites have the potential to prosper, but only if the boards and the staff can understand that the status quo can no longer be enough. The winners in this game will be the ones who seek change and innovation, and allow the community to help redefine their uses.

How many historic houses have you spent a night in? I have been trying to do one every month so about 12 so far.

Any particularly memorable ones? I always love the last house that I slept in and wrote about — the Iron House in Melbourne was pretty great, but the peace of Saumarez was quite special.

Franklin Vagnone gave a keynote address at the 2016 National Trusts of Australia and Australia ICOMOS conference, The People’s Ground. Read his account of his One-Night Stands at the National Trust of Australia properties Saumarez and Iron House at twistedpreservation.com

102 T R U S T Issue 1/Summer 2016

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Saumarez in Armidale, NSW; Franklin Vagnone and Johnny Yeagley, his partner and vice president at Twisted Preservation, at SA’s Martindale Hall; Vagnone at Saumarez; on the stairs at Martindale Hall; morning tea at the Iron House; anarchist’s tags; Vagnone’s jacket, where he draws every house that he works with — shown are Melbourne’s Iron House and Rippon Lea; the exterior of Rippon Lea; his desk in a bedroom at Saumarez.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Voted one of the Gold Coast’s most popular tourist desƟnaƟons, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is the crown ũewel of the EaƟonal Trust of ustralia ;YueenslandͿ properƟes. s one of Yueensland’s earliest nature-based tourist desƟnaƟons, the Sanctuary is a physical embodiment of everythinŐ the EaƟonal Trust represents͗ dedicaƟon to conservinŐ our naƟon’s IndiŐenous, natural and historic heritaŐe and culture.

The Sanctuary was established in ϭϵϰϳ by beekeeper and Ňower-Őrower, lex Griĸths. Instead of hunƟnŐ or displacinŐ the Ňocks of wild lorikeets that were ravaŐinŐ his prinjed blooms, Griĸths redirected their aƩenƟon by providinŐ reŐular feedinŐs each day.

These feedinŐs Ƌuickly Őained popularity amonŐst locals and tourists alike, and thus, the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary was born.

Now known as Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, it has have Őrown to over 2ϳ hectares with live shows daily, an amanjinŐ hiŐh-ropes course, SeŐway tours, naƟve animals to hold and a rainforest to explore.

NaƟonal Trust members receive free entry into the Sanctuary.

The rainbow lorikeets are sƟll fed daily at 8.ϬϬam and 4.00pm. The Sanctuary opens 8.00 am - 5.00 pm ϳ days ;Closed Christmas ay, nnjac ayͿ.

CurrumbinSanctuary.com.au 28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin.

MARGARET OLLEY Portrait in the mirror 1948 oil on cardboard Collection: Art Gallery of New South Wales, gift of the artist 2001 ©estate of Margaret Olley

MARGARET OLLEY: PAINTER, PEER, MENTOR, MUSE 7 JANUARY – 26 MARCH 2017 Celebrating the influence of Margaret Olley and her connection with so many other artists - as mentor, contemporary or muse. The exhibition includes works by Jean Bellette, Margaret Cilento, William Dobell, Donald Friend, David Strachan, Moya Dyring and Anne Weinholt and younger artists such as Cressida Campbell, Nicholas Harding, Criss Canning, Robert Barnes and Ben Quilty, alongside a selection of Margaret’s works. Curated by Renee Porter.

Presented with the support of the Margaret Olley Art Trust Watson Road, Observatory Hill, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000 Open: Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 5pm, closed Monday & public holidays. Parking, Café, Shop Cost: $4 National Trust member, $10 general /$7 concession/ children under 12 free Group Bookings: 02) 9258 0140.

Info: 02 9258 0133 Email: shervingallery@nationaltrust.com.au Web:www.shervingallery.com.au