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Heritage is all of those items and places that the community values so greatly that they should be conserved and preserved
for future generations. People commonly equate heritage with historic buildings (cultural heritage) but the concept is much
wider and includes items and places with natural heritage significance and Aboriginal heritage significance. Although these
categories are covered by different legislation in reality they often overlap.
Heritage values can be ranked at different scales from local to world significance. Individual items or places may be valued
according to their rarity or because they are a particularly good example of their kind. Judging these qualities is inevitably
subjective but professional guidelines are provided in the Australian Natural Heritage Charter and The Burra Charter: The
Australia ICOMOS Charter for places of cultural significance.
| Types of heritage found in Ryde include: |
Natural heritage:
Geology and landscape: The ridge top landscapes on the Ashfield Shale with soils that were suitable for market
gardens and orchards. The steeper parts of this landscape south of Blaxland Road are identified as part of
the West Pennant Hills soil landscape and still carries patches of original bluegum and blackbutt forest.
Ecology and biodiversity: Estuarine and sandstone slope communities in the Field of Mars Wildlife Refuge and
turpentine/ironbark forest in Wallumatta Nature Reserve.
Aboriginal heritage:
Rock engravings in Glades Bay, the location of the graves of Bennelong and Nanbaree at Kissing Point, and a number of rock
shelters and shell middens.
Cultural and historical heritage:
Historic buildings such as Addington, Willandra and Brush Farm House. Numerous other items and places are identified in
the Ryde Heritage Listing (1998) (PDF 122KB) and listed in LEP 105 - Heritage.
Archaeological and moveable heritage:
Buried objects and moveable artefacts of cultural value that may be in private ownership or museum collections are protected
under several pieces of legislation. Development applications may require heritage clearance before site excavation and
permits are required for any archaeological investigation. Accidental discoveries of buried items need to be reported to the
NSW Heritage Office.
| Why does Heritage matter? | Heritage is valued by the community because it provides links to the past and contributes to our sense of place. Heritage
provides reference points in history, it illustrates natural processes, and it presents opportunities for education and research.
We all value places for different reasons and heritage is expressed in our collective sense of value. Heritage enriches our lives
and the loss of any item makes us all poorer. |
