Contribute to preserving our Shire's heritage

CURRENT APPROACH:

The Shire:

• Has no formal Heritage Strategy however provides financial support to the Mundaring and Hills Historical Society (60k/yr), access and use of the Station Masters House (Mundaring) and Museum space attached to the visitors centre
• Staff support a Cultural Advisory Group, which includes Heritage representatives.

The Shire’s local heritage is:

• Recognised within the a Municipal Inventory (1997);
• Given a cascading level of protection under the Heritage List (2015) and Heritage Policy.
• In some cases is of State significance and is listed under the State Heritage List;
• A review of the Shire’s Municipal Inventory was conducted in 2015 to identify and elevate key local heritage sites into a ‘Heritage List’ and a new policy; With the support of a community reference group this project ensured significant local heritage sites continued to be recognised under new State planning regulations.

Other considerations are: 

• Heritage Council Guidelines suggest an MI (now referred to as a Local Heritage Survey) in a regional or remote local government is likely to remain relevant for 10-15 years (i.e 2020-2025).
• There is no state statutory requirement for the Shire to review the current listings;
• It is recognised that the Shire could benefit from a more formalised and systematic approach to understanding, protecting, sustaining, and celebrating local heritage.

LOOKING FORWARD:

There are likely 3 main bodies of work required in the consideration of heritage matters moving forward.  

1) Heritage Strategy

This which would set the future direction for heritage management and coordinated interpretation initiatives across the Shire, and embed a workable Shire/community governance framework which formalises sustainable recurrent funding and heritage interpretation initiatives.

2) Review Shire's Municipal Inventory (MI) (1997)

Currently the MI includes ‘5 classifications’ (Highest, High, Retain, Conserve, Historic / Significant site); whereas the Local Heritage Survey (LHS) has 4 categories *(Exceptional, Considerable, Some/moderate, Little). Further, data relating to GIS coordinates, addresses, update current use, images, and internal photos for sites on/or recommended for the Heritage List (currently 61 sites). The MI also references an ancillary list of 132 site that were not considered to warrant inclusion in the MI at that time or did not have enough historical notes, which may now require additional Place records. Other sites may be nominated for assessment also.

3)  Update Heritage List / Policy.

INTERIM APPROACH

Until a decision is made in relation to the above - acknowledging that Council must weigh up heritage against other community priorities - officers wish to acknowledge the important role community members can make and provide a platform for volunteers to contribute to our collective understanding local heritage.

Community insights will help inform the scope of works for 1, 2, and 3 above; clarifying project costs and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of a future review process.

Heritage is vital to the community’s sense of place and wellbeing. It holds historical, and cultural value, and is an element of the visual built form strongly associated with the area’s local character.

The Shire has a rich and colourful history which has shaped our current landscape and settlement form. Local heritage should be understood, protected, sustained and celebrated.

A Local Heritage Survey (LHS) identifies places of cultural heritage significance to the locality.

The Heritage Act 2018 (the Act) identifies that the purposes of the LHS include:

Identifying and recording places that are, or may become, of cultural heritage significance in the district; and

Assisting the local government in making and implementing decisions that are in harmony with cultural heritage values; and

Providing a cultural and historical record of its district; and

Providing an accessible public record of places of cultural heritage significance to its district; and

Assisting the local government in preparing a heritage list or list of heritage areas under a local planning scheme.

Local government decisions that could be informed by the LHS might include activities to interpret or promote heritage places, or provide material for information and education.  Examples are providing education material for school programs; or developing a heritage trail.

It is a requirement under the Act that local governments compile and maintain a list of places which in its opinion are, or may become, of cultural heritage significance.  

The Shire’s Municipal Inventory (now referred to as the Local Heritage Survey) was subject to a major review in 1997, with a minor review being undertaken in 2015.

It is a recommended action under the Shire’s Local Planning Strategy to review the Local Heritage Survey.

Entry on the LHS means that the heritage values of the place are recognised in the town planning framework. The impact of future development proposals on the heritage values of the place will be a key consideration in the assessment of a development application, as well as the normal planning considerations such as building height limits, setback distances from boundaries etc.

If you have a question about the Local Heritage Survey review please contact the Shire’s Planning department via planning@mundaring.wa.gov.au or on 9290 6740.

The purpose of the Heritage Strategy is to review the Shire’s practices, and set the future direction for heritage management across the Shire.  It will also assist the Shire with meeting its key statutory responsibilities under the Heritage Act 2018 and the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015.

If you have a question about the draft Heritage Strategy please contact the Shire's Planning Department via planning@mundaring.wa.gov.au or on 9290 6740.