Kingston & Arthur’s Vale Historic Area (KAVHA), Norfolk Island, is one of the 11 places that make up the Australian Convict Sites property, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2010. Together these sites represent the global phenomenon of convictism – the forced migration of convicts to penal colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries – and global developments in the punishment of crime in modern times. These 11 sites are the preeminent examples of Australia’s rich convict history, with more than 3,000 convict sites remaining across the nation. The heritage values of Norfolk Island and the KAVHA site relate to its early Polynesian settlement, two convict period settlements and the Pitcairn settlement from 1856, with the convict era values the primary reason for its NHL and then WHL listing.

The task for the collaborative team (GML Heritage, Context and Jean Rice Architect) was to prepare a strategic, forward-looking heritage management plan to meet the requirements of Australia’s EPBC Act.

The Heritage Management Plan is based on strong guiding principles, a clear vision and a high level of respect for community-held values. There has been extensive community engagement, with Context leading on this aspect as well as on principles and policies that address community connections, intangible heritage and the place as a living landscape. A project website offered regular updates throughout the project, including opportunities for online feedback to complement extensive face-to-face engagement. [Source: Context Pty Ltd]
In 2018-19 Context, GML Heritage and EP Environmental Partnerships prepared a cultural landscape management plan for the World Heritage Listed site. Like the earlier project, there was extensive community engagement. The project provided principles and policies for managing the significant cultural landscape values and that addressed community connections, intangible heritage and the place as a living landscape. The project also addressed four key cultural landscape issues associated with vegetation management, livestock management, site drainage and water quality, and vehicle and pedestrian access. [Source: Context Pty Ltd]