Our protected areas are rich in biodiversity and contain a significant proportion of our cultural heritage. The historic heritage we protect, conserve and manage ranges from prominent structures such as lightstations, homesteads, woolsheds, gaols and the old townships of Hartley and Hill End, to much smaller and less obtrusive markers of past uses of the landscape such as graves, plaques and memorials, wells, orchards and clearings.
This publication brings to life the experiences, memories and observations of 9 National Parks and Wildlife Service employees who worked on the conservation of historic heritage between 1967 and 2000. They were just some of the specialists who promoted and guided the protection of historic heritage places, and the rangers and senior managers charged with the allocation of resources and on-the-ground management of these places. The insights of these staff members reveal the complexities in managing landscapes for both their natural and cultural heritage values.
The stories in this publication provide a fascinating picture of how historic heritage was managed in the past and the principles and beliefs that underwrite park management and encourage us to think critically about past, present and future management practices of historic heritage in our park system.
This publication has been retained for historic heritage purposes.