Community Heritage Study

Please visit our new site for all the latest details and submissions https://participatewingecarribee.wsc.nsw.gov.au/community-heritage-study

What is the Wingecarribee Community Heritage Study?

The Wingecarribee Shire is renowned for the beauty of its natural and built landscapes, streetscapes, gardens and buildings and our community values its heritage, and the charm and character it brings to our Shire.

Commencing in late 2020 local volunteer heritage and history specialists—in partnership with Council—embarked on a project to identify and examine places of potential heritage significance across our Shire. This culminated in the draft Wingecarribee Community Heritage Study 2021-23 which examined over 600 places of potential heritage significance and included the identification of potential new heritage conservation areas and extensions to existing heritage conservation areas. These items and areas are considered important in contributing to our cultural heritage and understanding of our area’s history.

Consultations and Public Exhibition

Public exhibition of the Community Heritage Study commenced on 3 October 2023. The complete set of the draft study documents are available for download and viewing at right comprising:

• Volume 1: the study cover report providing details of the background and methodology of the Study. This Volume also contains an Appendix comprising the 2009 Heritage Survey, for reference purposes only.
• Volume 2: spreadsheet of all the properties examined as part of the Study and all of the proposed heritage conservation areas.
• Volume 3: the evidence sheets for all the properties identified and examined as part of the Study, including those properties assessed as having heritage significance,grouped by locality (Volumes 3.1 to 3.17) and the potential heritage conservation areas (Volume 3.18). The latter volume includes maps of the proposed areas.

The Preliminary Community Heritage Study was considered at the Wingecarribee Local Planning Panel meeting of 29 June 2023 and by Council on 19 July 2023 and was endorsed for the purpose of undertaking owner and community consultation.

Council, in partnership with local volunteer heritage and history specialists, embarked on a project in late 2020 to examine previously identified potential heritage places and to identify previously unidentified places of value to the community. This project culminated in the Wingecarribee Community Heritage Study 2021-23 which examined more than 600 potential places of heritage significance and recommends the protection of nearly 480 places that contribute to our cultural heritage and understanding of our area’s history. In addition to individual items, the Study also recommends 8 new heritage conservation areas, and 6 extensions to existing heritage conservation areas throughout the Shire.

The consultation phase has now been endorsed by Council and the purpose of consultation is:

• To present the findings and recommendations of the Community Heritage Study to affected property owners and the wider community.
• To provide affected property owners with the opportunity to ask questions directly of a Council officer and provide any relevant information they may have about their property.
• To provide information about the implications for heritage listing or inclusion within a heritage conservation area.
• To listen to concerns from owners and to provide accurate information to address specific concerns.
• To receive additional information (including histories, photographs, anecdotes etc.) from owners or the community about any of the properties included in the Study.
• To receive additional information from owners or the community about any other property of potential (or actual) heritage significance within the Shire.
• To seek written feedback on the findings of the Study.

Owners of properties identified of potential heritage significance within the study were notified by letter of the consultation phase and where to obtain information about their property and how to book an individual consultation session with a member of the Council project team to discuss the proposal affecting their property. These sessions will commence in September and continue through October. Other members of the community will be able to engage with the project team through drop-in information kiosks that will be run as part of the public exhibition phase in October and early November.

All owners and members of the community will be provided information on the study throughout the consultation period. It is important to note that the consultation process will be a systematic approach. Please follow this project page for all up to date information, relevant documents and upcoming requests from the Community. You can also utilise this project page to ask questions and follow the consultation stages.

For more information or if you would like to speak with someone please email mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au. If you would like to be kept up to date you can follow the project page by subscribing to newsletters on your right, or sign up to receive updates and participate in community feedback.

Drop-In Information Kiosks

If you would like to attend an information kiosk and speak to a member of the project team, Drop-In Information Kiosks on the Community Heritage Study are being held through October and on 1 and 2 November at various locations.

Making a Submission

We encourage you to make a submission regardless of whether you are in support of or object to the proposal or would like to submit additional . All written submissions from owners and the community must be received by 12:00pm (midday) on Monday 6 November 2023. Submissions can be made using the Submission Form which allows documents to be attached.