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This article was published on Monday, 27 June, 2022. The information contained within may be out of date or inaccurate. News articles and media releases older than 60 days are archived for future reference.

Heritage Committee annual report outlines achievements

The Report was included in the 21 June Council Meeting with the importance of the HAC and they work they do alongside Council to preserve heritage noted by Councillors.

Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Cr Shane Sali said “The Committee has a valuable role to play for our community, ensuring our heritage is recognised and preserved for future generations.”

“Cultural heritage comes in many forms, not just buildings. We have tangible heritage such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art and artefacts, and intangible cultural heritage such as folklore, traditions, language and knowledge.”

“We have such a wide variety of cultural heritage places of local, regional and international significance dating back over 40,000 years,” said Cr Sali.

The activities during 2021 included the Greater Shepparton Heritage Plaques Pilot Program, the Greater Shepparton Heritage Interpretive Signage Program and the 2021 Heritage Lecture.

The cancellation of the Heritage Open Days due to COVID allowed the resources to be diverted to a new Plaques Program. Heritage plaques were purchased for properties in the Heritage Overlay that are of significance, with over 50 property owners keen to be involved. The plaques will include a QR code linked to Council’s webpage to allow for more information to be provided.

“We hope to have these plaques in place by the end of 2022,” said HAC Chair, Geoff Maynard. “This will enable our community and visitors to recognise the heritage value within Greater Shepparton.”

The Greater Shepparton Heritage Interpretative Signage Funding Program promotes places of local heritage significance (buildings, structures and sites), and increases public awareness and understanding of these places. Again due to COVID restrictions, the Signage Program was limited to the heritage centres and historical societies.

The Toolamba Community Steering Committee and the Murchison and District Historical Society Inc. received funding under the Program for the replacement sign of Toolamba’s history in Coloura Gardens; new signs at the site of the first hospital in Murchison, Stevenson Street streetscape in Murchison and Thornebridge (the former Gregory’s Hotel) in Murchison East.

The Biennial Bruce Wilson Memorial Heritage Lecture was held in August 2021 and delivered by Ms Chris Johnston, one of the country’s leading heritage figures, whose long, extremely productive and influential career has placed her at the forefront of heritage debate and practice.

The Biennial Greater Shepparton Cultural Heritage Awards were held in May 2021 at the Goulburn Valley Hotel in Shepparton. The Awards are a way to recognise the outstanding contributions to cultural heritage conservation, research, education, promotion, interpretation, training and awareness-raising across the municipality.

Greater Shepparton is one of a very small number of regional councils in Victoria offering heritage grants. The Heritage Conservation Grants Program was again very successful, with 11 applications awarded to a total value of $84,577.

Greater Shepparton City Council (Council) provides a free heritage advisory service to all landowners of property within the Heritage Overlay. “Advice is available on all aspects of conservation and there was still significant demand for this service despite the pandemic,” said Mr Maynard.

Mr Maynard said a number of Committee meetings in 2021 were held virtually due to COVID restrictions. “It worked well for the Committee and it’s something we have continued to do.”

The Greater Shepparton Heritage Advisory Committee Annual Report is available on Council’s website at Greater Shepparton

NOTE: The primary purpose of the Committee is to act as an advocate for all cultural heritage matters within the municipality. The Committee’s membership consists of up to two Councillors, one voting member from each of the ten member organisations, up to six community representatives unaffiliated with any of these organisations, up to two members of Council’s Strategic Planning Team and Council’s Heritage Advisor.