Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales

Our history as an organisation goes to 1980, when we were established whilst the Historic homes Trust of NSW to handle, maintain and understand buildings and places of historical importance the training and satisfaction associated with general public. Subsequently we've cultivated from a tiny organisation accountable for simply two properties to an important social and analysis institution.

The 1970s and ’80s had been watershed years when it comes to history and preservation movements in Australian Continent. Until after that, history had mainly already been the issue of individuals and community groups, with reasonably small support from government. But through 1970s community desire for conserving historic structures and precincts broadened. Round the nation, huge protests against the risk of development pressed heritage and conservation dilemmas in to the main-stream and onto political agenda, increasing stress on governing bodies to obtain included, both in regards to protecting significant locations and making sure general public accessibility all of them. At nationwide and condition amounts governments established a few heritage Acts and companies, expanding their particular participation and control. This is also a period of huge modification inside the history and heritage vocations, taking brand new attitudes and methods to conserving and interpreting yesteryear, and completely new aspects of expertise and specialisation.

Early convention installed in Elizabeth Bay home, 1981. In our very first year, Elizabeth Bay home won the Museum of the season Award, 1st of many honors we claimed since that time. Sydney Residing Museums

They certainly were brand-new and eventful times, as well as framed our founding as an organisation and shaped our character and philosophy. Inside words of our first president Peter Stanbury, then manager of Macleay Museum on University of Sydney, the Trust was ‘anxious to maintain optimum requirements’ while showing our properties ‘in a lively and creative way’. In those very first many years, we had been accountable for just two properties – Vaucluse home, home of explorer and statesman William Wentworth and his family members, and Elizabeth Bay House, integrated 1835 for ‘gentleman scientist’ and colonial secretary Alexander Macleay, which features one of Australia’s finest Regency design interiors. Inside our first year 149, 721 people stumbled on visit us.

Subsequently the number and range of properties in our care have cultivated, combined with the variety and reach of your tasks. We now have a brand new title and face a rapidly switching personal, economic and technical globe. But the words and standards expressed by Peter Stanbury within very first 12 months hold similarly real. As does our role while the just government agency in Australia with the certain part of conserving, managing and interpreting house museums.