Join us on the final day of the 2007 National Trust Heritage Festival, Sunday 18 March, for the very first National Trust Day, a public awareness day aimed at increasing the profile of the Trust and the heritage conservation mission. People will be invited to buy and wear a National Trust badge or ribbon, on sale on the day and from various outlets in the lead up. Sunday 18 March also marks the 75th Anniversary of the opening of that heritage icon, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the National Trust will be joining the celebration! The bridge will be closed to traffic, with the expected 250,000 people crossing it on foot ending at the doorstep of the Trust Centre on Observatory Hill. We will host a fantastic National Trust Day event on the Hill – bands, entertainment, competitions, merchandise, food and drink. Volunteers will be needed, so please see the January e-news for information on how to register. For more information on the Trust and the Bridge see www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/bridge.asp

27 Richmond Ave, the smallest of the 1964 Petit and Sevitt Project Homes group in St Ives, is under threat of immediate demolition after Ku-ring-gai Council approved a DA to demolish on 14 November. A previous application was defeated in the Land and Environment Court. The fate of the Petit and Sevitt Houses in St Ives, a group of 7 designed by Ken Woolley, has received much media attention, including hysteria about ‘secret plans to list thousands of project homes across Sydney’. An RAIA study concluded that this village was significant in the development of architect-designed affordable housing. A request has gone to Minister of Planning Frank Sartor for an Interim Heritage Order while listing on the State Heritage Register can be considered. We await his response. This issue was discussed in the Docomomo journal in Paris as a test case for the will of the NSW Government to protect 20th century heritage.

The Trust-supported nomination of Eveleigh’s Large Erecting Shop and its historic locomotives such as the 3801 to the National Heritage List has been accepted, and the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage has put the nomination on exhibition for public comment. Despite this, at 7.15pm on 26 November the locomotive was moved under high security from Eveleigh to Maitland. Essential maintenance was not carried out, which could have led to damage to the 3801’s working parts. Even worse, the inspection pit at Maitland collapsed, unable to hold the locomotive’s weight. 3801 Ltd skilled workers had to be called in to rectify the maintenance problem. The Trust has now launched a ‘Bring Back the 3801 to Eveleigh Campaign’. If you wish to contribute your time, skills or give a donation to this campaign, visit www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au.

Since 1952 the National Trust has campaigned to protect historic Kurnell. The site of Cook’s landing in 1770 and of the first meeting of Aboriginal people and settlers, Kurnell was more recently the location for classic movies like George Miller’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.This heritage site has been heavily industrialized and its mighty sand dunes carted away. Whereas off-shore sandmining may be sustainable under strict controls, sandmining at Kurnell is ecologically unsustainable. In view of existing and possible future storm damage to the beach, and the ‘honeycombing’ caused by deep sandmining ponds, the Trust believes that Kurnell peninsula should be protected. For further information vist www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au.

The much loved Sydney Regent Wurlitzer Organ installed in the theatre in 1929 has been placed on the National Trust Register. Fifteen of these organs were brought to NSW from 1917 onwards and only seven now survive. The organ has been painstakingly restored over 20 years and is in a suburban house in Sydney’s Allawah. It has three manuals (keyboards), 15 ranks of pipes with 1,071 pipes in total, the largest being 32 feet in length. Authentic percussion instruments such as a xylophone, orchestra bells, sleigh bells, drums and cymbals are located in the pipe chambers. Visit the Trust’s website to hear some Christmas greetings from the mighty organ. For further information vist www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au.
Image: John Atkinson plays the historic Regent Theatre Wurlitzer Pipe Organ

As Christmas is fast approaching, why not give the gift of membership and help make a difference? Your friends and family will love to know that they’ll be helping to support Australia’s heritage - our beautiful bushland, rich culture and historic precincts. They’ll also enjoy the great benefits that membership offers for the whole year. Gift memberships can be purchased by calling (02) 9258 0156 or online at https://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org .au/join_online.asp. The Trust also has an exciting new membership holiday promotion for 2007 – a luxury European holiday worth $12,000 -  which will be officially launched this Friday 15 December. See the website link above for more details.

S H Ervin Gallery’s The Year in Art has a reputation as one of the ‘must see’ annual Sydney exhibitions. It presents a unique opportunity to view highlights from Sydney’s vibrant contemporary art scene during the past year, with works by established and emerging artists. Hurry – show closes this Sunday December 17, gallery hours Tues – Sun 11am -5pm, tel 9258 0173. For more information visit www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au.
Please note the gallery will be closed from 18 December until the first show of 2007, The Art of Chris O’Doherty (aka Reg Mombassa), 6 January – 25 February 2007.

While you are in the gallery, take a look at the bookshop, which carries an excellent range of art and culture titles suitable as Christmas gifts. For information visit www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au

1840’s National Trust property Miss Traill’s House and Garden, Bathurst, will host the Traditional Night Before Christmas on Tuesday December 19. Hundreds will join in robust singing of favourite Christmas carols in the garden, and enjoy special Christmas performances by speech, drama and singing students, as well as children’s activities including a visit from jolly St Nick himself.  The House will be open for the evening, with all rooms candlelit and decorated in Victorian style. Tickets available at the door from 6pm.

Drawing Games & Strange Figures with Chris O’Doherty (aka Reg Mombassa) - Friday 12 January
Wearable Art – Friday 19 January
Lunchtime Storytelling – Thursday 11 & 18 January
Illustrating your Story – Thursday 11 & 18 January
The Art of Storyboarding – Thursday 25 January

Bookings are essential. For more information visit www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au

School may be out for the kids, but why not turn on your creativity and head to the National Trust’s Everglades Gardens this January for summer art school? Designed to educate and entertain both beginners and advanced levels, the popular Landscape Painting and Drawing Summer School offers adults a chance to try their hand at landscape painting in a pleasant Art Deco garden environment. Well-known Blue Mountains artist, Tim Allen, will lead the classes – ‘Introduction to Landscape’ and ‘Creative Interpretation of the Landscape’  – both running for 5 days each. The cost for each course is $235. Bookings are essential. Please call 4784 1938 or book online at www.evergladesgardens.info

Chris O'Doherty aka Reg Mombassa, is probably best known for his involvement with the band Mental as Anything, and also as one of the original designers for Mambo, the popular streetwear label. He has also been an exhibiting artist for over 30 years, making a significant contribution to Australian visual culture. From 6 January to 25 February 2007, the National Trust’s S H Ervin Gallery will hold the first major survey of O'Doherty's work, which investigates the use of religious, political and popular culture themes while offering incisive social commentary.
See www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au.

Last week key supporters of the Trust gathered at historic Lindesay in Darling Point to join Board members in launching the new National Trust Benefactor Program. Designed to honour those who give generously to the Trust, the Benefactor program recognises three levels of donation. Guardians are those who donate $2000 per year, Benefactors are those who have donated cumulatively $20,000, and Grand Benefactors have donated cumulatively $100,000 or over. The Benefactor Program offers benefits for each level of support. The National Trust’s Honour Roll will publicly acknowledge our wonderful Guardians and Benefactors, who give so generously to help conserve our natural, built and cultural heritage for generations to come.
For more information on the program, please see www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/membership/benefactors.asp or call Tina Jackson at the Trust on 9258 0171.