Context

Auburn Village Heritage Guidelines

Client: Boroondara City Council

Boroondara City Council set Context the task of creating guidelines for looking after heritage values of Auburn Village, a shopping area with well preserved Victorian buildings. Context’s proposal included community consultation and producing guidelines in plain English.

Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape Sustainable Tourism Plan

The Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape Sustainable Tourism Plan was prepared in 2007 for the Winda Mara Aboriginal Corporation by Context, with Urban Initiatives and Sinclair Knight Merz.

The plan is a practical framework, based on extensive systematic planning, for the Gunditjmara Aboriginal people to develop sustainable tourism ventures that will benefit the local community and showcase the remarkable natural and cultural heritage values of the Lake Condah and Mount Eccles region, which is included on the Australian National Heritage List as a place of outstanding national significance. The plan forms a component of the Lake Condah Sustainable Development Project (2002), which is a Winda Mara Aboriginal Corporation initiative.

The plan is based on a long term vision for culturally-based Indigenous tourism, where visitors are welcomed as guests to the Gunditjmara traditional lands and experience the landscape and its history with the people who care for it. A sustainable approach is central to the plan, so that the level of tourism is carefully matched to the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage features and the aspirations of the local Aboriginal community.

Casey Heritage Study

Client: City of Casey

This project included the review of the City of Casey’s 1998 Thematic Environmental History. The new Casey Thematic Environmental History provides a more comprehensive description of the historic themes that have influenced the development of the municipality. It was presented in a new layout and approach developed by Context for this project and was well received by the client and by the local branch of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria). This project was part of a Stage 2 ‘gaps’ study which also assessed places of potential local significance which had been identified and partially assessed by previous studies. Finally, the report made recommendations for statutory protection and future management of heritage places via a Conservation Strategy for the city.

Docklands Place Naming

Client: VicUrban (Docklands)

Docklands is Melbourne’s newest inner suburb. In 2003, Context was asked to develop a framework for naming its streets and places including reserves, roads, gardens and key features such as trees and plazas.

Huts Conservation Strategy: Kosciuszko National Park

Client: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

The Huts Conservation Strategy was prepared by Godden Mackay Logan and Context. The project involved a thorough investigation of the importance of the huts as a collection, focusing on new assessments of social significance and cultural landscape value.

Inspirational Landscapes

Client: Australian Heritage Commission (now Australian Heritage Council)

Inspirational landscapes involved the development of a new methodology for the assessment of landscapes of national significance for the National Heritage List.

Moreland Local Heritage Places Review

Client: Moreland City Council

Moreland City Council has a strong commitment to looking after its cultural heritage. In 2002 the council employed Context to assess the significance of places identified in earlier heritage studies but neither documented nor protected. The first task was to develop a single integrated heritage database, drawing together previous heritage study information and creating a reporting and tracking system. Extensive fieldwork, followed by comparative assessment and historical research enabled places of local significance to be documented in preparation for inclusion on the Heritage Overlay of the Planning Scheme.

Nobelius Heritage Park Strategic Conservation Plan

Client: Cardinia Shire Council

Nobelius Heritage Park is close to the centre of Emerald township (Victoria) and is an important reminder of the once extensive Gembrook nurseries run by Carl Axel Nobelius from 1886-1921. Melbourne’s much-loved Puffing Billy Railway runs beside the Park.

Optical Fibre Project Aboriginal Consultation

Client: Victrack

Context worked with consulting archaeologists TerraCulture to undertake a program of consultation with Aboriginal communities in relation to heritage management during the laying of optic fibre cables along the Traralgon, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong railway lines. Statutory authorities, native title claimants and traditional owners were involved in all aspects of the project from research design to management recommendations. Our consultation program was described as best practice by Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.

Port Arthur Historic Site

Client: Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority

Creating a Conservation Plan for this nationally significant site involved extensive research, site analysis and in-depth consultation with staff, the Board and the local community. The Plan was prepared by a joint team from Godden Mackay Logan and Context, and has been adopted.

Ranelagh Estate Conservation Management Plan

The 1924 Walter Burleigh Griffin design for the Ranelagh Estate at Mount Eliza exemplifies a rich collaboration between Griffin, Marion Mahoney Griffin and Melbourne surveyor Saxil Tuxen. The heritage values of the Estate were recognised in its listing on the Victorian Heritage Register in May 2005. Together with the Shire of Mornington Peninsula, and working closely with the local community to identify and protect the community heritage values of Ranelagh Estate, Context developed an award winning conservation management plan.

In part because of the international interest in the Griffins and their architectural and town planning projects, a key feature of this CMP was the substantial documentation of the historical development of the Estate and its links to early 20th century planning ideals as well as the ‘Melbourne modern’ movement in architecture. This historical documentation, together with the descriptions of the physical and landscape character of the place, provided a solid basis for the analysis of heritage significance of Ranelagh Estate. The project was also designed to gain a better understanding of how the Estate was valued by the local community and the extent to which these local values were protected.

Extensive community engagement throughout the project (both prior to and during the preparation of the CMP) included the development of a shared vision for the future management of the Estate. Workshops to identify and document the social values formed part of an updated statement of heritage significance. The strong community interest shown during these processes not only assisted with the resolution of planning issues but should reduce challenges faced during the implementation phases of the CMP.

Regional Fast Rail: Managing Heritage Values

Client: Regional Rail Link

The Regional Fast Rail project is part of the $5 billion Linking Victoria Program and will provide regional and rural Victorians with a high standard rail system that improves travel times, and increases reliability and passenger comfort though modern trains operating at speeds up to 160 km/h. The project involves the upgrading of 140 kilometres of rail line and associated improvements to stations, bridges, level crossings, signalling, and other infrastructure.

Royal Exhibition Buildings and Carlton Gardens Conservation Management Plan

Client: City of Melbourne

In July 2004 the Royal Exhibition Building (REB) and Carlton Gardens became Australia’s first building and setting to be placed on the World Heritage List. Context is pleased to have contributed to the strategy for managing this important place.

Stonnington Thematic Environmental History

The Stonnington Thematic Environmental History is the first in Victoria to integrate Indigenous, natural and post-settlement history into one publication. It identifies, through key themes, the rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage that illustrates the historic occupation, use, adaptation and development of land in the City of Stonnington since the arrival of Indigenous people.

This in turn promotes a greater understanding of the history of Victoria and Australia as a whole. This history is demonstrated in the City of Stonnington by a wide range of heritage places including buildings and structures, monuments, trees and landscapes, archaeological sites, and places with spiritual or symbolic meaning. The study provides the context for the identification, assessment, ongoing management and preservation of places of local, regional and State cultural heritage significance. As a practical tool, it provides the City of Stonnington with a sound basis to identify, assess and manage places of cultural significance and ensure their protection now and into the future.

The Meeting Place Precinct (Botany Bay National Park-Kurnell) Conservation Management Plan

The Meeting Place Precinct is within Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell. It is historically, socially and symbolically unique within NSW and to Australia. The Meeting Place Precinct embodies a national story of outstanding importance – that of the encounter between Indigenous Australians and the expedition lead by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770. The stories of this encounter have been both celebrated and condemned. This place is therefore at the heart of an important process of history-making and sense of identity for Australians.

Context was engaged to develop a Conservation Management Plan detailing a vision for the place that recognises this powerful story and its many nuances, as well as recognising the complexity and mutability of the values of this place. Working closely with the Aboriginal Community, and completed in close collaboration with the consultant team – Urban Initiatives and the Parks and Wildlife Group, Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW – this is an outstanding example of effective heritage planning and an award winning conservation management plan.

The Plan was developed to ensure the balanced and inclusive management of the complex values, meanings and associations embodied by this important site. An early task involved a heritage impact assessment of the existing master plan. Another important step was to recognise the Aboriginal landscape and people of this place and consider their aspirations in shaping the Plan. Aboriginal community involvement was therefore critical, bringing new perspectives to management and shaping clear policies that support stronger Aboriginal participation and respect the depth of history and difficult meanings that this place embodies.

Victorian Heritage Strategy 2005-2010

Client: Heritage Victoria

Context was engaged by Heritage Victoria to complete the Victorian Heritage Strategy 2005-2010. The Victorian Heritage Strategy is a groundbreaking document which aims to set clear directions, to provide leadership and to build strong partnerships across government agencies, local government, non-government sector and the wider community. The Victorian Heritage Strategy is expected to encompass all aspects of cultural heritage including natural, Indigenous and non-indigenous, tangible and intangible, places, setting and objects. The Victorian Heritage Strategy draft is completed and is now being considered by Heritage Council.

Warburton Mechanics' Institute: Conservation Management Plan

Client: Department of Treasury and Finance

Context completed a conservation management plan (CMP) for Warburton Mechanics' Institute, an important local building which has played a major role in the social and cultural life of Warburton (Victoria) for over a century.

White Bay Power Station Social Significance Assessment

Client: Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

Context worked with Design 5 Architects in the preparation of a Conservation Management Plan for White Bay Power Station (NSW) to identify the features of the power station that hold significance to the associated communities – especially local residents and former employees of the White Bay Power Station. An open day, discussion groups, phone interviews and questionnaires were all used to help understand the significance, and develop policies for the management, of this important place.

Yan Yean Water Supply System Conservation Management Plan

The Yan Yean Water Supply System Conservation Management Plan 2007 provides plain-english policies and guidelines to assist Melbourne Water conserve and manage the significant heritage values of the Yan Yean system while enabling it to remain a functioning part of Melbourne’s water supply. The CMP considers both functioning and de-commissioned aspects of the system and combines careful conservation with managed change where required to continue the safe and efficient operation of the system.

The Yan Yean water supply system, constructed in stages between 1853 and 1890 was Melbourne’s first engineered water supply system and one of the first in Australia. It was innovative as one of the first examples of a remote gravity-fed water supply in the world. It was visionary in its scope and of critical importance in the development of Melbourne in the wake of the gold rush. Originally designed to serve 200,000 people it was expanded to cater for over 480, 000 people and remained the primary water supply for Melbourne until the first stage of the Maroondah Scheme came on-line in 1891. The most remarkable aspect of the Yan Yean system is that much of the historically significant infrastructure is still in use today – and for its original purpose – supplying drinking water to Melbourne.

The CMP is believed to be the first in Victoria that has been prepared for a large scale infrastructure system that is still in operation. As such, it serves as a model not only for other water supply systems managed by Melbourne Water and other water authorities, but also for other large scale public infrastructure such as railways, sewerage, or irrigation systems.

Yass Heritage Tourism Masterplan

Client: Sinclair Knight Mertz (lead consultant)

This project explored the heritage values and tourism opportunities for the historic precinct at the heart of Yass, an early inland NSW country town. Working with Sinclair Knight Mertz, Context assessed the heritage values and their conservation requirements, undertook community consultation, and developed an interpretation concept plan.