Valuing communities and their heritage

Places are fundamental to who we are as individuals and as a society. Our heritage places represent the parts of ourselves and our culture that we want to remember, respect or celebrate. For Australians this is a process of discovery and exploration – finding and defining our identity. It is a complex process, growing from the grass roots in our communities, and at times supported by our governments, the academy and other community leaders. There is growing interest by communities in their local heritage, as evidenced by the growth of new local groups such as Save Our Suburbs in Melbourne. here is a perception that the government is not doing enough. On the other hand, some government agencies have been promoting the involvement of communities in identifying and looking after heritage places. Some national land use planning projects now recognise the heritage places valued by communities. As well, the link between culture, traditions and place is more apparent than ever in many public policy debates. Land rights and native title is confronting all Australians with the challenge to understand how we each relate to place. And there is a growing recognition that appreciating our heritage is both an emotional and intellectual experience. Specific case studies will be examined to illustrate these issues and to demonstrate some of the current directions in Australian heritage practice.