5 A HERITAGE MANAGER PARKS VICTORIA’S ROLE AS Parks distinct role in the Victoria’s management of historic places within diverse cultural heritage will be ‘Victoria’s Victoria is as the agency that manages recognised as a key resource of the the largest and most diverse collection of State, and will be managed in a historic places, predominantly park- sustainable way to maximise benefits for based, with conservation as a primary the whole community’. objective. Parks Victoria recognises that Parks role in heritage Victoria’s community participation, the provision of management needs to be guided by the education and interpretation, and where vision statement from the Victorian possible maintaining public access, are Heritage Strategy, prepared by Heritage all vital aspects of heritage management. Victoria and released by the Government in April 2000: Figure 1 Types of historic places managed by Parks Victoria Sawmills, logging sites Major buildings 5% 1% Habitable buildings 3% Track, tunnels, cuttings, fences 6% Huts Graves/Monuments 9% 6% Shipwrecks 6% Sites only 12% Mining sites 52% some other sites. The Historic Places Other places of less prominence, but of managed by Parks Victoria importance within the portfolio are back- country huts (particularly in the alpine Parks Victoria has a large portfolio of region), mining sites, settlement sites important historic places; some 2500 are now largely archaeological in nature, listed in our historic places inventory. transport routes, landscapes, gardens, Almost all these places are on public historic reserves, fences, natural features land. The exception is Glenample with a strong community attachment, Homestead, which is leased by the graves, cemeteries and monuments. government for 99 years. Places Figures 1 and 2, and appendices 3 and 4, include 40 major historic buildings and give details and examples. complexes, such as Werribee Park, Coolart, the Mt Buffalo Chalet, This range of places managed by Parks Wonthaggi State Coal Mine and Victoria is generally not well represented Andersons Mill at Smeaton, which need to be more intensively managed than
5 PARKS VICTORIA’S ROLE AS A HERITAGE MANAGER Parks Victoria’s distinct role in the management of historic places within Victoria is as the agency that manages the largest and most diverse collection of historic places, predominantly park- based, with conservation as a primary objective. Parks Victoria’s role in heritage management needs to be guided by the vision statement from the Victorian Heritage Strategy, prepared by Heritage Victoria and released by the Government in April 2000: ‘Victoria’s diverse cultural heritage will be recognised as a key resource of the State, and will be managed in a sustainable way to maximise benefits for the whole community’. Parks Victoria recognises that community participation, the provision of education and interpretation, and where possible maintaining public access, are all vital aspects of heritage management. Figure 1 Types of historic places managed by Parks Victoria Sawmills, logging sites 5% Major buildings 1% Habitable buildings 3% Track, tunnels, cuttings, fences 6% Graves/Monuments 6% Huts 9% Shipwrecks 6% Sites only 12% Mining sites 52% The Historic Places managed by Parks Victoria Parks Victoria has a large portfolio of important historic places; some 2500 are listed in our historic places inventory. Almost all these places are on public land. The exception is Glenample Homestead, which is leased by the government for 99 years. Places include 40 major historic buildings and complexes, such as Werribee Park, Coolart, the Mt Buffalo Chalet, Wonthaggi State Coal Mine and Andersons Mill at Smeaton, which need to be more intensively managed than some other sites. Other places of less prominence, but of importance within the portfolio are back- country huts (particularly in the alpine region), mining sites, settlement sites now largely archaeological in nature, transport routes, landscapes, gardens, historic reserves, fences, natural features with a strong community attachment, graves, cemeteries and monuments. Figures 1 and 2, and appendices 3 and 4, give details and examples. This range of places managed by Parks Victoria is generally not well represented
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