As part of the 2020 Heritage of the Air conference, this workshop – convened by the National Scientific Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage – asked: is intangible cultural heritage now part of ‘place-based heritage practice’ or is it still lost in the wilderness?
Through case studies, our three speakers helped unearth the intangible cultural heritage of place through selected case studies: Susan Dale Donaldson on Central Australia, Dr Ann Warr on the Sirius building (Sydney), and Prof Annie Clarke on the Quarantine Station, Sydney (presentations below).
Small ground discussions then explored the tools, techniques and guidance that are needed by heritage professionals today, contributing to a review of our Practice Note – Intangible Cultural Heritage and Place.
Dr Rebecca Madgin, University of Glasgow, was our rapporteur, wrapping up and reflecting on the presentations and discussions at the workshop.
A Summary Report on the Workshop is available here: Heritage of the Air conference – Lost or Found workshop report (Final)
Thanks to our presenters, the Heritage of the Air conference including Tracy Ireland, Ashley Harrison, Amy Jarvis and the volunteers to helped ensure the workshop ran smoothly. Last but not least, a huge thank you to the participants who spent the afternoon with us. Your enthusiasm and interest in this topic and the activities of the NSC are appreciated!
Case Studies
Case study: Protecting country along the Alice Springs to Darwin railway line
Susan Donaldson is a consultant anthropologist with over 20 years’ experience working on intangible cultural heritage protection in the Central Desert region of the NT. In the late 1990s Susan was the Central Land Council anthropologist responsible for the Tennant Creek region when the railway line was being extended from Alice Springs to Darwin, and this was the focus of her case study. Susan currently works on a range of anthropological research projects across NSW and the NT and is a member of NSC-ICH.
Powerpoint presentation (PDF): Protecting country along the Alice Springs to Darwin railway line
Written presentation: Talk notes
Case study: Sirius Building, Sydney
Dr Anne Warr (Anne Warr Heritage Consulting) is an architect. She has worked in Australia for the NSW Government Architect’s Office and the City of Sydney, and is currently in private practice. Anne has also worked in Shanghai, running an architectural practice, teaching and starting a tour guiding tour guiding business, walkshanghai. Anne is a involved in heritage advocacy through the Sydney Forum for Architecture and Urban Design, Save our Sirius, and the Millers Point Resident Action Group.
Powerpoint presentation (PDF): Sirius Building
Case study: Feeling the Landscape at the North Head Quarantine Station
Professor Annie Clarke (University of Sydney) teaches museum and heritage studies. She spoke from her work on the Quarantine Project, an ARC Linkage project on the historical inscriptions at the North Head Quarantine Station: Stories from the Sandstone, the book published from the project was awarded the 2017 NSW Premiers’ Prize for Regional and Community History. Currently, Annie is working on Groote Eylandt continuing a community archaeology repatriation with the Anindilyakwa Land Council. She is also a Chief Investigator on the Heritage of the Air Linkage Project on aviation collections.
Powerpoint presentation (PDF): Feeling the Landscape at the North Head Quarantine Station
Where to from here?
Rebecca Madgin was invited as our rapporteur to wrap up and reflect on the presentations and discussions at the workshop:
Dr Rebecca Madgin is Professor of Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow. Her work focuses on the values of urban heritage during the process of urban redevelopment and place-making initiatives, focusing on the ways in which people develop emotional attachments to the historic built environment. Rebecca works with local and national organisations in her research. She is a member of Historic England’s ‘Historic Places Panel’ and ‘Expert Advisory Group’ and on the Editorial Board of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation’s professional journal, ‘Context’.
Powerpoint presentation (PDF): People-place connections
Rebecca opened up three questions, drawing from each of the presentations and small group discussions:
- What do people do in place?
- How do those things we do in place make us respond: cognitively and with our bodies?
- How does this make us feel emotionally?
Key points from her talk along with this interesting diagram – are summarised here – definitely worth a read!
Intangible Cultural Heritage & Place 