2010 National Trust Heritage Festival
 ‘The Making of Our Nation’
9 – 24 April

“… our future is not as a penal colony … but a free settlement …”
 Gov. Lachlan Macquarie

Welcome to the 2010 National Trust Heritage Festival. In its 30th year we invite you to celebrate our rich built, cultural and natural heritage by being part of one of the longest running community festivals in New South Wales.

The theme of this year’s festival is ‘The Making of Our Nation’ and it will be celebrated at hundreds of fantastic events across metropolitan and regional NSW from Friday 9 April to Saturday 24 April 2010.  These events will include a wide range of community activities including discovery tours, art exhibitions, walks, talks, awards presentations, concerts, open days, photographic and historical displays and community fairs.

1 January 2010 will mark the 200th anniversary of the commencement of Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s 12 year tenure as the 5th Governor of the Colony of New South Wales.

Governor Macquarie made an outstanding and extensive contribution to the growth of the State of New South Wales and his many legacies endure. He is widely recognised as being responsible for transforming the new colony from a penal settlement to a flourishing society. This was ultimately achieved through his visionary leadership and strength of character.

During his governorship, Macquarie instigated hundreds of public works programs leading to the introduction of churches, schools, hospitals, roads, banks, newspapers, agricultural developments, racing and sporting carnivals, architects and surveyors, festivals and celebrations and charitable institutions along with many other ventures. He established solid foundations for an economically independent civilised society.

The National Trust established the Heritage Festival 30 years ago to highlight the need for people to care about their built, natural and cultural heritage. The National Trust continues to work for that heritage through its advocacy, conservation and education programmes, and continues to rely on your support to underpin those programmes and achieve its goals.

We hope you will join us in celebrating ‘The Making of Our Nation’. We also hope you will tell your friends about the Festival and encourage them to share in the fun.

Thank you and best wishes.

 Ian Carroll OAM
 President
 National Trust of Australia (NSW)