|
Dear Members and Supporters, When the Harbour Trust took over the management of ex-defence lands 25 years ago, the Timber Barracks (Barracks) at Middle Head were in excellent condition. Sadly, they are in a sorry state today. The Harbour Trust has been derelict in its duty to protect, conserve and interpret the military heritage values at Middle Head. Left without even the most basic maintenance, the barracks have deteriorated into a state of decay – it is known as 'demolition by neglect'. Now the Harbour Trust wishes to demolish these heritage buildings and replace them with an accessibility pathway. What could have been a source of income for the Harbour Trust has been squandered over the past 25 years. The Barracks are an integral element of the heritage-listed Middle Head military base. The Barracks are referred to in two Commonwealth Heritage Listings and the Harbour Trust's own Conservation Management Plan 2007, which refers to them as “an exceptionally rare collection of such Barracks at the National level.. (and) should be conserved.” Read our previous news post about the important heritage values of the Barracks here ➞ The Harbour Trust’s proposal to demolish the Barracks will be referred to the Minister for Environment and Water, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, for approval in the coming weeks. The community will then be given only 10 working days to respond to the demolition proposal. As soon as this matter is placed on public exhibition, HPG will advise you accordingly and we urge you to have your say. In addition to the heritage value of the buildings themselves, the Barracks hold important social heritage values being the stories of the men who lived in the Barracks, none being more important than the stories of our Vietnam Veterans. As we approach Vietnam Veterans Day on 18 August 2025, you may be interested to know that many Vietnam Veterans trained at Middle Head. Their stories are varied; some attended the School of Torture in the tunnels at Middle Head, others attended the School of Military Intelligence to learn intelligence techniques and the Vietnamese language, others training in artillery, engineering and sea-to-land transport logistics. National Service conscript Victor Danko tells his extraordinary story. Please read Victor’s story here ➞ We’ll be publishing stories from other soldiers who trained and lived at Middle Head. For example, the story told by Peter Lloyd, officer and Aide-de -Camp to Governor Sir Roden Cutler. Peter, a young man from Deniliquin, was called up for National Service with the Australian Army. After his basic training at Puckapunyal he completed officer training at Scheyville and then joined the Royal Australian Engineers based at Middle Head. Peter Lloyd references the potential emotional attachment that past soldiers, especially those who served under the National Service Scheme, may have to the Barracks. He says, “Retaining the barracks and re-purposing them for veterans' use, could be significant for post-service emotional work.” The establishment of the Middle Head Defence Transition Centre Inc., proposed by a committee of local veterans, is not only a nationally significant project but is an excellent adaptive reuse of these heritage Barracks.
|
