Endangered Places 2003 Report Card

Are governments finally getting the message?

Community outrage at government treatment of cherished heritage places as ‘cash-cows,’ appears to have been validated, if evidence from the Australian Council of National Trusts 6 th Endangered Places Report Card is to be believed.

‘Everyone gains when heritage sites are re-incorporated into the community; everyone loses when they are simply discarded to dollar driven development’ ACNT Chair Simon Molesworth said today.

‘While there has been some notable successes this past year, due diligence is still required,’ Mr Molesworth added.

The Adelaide City Council is attempting to ensure the special character of North Adelaide is maintained, while the South Australian government needs to apply similar measures to protect cherished landscapes.

There have been some positive gains for Queensland’s special places, with the future of Fort Lytton now assured, but the fate of historic sites on the Mackay and Brisbane waterfronts remains undecided.

The return of Point Nepean and Point Cook to the community after sustained pressure from a coalition of organisations is immensely welcome. It is hoped that this will be followed by good news concerning the fate of the HMVS Cerberus.

The West Australian government is to be congratulated for its community focussed restoration programs for the iconic Swan River, but the fate of many of its notable buildings still hangs in the balance, in some cases years after they were first declared redundant.

‘Two related issues continue to dominate the Endangered Places program,’ Mr Molesworth added. ‘Community demands for governments to look beyond the financial bottom-line when considering the future of heritage places must be juxtaposed with the need for creative and sympathetic options for the re-use of heritage sites.’

The National Trust deplores the fact that the majority of places nominated in 2003 as endangered, remain so. A number will be re-nominated to the 2004 List.

The key message from this Report Card is that the community values its heritage places. Collectively we all have a responsibility to care for them. Governments must heed community expectations and accept that ‘quadruple bottom-line’ considerations, that is social, cultural, environmental as well as economic value, must be derived from any subsequent redevelopment of heritage sites.

    ACT      ?         Fairbairn Airbase                                  Damage and Demolition

   NSW    ?          Menangle Railway                                BridgeDeterioration and Demolition

                ?          Iron Lattice Girder Railway Bridges   Deterioration and Destruction

   NT         ?         Munmulary Homestead complex        Damage and Deterioration

   QLD      ?         North Bank Precinct Brisbane River  Inappropriate Redevelopment

                     Fort Lytton, Brisbane                             Damage and Deterioration

                 ?         Pioneer River Precinct Mackay            Inappropriate Redevelopment

   SA         ?         North Adelaide                                         Inappropriate Redevelopment

                ?          Significant Landscapes                        Failure of planning framework toidentify

                                                                                                and protect Significant Landscapes

   TAS      ?          Recherche Bay                                        Damage  

   VIC          RAAF Point Cook Airbase                      Disposal and Inappropriate Redevelopment

               ?          Point Nepean                                          Disposal and Inappropriate Redevelopment

               ?          Inner Melbourne Suburbs                     Inappropriate Redevelopment

                            – Carlton, Fitzroy

               ?          HMVS Cerberus                                      Deterioration and Destruction

   WA          Swan River                                                Degradation through lack of coordinated

                                                                                               government action

               ?         Treasury Building, Perth                         Damage and Deterioration

               ?         Sunset Hospital, Nedlands                   Disposal and Inappropriate Redevelopment

               ?         East Perth Power Station                       Degradation and Inappropriate Redevelopment

   National

              ?         Urban Waterways                                     Deterioration

Symbol key:                   = an acceptable outcome

                                           ? = place remains under threat

                                        x =place demolished or heritage value compromised