Final report for review of Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 released

Wednesday 3 February 2016

The Australian Government has released the final report of the independent review of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986.

The review, conducted by Mr Shane Simpson AM, Borders of Culture: Review of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 was provided to the Government on 30 September 2015.

The Act, which has not been substantially amended since its enactment more than 25 years ago, regulates the export of objects that are significant to our history.

It also plays an important role in protecting Australia’s cultural heritage by assisting collecting institutions to acquire significant cultural material and provides for the return of foreign cultural property which has been illegally exported from its country of origin.

For more information about the review of the Act or to read the final report, Borders of Culture: Review of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 visit the Ministry for the Arts website  http://arts.gov.au/movable.

Read the full Final report for review of Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 media release.

Image credit: Sidney Nolan, Ned Kelly 1946, enamel on composition board
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Gift of Sunday Reed 1977.

On Monday 22 February 2016 the Minister for the Environment, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, announced the opening of the 2015-16 funding round of the Community Heritage and Icons Grants programme. Please see attached Minister Hunt’s media release.

The Community Heritage and Icons Grants programme is providing funding for community groups, to engage with, and raise awareness of, the places recognised on Australia’s National Heritage List.Individual grants of between $2,500 and $10,000 (GST exclusive) are available. Eligible parties are invited to apply for funding, with applications closing on 22 March 2016.

The Department of Environment would appreciate your assistance in forwarding this email onto community groups who may be interested in applying for funding under the programme.

Further information about the 2015-16 funding round, including the application form, is available at:   http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/grants-and-funding/community-heritage-icons-grants

 Tuesday 2 February 2016

The Royal Historical Society of Queensland welcomes Dig Tree national heritage listing

The President of The Royal Historical Society of Queensland (RHSQ), Mr Dean Prangley, has welcomed the Federal Government’s listing of the Burke and Wills 1860-1861 expedition sites onto the National Heritage Register.

The National Heritage listing comprises five important sites along the banks of the Cooper Creek, near Innamincka, that represent key locations for the ill-fated expedition into inland Australia.

One of these sites, known as the Dig Tree at Cooper Creek, is where expedition members established a base camp, buried supplies and left markings and messages for each other.

Mr Prangley said the Dig Tree had long been considered a national treasure.

“The listing of the Dig Tree on the National Heritage Register further highlights the importance of the site as part of Australia’s cultural heritage,” he said.

“It has long served as a memorial for the camp site and is an enduring reminder of our pioneering spirit.”

The Dig Tree reserve had previously been known as Depot Camp 65 for the 1860-61 Burke and Wills expedition from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria, with the expedition contributing to the opening up of the Australian inland to pastoralism. Explorers Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills completed the first north-south crossing of the Australian continent, but died during their return journey.

Situated on the southern bank of the Boolloo Boolloo waterhole at Cooper Creek via Thargomindah, the Dig Tree is a mature Coolabah believed to be 200 to 250 years old. A reserve was created in 1964 as a means of protecting the Dig Tree and the RHSQ was appointed Trustee of the site. The Dig Tree reserve was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in February 2003.

Mr Prangley said this month the RHSQ would review an updated Conservation Management Plan (CMP) prepared for the site, which was made possible with a grant from the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.

“The CMP will allow us to examine a number of important issues aimed at working closely with the Bullo Shire Council, the Burke & Wills Historical Society, Santos and other key stakeholders to improve the management, interpretation and protection of the site to accommodate the growing number of tourists,” he said.

“I travelled to the Dig Tree reserve late last year to see first-hand how a range of additional measures could promote and protect the site for future generations.”

Media Contact: Ms Helen Brackin, Manager, RHSQ – Telephone 07 3221 4198.