UNDERSTANDING BALLARAT'S HERITAGE 1. WHAT IS HERITAGE? This education package will provide information on: VELS History 4 – Ballarat's heritage can tell us about key events such as Eureka, democracy, gold rushes, federation. Deakin was the member for Ballarat and was involved in the development of the Fine Art Gallery. - Ballarat’s goldfields were very multicultural in comparison to Ballarat today. Chinese made an impact on the goldfields – miners, mining techniques and in medical treatments. VELS History 5 – Eureka – what did that say about governance and justice in the 1850’s. - Working conditions and unionism .. Why would work safety and working hours be important to Ballarat. What was life like 100 years ago – what work did people do, how were domestic tasks undertaken, how was travel undertaken). culture and art – what aspects / collections tell us about life in Ballarat. (note the focus is not on medieval times but the early years of Ballarat – lessons of change and continuity still apply) VELS History – 6 – Eureka and democracy Gold rushes and development of tools and skills Trade unions and work conditions Remembrance of war Early multiculturalism Changes in technology – medical, educational, communications Technological changes made by Ballarat or Ballarat residents
What is heritage? Heritage is something that is passed down through the generations. History is the study of past events When we think about Ballarat’s history, stories and buildings we call it cultural heritage. Ballarat’s Cultural Heritage includes its historic buildings, monuments and collections of information on how people lived (photo’s paintings, stories, books) that are considered worthy of preservation for the future. Cultural heritage also includes sites of importance to indigenous peoples. Heritage can be small objects in museums and art galleries or buildings that tell us about Ballarat at the time they were built or created. Heritage forms an important component reason as to why people visit Ballarat attracting many visitors from Victoria, Australia and oversees. Countryside, including its plants (flora) and animals (fauna) can itself be an important part of a nation's heritage too and is sometimes called natural heritage. Children should be able to identify places and objects that help tell their story and the story of the community in which they live.
What is heritage? Heritage can be something valued by a single person or it can be part of a wider group’s sense of identity and character. Heritage can be related to: •individuals (personal heritage) •families •groups like schools or sporting clubs •Ballarat and its people • Victoria and its people •Australia and its people •about other cultures or places Sometimes this can be involved in a single story. Eureka is important to Ballarat, Victoria and Australia. The people who were at Eureka have their own stories as well as stories about their family, workplace and activities. Many people at Eureka were from other countries which impacted on their actions and makes the Eureka story interesting elsewhere. For example many people in Italy know of Eureka as it was Carboni who recorded its story. VELS 4 Eureka, early multiculturalism, Chinese on the goldfields VELS 5 events often make their way into songs (wild colonial boy), games (ring a ring a rosy – the plague and myths (who housed Lalor?)-how is Ballarat's story told in song, plays, on TV – theatre etc. VELS 6 Trade unions use the Eureka Flag – why would this flag appeal to them Federation – why is there an Alfred Deakin Place in Ballarat Immigration – what attracted migrants to Ballarat in the 1850’s compared to the 1950’s (gold versus post war immigration) What stories do the children have. When and why did their family come to Ballarat? Is there a place or object that is significant to telling the story of their family?
What is heritage? Heritage can focus on places like the site of the Eureka stockade, artefacts like the Eureka flag, photos, paintings or films, documents like letters or books, landscapes or natural features like Mt Buninyong Heritage is more than objects you can see or feel. It can be the stories, habits, practices and values of a group of people. Events like the Begonia Festival, cultural practices like celebrating Christmas, Chanukah or Ramadan or singing your club football song are important aspects of heritage. Heritage can be: natural like Mt Buninyong, cultural like the Mining Exchange indigenous like a scar tree or midden moveable like the Eureka flag archival like old photos and newspapers, folk like stories, songs and dances or built – buildings and sites such as the Ballarat Town Hall VELS 4 How do we record events? Has the view of Mt Buninyong from Ballarat changed over time? (see activity sheet) VELS 5 Does Ballarat hold any festivals to celebrate the past? What do festivals in Ballarat tell you about the community. VELS 6 How can art in the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery or articles in old newspapers help tell us about Ballarat in the past?
Who looks after heritage? University of Ballarat Honour Role http://www.ballarat.edu.au/fdp/history/honour-roll/ Heritage is looked after by everyone. Your family keeps family pictures, stories and practices. Groups like schools and clubs keep records. People look after buildings and landscapes. Heritage can also be managed by government to ensure that places and objects that tell the story of Ballarat are protected. Heritage in Ballarat is managed by: Council through listing places of importance and maintenance of buildings, places and objects Ballarat Aboriginal Co-operative – interpret indigenous heritage in the Ballarat area historical societies who collect pictures, stories and documents Museums like Sovereign Hill and the Gold Museum who collect items and tell people about Ballarat’s past the National Trust who provide tours and information on sites Heritage Victoria who list sites of importance to Victoria Public Record Office Victoria who keep old records and documents Ballarat Fine Art Gallery who keep objects of importance to Ballarat including paintings of Ballarat in the past. The University of Ballarat who maintain an art and historical collection on the University and its students and teachers. Ranger Barracks Museum and RSL who collect items in relation to soldiers and armed conflict Mechanics Institute – who house a collection of publications and books Museum Victoria – picture collection and interpretation sheets Central Highlands Library Service who collect old books and newspapers Reproduced courtesy of Ballarat Fine art Gallery Reproduced courtesy of University of Ballarat Art and Historical Collection. Consider an excursion to some of the local venues – do the koori trail or the Ballarat heritage trail. Web addresses of places who keep a range of information available is at the end of the slideshow. Mechanics Institute Library
How is heritage managed? Heritage is managed through state and local legislation and policy. In Victoria heritage is managed by the Heritage Act 1995, the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the Archaeological and Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act 1972. Sites that are protected by planning controls are listed in the Ballarat Planning Scheme. These places tend to be built or natural heritage places rather than movable or archival heritage. Important documents, paintings and photos may be managed by local history groups, museums, the Public record office, art galleries as well as by schools and universities. Reproduced courtesy of University of Ballarat Art and Historical Collection. Reproduced courtesy of Ballarat Fine art Gallery
How is the heritage of a place assessed? In Victoria there are 8 criteria listed to assess the cultural heritage significance of a place. These are: The historical importance, association with or relationship to Victoria’s history of the place or object The importance of the place or object in demonstrating rarity or uniqueness The place or objects potential to educate, illustrate or provide further scientific investigation in relation to Victoria’s cultural heritage. The importance of the place or object in exhibiting the principal characteristic or the representative nature of a place or object as part of a class or type of places or objects. The importance of the place or object in exhibiting good design or aesthetic characteristics and/or in exhibiting a richness, diversity or unusual integration of features. The importance of the place or object in demonstrating or being associated with scientific or technical innovations or achievements. The importance of the place or object in demonstrating social or cultural associations. Any other matter which the Council considers relevant to the determination of cultural heritage significance Eureka Stockade Eureka Flag Gong Gong geological site Dana St School Ballarat Town Hall Sunshine Harvester Synagogue