The History Council of NSW believes heritage is a vital way that communities find connections with their histories and the past, helping to create and reinforce a sense of identity and place.

Recent activities

Sydney Harbour National Park Draft Plan of Management

The History Council of NSW welcomes the initiative of the former Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water in developing a draft plan of management for the Sydney Harbour National Park. Sydney Harbour is an iconic heritage landscape that sits at the very heart of our understanding of Sydney’s past. It is of the utmost importance that ongoing and future conservation is approached in a wholistic manner, which this draft plan of management seeks to address.

The History Council of NSW has approached Dr Ian Hoskins, author of Sydney Harbour: A History and Historian at the North Sydney Council to prepare an Executive Summary.

Visit the DECCW website for more information about the draft plan or to upload your own submission.

Heritage Amendment Bill 2009

On 13 May 2009, the NSW Minister for Planning announced the Heritage Amendment Bill 2009 which will implement many of the changes recommended in the Heritage Act Review Report. Access the Minister's Agreement in Principle Speech.

The History Council of NSW wrote to all Members of Parliament urging them to consider the role of history in heritage. This Bill was passed on 3 June 2009. The History Council of NSW is concerned that the changes to the Heritage Act will result in serious threats to heritage in NSW. 

Heritage Act Review 2007-08

In July 2007, the NSW Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor announced a review of the Heritage Act. The review was conducted by then Liverpool City Council Administrator Gabrielle Kibble and NSW Heritage Council Chair Michael Collins. The History Council of NSW provided a submission to the review panel that highlighted the importance of history and historians in the heritage assessment process and urged the government to retain history representation on the Heritage Council.In March 2008 the NSW Government released the Report of the Independent Expert Panel review of the Heritage Act. This report was written in December 2007. Access the full report.