19 January 2006

GUARDIANS OF HERITAGE TRAINED IN UNIQUE COURSE

Those charged with protecting our heritage are receiving specialist training at the University of Canberra this week.

The group of 27 professionals with an interest in the field, which requires skills in areas as diverse as architecture, history and science, began the week-long Summer School in Cultural Heritage Management with visits to London Bridge Homestead and Lanyon at the weekend.   Participants on the course come from across Australia, as well as South Africa and New Zealand, and work in local, state and federal government, architecture and full time heritage roles.

The course will cover the rules, philosophy, best practice and tricks of the trade behind heritage management and includes field trips to Goulburn and Old Parliament House, where the students can see heritage management in action.

"Heritage places tell us who we are and where we have come from," the course's coordinator, Adjunct Associate Professor David Young said.

"A heritage site doesn't have to be a grand building. It could be a general store in a country town with no architectural significance, but the stories and memories attached to it make it special.

"The students on this course are in different ways responsible for safeguarding these priceless places. Without professionals with the specialist skills we provide on this course valuable parts of our heritage could be lost by oversight."

Adjunct Professor Young explained heritage management was a relatively new and evolving discipline and the University's course was the fastest way for those new to the field to get up to speed.

The group will be in the field at Goulburn on Thursday afternoon and at Old Parliament House on Saturday . They will be on the University campus for the rest of the week. For a details contact: David Young on 04 1777 3724.

UC Communications

Gaye Morrison
T: 02 6201 5855
M: 0409 470 755

Kaddie Pass
T: 02 6201 2681

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Last Updated on August 1, 2005