Current Campaigns

Barangaroo court decisions

The National Trust’s participation in a court case to protect Sydney Harbour from contamination at Barangaroo was again vindicated by Justice Biscoe of The Land and Environment Court in his recent costs judgement.   The Judge awarded indemnity costs to AfSD in recognition that the former Minister for Planning’s actions in moving the goal posts constituted unreasonable conduct.  The Trust will continue to seek greater protection of the Sydney Harbour Landscape Conservation Area from contamination and privatisation.

More information | Join the discussion at heritage space

NSW Coal & Gas Strategy

The National Trust has made a major submission on the NSW Coal & Gas Strategy Scoping Paper. The Trust is not opposed to coal mining and gas extraction and recognizes the role that these activities have played in the history of Australia and their economic significance in the present. Nonetheless, these industries are well-recognised as having significant and often detrimental side effects and, in the Trust’s view, future developments in these industries require a higher degree of oversight and regulation to minimize adverse effects upon the environment, the community and the quality of life of the present and future generations of Australia. To read the full submission click here.

Millers Point threat

Although saved from high-rise development by Jack Mundey’s green bans in the 1970s, Millers Point’s social heritage significance is now under direct threat. The state government gave assurance in 2008 that only 16 Millers Point properties would be put up for long term leasing and that it was not the beginning of a program to privatize public housing stock in the area. However, in June 2010 a notice slipped under the doors of several hundred tenants about “stage two” of this process.

More information | Join the discussion at heritage space

Nail-biting Win for Currawong

In the last days of the NSW Keneally Government, the decision to purchase Currawong was announced, a decision the new O’Farrell Government has also committed to. The National Trust had strongly supported the idea of bringing the land into public ownership. This is a fantastic win for the community and demonstrates that persistence and well-reasoned advocacy can win out against all odds. For 40 years the local community fought to save Currawong. The Trust became involved in 2001 by listing the site on the National Trust Register. This was followed in 2009 by when the Currawong Workers’ Holiday Camp was state heritage listed. The site is historically significant as an intact remaining example of a mid-twentieth century, union-organised workers' holiday camp in NSW, designed for workers 'to get away from crowded industrial areas and enjoy places normally frequented by richer people' (SMH 30/12/1947). It was ironic that the development proposed for this site was to subdivide and create an exclusive enclave.  The Trust congratulates Shane Withington and the Friends of Currawong and will be establishing a tax-deductible restoration appeal to attract public funding for the restoration of the cabins at Currawong.

The Conservation of Significant Church Interiors

From the 1940s historic churches have been listed on the National Trust Register in recognition of their historic, architectural, social, aesthetic and landmark significance.  The first National Trust Register in 1946 of just 43 places included 11 churches. The Register has diversified over the years to include 1,100 churches, chapels, temples, mosques, cathedrals and synagogues, all of which have significant interiors, fittings, artworks and musical instruments, particularly pipe organs, bells, tubular bells and carillons. Changing liturgical practices are leading to major changes to many of these interiors and the disposal of historic fabric and moves to  cease using and even dispose of pipe organs. The Trust is investigating the scope of the impacts of these changes, the scale of the loss of significant historic fabric and alternative approaches for conserving this irreplaceable heritage.