2016-11-22
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — This year the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) is celebrating its 60th birthday. Since 1956 the National Trust has played a vital role in protecting our built and cultural heritage. The National Trust is an independent not-for-profit organisation supported by a large community base and is the premier heritage and conservation organisation in the state and the major operator of historic properties that are open to the public. It has branches throughout Victoria that monitor and assist with its campaigns and projects.
In 2011 the National Trust released a reconciliation statement and has developed a reconciliation action plan and an Aboriginal advisory committee to the board for conservation and celebration of our shared heritage. The National Trust heritage register covers all types of cultural and natural heritage in Victoria. Some of the most well known include the Old Melbourne Gaol; Rippon Lea house and gardens; Barwon Park Mansion; McCrae Homestead; Mulberry Hill — the home of Daryl Lindsay, who founded the National Gallery of Victoria, and Joan Lindsay, author of Picnic at Hanging Rock; and of course Polly Woodside.
In addition to maintaining its register and keeping these properties open to the public, the National Trust is involved in advocacy, campaigns, research and providing advice and technical information on a range of heritage topics for the community. I would like to thank the National Trust for its tireless efforts in protecting and preserving Victoria's built and cultural heritage, often in the face of ruthless developers and careless or apathetic governments. We still face this today, where irreplaceable heritage buildings have continued to be lost or are under threat from inadequate heritage protection and government inaction.