2019 - Bendigo, Ballarat & 11 other councils seeking World Heritage Listing for Victorian Goldfields

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Two similar articles published by the Bendigo Advertiser yesterday and today on the subject of turning the Victorian Goldfields into World Heritage Listed locations.



Mayor Margaret O'Rourke hopes to see the Central Victorian Goldfields receive UNESCO World Heritage Listing within 10 years


FIRST ARTICLE:

Why 13 goldfields councils are chasing World Heritage Listing for gold rush sites
June 24 2019 - 11:34AM

Wondering why the City of Greater Bendigo, City of Ballarat and 11 other councils are keen on nominating Central Victorian Goldfields sites for UNESCO World Heritage Listing? This might help: What does it mean for a property to be world heritage listed?

Sites recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation for their world heritage are of 'outstanding universal value'.
Properties added to the list since 2004 meet at least one of 10 selection criteria.  For example, the site might be 'a masterpiece of human creative genius,' or an exceptional example of major stages of the planet's history. Sites added to the list before 2004 were subject to six cultural and four natural criteria.

Only countries that have committed to protect their heritage by signing the World Heritage Convention can nominate their sites for listing.

How many Australian sites are on the list?
Australia is home to 19 world heritage listed sites, only one of which is in Victoria. The Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens is the sole Victorian site on the list, and one of seven recognised for their cultural value. Most of the Australian sites are recognised for their natural value. Among them are the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, Kakadu National Park, Uluru, and the Tasmanian Wilderness.

The UNESCO World Heritage List consists of more than 1000 properties, worldwide.

Why is our council interested?
The potential tourism benefits associated with having a site on the World Heritage List are attractive to our city and the other 12 municipalities involved in the bid. "When they are successful there's a huge amount of tourism that comes with them," Bendigo mayor Margaret O'Rourke said. "People travel the world to see UNESCO World Heritage Listed sites."

A listing would also recognise the historical significance of some of the sites remaining from our gold rush history. "Most of the sites around the world to do with the great gold rushes, they're gone because they were built out of timber," Cr O'Rourke said.

The 13 councils involved in the bid believe the regions they represent consist of a number of sites that could be considered significant. "This is a way to formalise the importance of the goldfields," Bendigo councillor Matt Emond, of the city's Heritage Advisory Committee, said. He said the bid could also recognise the impact the gold rush had on the region and its traditional owners.

How does a site get world heritage listed?
There are several stages to the process. The first step is for the nominee to make a tentative list of the sites for which it seeks recognition. The second involves the preparation of a nomination file. Advisory bodies evaluate the nominations. The World Heritage Committee then decides whether sites will be inscribed on the World Heritage List. When preparing their tentative list, nominees are flagging sites they are interested in submitting for inscription in the next five to 10 years.

Where are we at in this process?
Early days, though the idea has been floating around since the 1980s. Cr O'Rourke said the 13 involved councils were seeking state government funding for mapping to identify sites of historical significance. The councils are seeking $400,000 from the state for that work. Cr Emond said the 13 councils would collectively pitch in $100,000 to support the work. Up to 10 sites of significance would be included in the region's bid.

Cr Emond said the councils were aspiring to have the nomination process ready for mid-2021. Preparation of a business case, a management plan, and community and stakeholder consultations would also be involved. Cr Emond said sites of significance would be put on the national register and put to the federal government for submission to UNESCO. The involved councils have met several times to discuss the bid, particularly over the past 12 months. Cr Emond said the councils had also raised the idea with local state MPs and government departments.

"We'd like to see this idea move forward," Cr Emond said.


https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/6237102/why-13-goldfields-councils-are-chasing-world-heritage-listing-explainer/?fbclid=IwAR10Za593vm0aR16Xx6jO8Yg8j_scegXOcoNIbGSzds-jvzwo8YKvQNq-I4
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SECOND ARTICLE:

Bendigo, Ballarat and 11 other councils seek state government funds for Goldfields' UNESCO World Heritage Listing
June 23 2019 - 4:46PM

City of Greater Bendigo mayor Margaret O'Rourke hopes a plan to see the Central Victorian Goldfields receive an UNESCO World Heritage Listing can be achieved within 10 years. The bid, which involves 13 local councils, gathered more momentum on Friday as councillors from the City of Greater Bendigo and City of Ballarat, including Cr O'Rourke and Ballarat mayor Samantha McIntosh, along with heritage advisory groups met in Ballarat last week to discuss the bid. Cr O'Rourke said the discussion was to bring the heritage groups up to speed.

"Bendigo and Ballarat are the lead councils but there are 13 local councils involved," she said. "It is unusual and unique to see (so many) councils collaborating together but it is a great opportunity.

"We are now seeking funding from the state government to assist us in mapping and understanding what (Central Victorian Goldfields) sites would work for the bid and give us the best opportunity (to succeed)."

The plan to see the goldfields gain World Heritage Listing was first raised in the 1980s when John Brumby was the Member for Bendigo. Cr O'Rourke said the idea remain an exciting opportunity that she hoped would come to fruition within 10 years. "It still needs a lot of work but the aim is that this needs to be done sooner rather than later. We're hoping it is not another 10 years," she said.

"It is quite exciting opportunity but we also believe we need to do more work in briefing community members. "Some (groups), like the prospectors would be worried they won't be able to do that activity anymore but that is certainly not case. We will be putting a communications plan together to have a broader discussion, so people understand exactly (what we want to do)." Cr O'Rourke said the 13 councils had all made small contributions to the project but that it was time to pursue state government funds.

"To get to that next stage we need a concerted effort. That's why we have approached the state government," she said. Cr McIntosh said the session allowed her to outline productive discussions held in early June when she attended the 15th Organization of World Historical Cities Congress in Krakow, Poland.

"In Poland, we confirmed we have the International Council on Monuments and Sites Sustainable Tourism Committee visiting the region next year which is absolutely fantastic news that I was able to discuss with my Bendigo counterparts," she said.

https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/6236045/local-councils-push-goldfields-world-heritage-listing-bid/?cs=12

Kiss your nuggets goodbye if this goes ahead

The PMAV had a meeting with the Maryborough Council about 2 years ago to discuss this very issue. But since our council was sacked about 18 months ago we have had no contact with them ever since. But at that meeting prospecting was brought up and our concerns that the Goldfield would out of bounds if the World Heritage came into play. They assured us the World listing would only include the building and towns within the World Heritage area. This would not include the Goldfield diggings and that prospecting would still be allowed. Our argument was "if the Goldfield came under the World Heritage listing and under their trust. Would the councils still have a say about prospecting and would prospecting still be allowed under the Trust act ??" They then assured us that they would make sure that prospecting would not be interfered within the Heritage regions. That was 2 years ago.
I have now been waiting for days for the Mayor of Ballarat, Samantha McIntosh to contact me so we can discuss this further. But still no reply.

But there was an article in the last PMAV Eureka Echo. The Article was written by Justine Linley, CEO City of Ballarat. In that article she stated that the World Heritage would be on major towns and cities with unique historic heritage values. Extract from her statement :- It is definitely not a project that seeks to further restrict the long-held and important economic, social and cultural practice of prospecting and fossicking. Indeed, if not for prospectors and fossickers the gold boom that changed the world would not have even occurred.
She goes on to saying :- One of the early opportunities identified in the project was the ability to expand upon and support those businesses undertaking the "heritage" skill of gold prospecting throughout the region, from equipment suppliers, tour operators, training, camping and the general enjoyment of the natural environment in the region.
When, or if I get in contact with the Mayor of Ballarat I will be asking for the assurance in writing that prospecting will not be affected in any way, shape or form if this World Heritage come to tuition within the Central Goldfield region.
I will be also asking her for the opinions of the Council of where they stand with the VEAC investigation for the region. As that will be restricting and closing down some of the goldfield that would be under the heritage areas and would have a great influence on the statement made her their CEO.
wombat

Thanks for the great reply Wombat,hopefully the councils won't flip flop around and try and baffle us with the usual BS.
As we know some councils are like slippery eels

cheers moredeep

Well if tourism is their desired outcome, this will have the exact opposite effect. I have yet to come to Bendy and see a SINGLE person standing there in tacky short, a Hawaii print shirt with a camera around his neck standing in the middle of a gold field, I have yet to even see this rare spectacle in any of the small towns I've dumped money into while on my many trips down... what I do see, are my fellow brothers and sisters who swing coil and spend hundreds of thousands on airfare, hotels, rental cars, food, lodging etc. in small towns that we all love to visit...

Take away the access for prospectors and all you're hurting are the small towns that rely on our visits, this has serious potential negative impact to those businesses and we all need to make sure they're reminded of this fact, this could mean the closure of several businesses who may at this time be just barely getting by in a tight economy, they're allies to us.

Just my thoughts... I know if it passes, I'll sadly just stop bringin my cash to Vic and instead go back to WA or Tib... sigh

Oh well.. more money for Bundy.

Jen

We of the PMAV Central Goldfield Branch is planning a public meeting with two of the main organisers that are involved and dealing with the World Heritage thing for the Central Goldfields. They will tell you of their plans and how it will or will not affect you in the future. We spoke to these people in the last couple of weeks and we explained to them our concerns and how these reports that are coming out are misleading and confusing to the ordinary public. They are more than willing to sit down and explain it to everyone and to answer any questions. The meeting time has not be fully locked in as yet or the date but it will happen in Maryborough it it is going to happen. More than likely a week night.
wombat

Wombat wrote:We of the PMAV Central Goldfield Branch is planning a public meeting with two of the main organisers that are involved and dealing with the World Heritage thing for the Central Goldfields. They will tell you of their plans and how it will or will not affect you in the future. We spoke to these people in the last couple of weeks and we explained to them our concerns and how these reports that are coming out are misleading and confusing to the ordinary public.  They are more than willing to sit down and explain it to everyone and to answer any questions. The meeting time has not be fully locked in as yet or the date but it will happen in Maryborough it it is going to happen. More than likely a week night.
wombat  

Thank you for your hard work on this, I'm not a member of your club but I'd like to donate to help the cause, have you set anything up to allow us to toss a few bucks over from this side of the pond to help where we can't be there to help in real life?

Jen

Can someone please let me know if this is the correct GoFundMe to support specifically the Victoria GoldFields efforts being discussed or is there a separate fund raiser for this effort? I'm not on Facebook so need the specific link, not a Facebook link, thank you.

https://www.gofundme.com/xtuq3-bush-user-groups-united

Thank you
Jen

jjbond wrote:Can someone please let me know if this is the correct GoFundMe to support specifically the Victoria GoldFields efforts being discussed or is there a separate fund raiser for this effort? I'm not on Facebook so need the specific link, not a Facebook link, thank you.

https://www.gofundme.com/xtuq3-bush-user-groups-united

Thank you
Jen

G'day Jen,

Yeah,that is the correct link to the GoFundMe page..It was set up by Bill Schulz (Wombat on our forum here) who is of legendary status,and very passionate,as we all are, in the fight to keep the bush from being locked up. That is really nice of you to consider donating to a fighting fund so far away,well done and many thanks on behalf of the bush users here in Vic.

Cheers....Dave

Sharkbait wrote:

jjbond wrote:Can someone please let me know if this is the correct GoFundMe to support specifically the Victoria GoldFields efforts being discussed or is there a separate fund raiser for this effort? I'm not on Facebook so need the specific link, not a Facebook link, thank you.

https://www.gofundme.com/xtuq3-bush-user-groups-united

Thank you
Jen

G'day Jen,

Yeah,that is the correct link to the GoFundMe page..It was set up by Bill Schulz (Wombat on our forum here) who is of legendary status,and very passionate,as we all are, in the fight to keep the bush from being locked up. That is really nice of you to consider donating to a fighting fund so far away,well done and many thanks on behalf of the bush users here in Vic.

Cheers....Dave

Thanks Dave, he and I have IM'd a couple times and he gave me the Facebook page but I'm not a Facebook person so wanted to be sure I had the right one. As much as I love Screech Owls, I wanted to be sure my donation went to the goldfields cause, not to save the life of a Screech Owl in the Melbourne inner city.

Note: I've also posted links to this and to the GoFundMe on the only site in the US I post on, I've also issued a bit of a challenge to a bogan who's been a thorn in my side for years..grin. Hopefully some of us over here can step up as well, this land grab's not going to stop with you guys...

http://arizonaoutback.ipbhost.com/topic/14399-victoria-gold-fields-gone-possibly/

Cheers
Jen

I hope you don't mind Bill... I put out the word to someone on this side of the pond that may be able to help us get the word out further as well...... he'll probably read this post so I won't pump up his ego toooo much but he knows lots in the industry and maybe can share this, cus as much as it's in Aus now, if we don't stop this feces NOW, it will be a firestorm of proportions we won't be able to stop..... the tree huggers in BC are already talking about making EVERY area with chinese washed rocks a historical site, that's the entire length of the Fraser River, I lost one GREAT claim in BC called the Haylmore claim because it was turned into a historical site...

I've sent the below (have to click to see full text)..... certain details have been blurred for obvious reasons.... you may all know him as "Dozer Dave".... I know him as Dave, cus he kept looking at me funny and embarrased when I would run up and say "Dozer Dave, Dozer Dave... can I have your autograph, please please.... (kidding of course)......

Thanks for fighting for this Bill (and others).

Jen

Well.... I came home today and one of my kids asked, "What's wrong mum, you seem down".... I knelt down and whispered into his ear that I was just disappointment that my American friends had let me down on my challenges to help save the gold fields in Australia" To say he was gobsmacked would be an understatement, (picture below). He was clearly upset (look at his face), stating "You mean that place called Victoria that you're always so happy and excited when you're packing to go to?"... Yes Sniper, that's the place.... "But mum, we have to do something, you were going to take me and my 4500 and eTrac, and both Gina and I know how happy you are when you go and how happy you are when you return, and how your work stress seems to not bother you when you know you're going detecting.. in fact, mum, my bruised ribs are almost healed, thank you for buying softer shoes"

Later when we got home from work, the last thing I needed.. Gina wearing her favorite hat, and I had to explain the entire story all over again... and show her links to the threads and pictures of how pretty it was and how my American friends had disappointed me and instead are choosing to wait till it comes here, even the corporate/dealers I reached out to.... I showed them links with the pretty green pastures, and bunny rabbits in the fields and everything.

http://arizonaoutback.ipbhost.com/topic/14399-victoria-gold-fields-gone-possibly/?do=findComment&comment=76463

Her response "We can't let this happen, where will I get my new hat every year" (if you look close, you can see a tear in her eye)... I'm sorry Gina..... there's not much else I can do...  I told them all... it's in their hands now. I told them both  and I went to bed..... a little bit later, there was a soft pat on the door and they both came in..... and Sniper said "Mum, if all your American friends aren't going to help your Aussie friends.... we will, besides Mum... we read that the money will also help get rid of those feral cats so Gina and I reached into our paw-ckets, we have a couple dollars you gave us for treats, and Gina and I agreed we don't need our vaccines this month.... we know you would say no, so we logged into our own Pawpal accounts and helped, cus we know how sad you are about your American friends... please don't be sad, we'll help save the gold fields ourselves.       OMG... I was flabbergasted.... my dogs care more about the gold fields and the happiness they bring me, than my fellow American citizens.... what can I say... thank you both... and don't worry, you'll still get your vaccines, nice try....    

Gina, Sniper (who I lost a couple years ago, RIP angel) and I all wish we were there in person to help..... I'm not on Facebook and I do not permit them to be on the Internet, there's far too much Kitty Porn so please keep us all updated on the two threads here..... we all hope their contribution helps in some way.







Note: This post is passive aggressive guilt tripping to my fellow Americans... obviously my dogs don't speak to me.... sheeesh, they're Belgian Malinois, and as such, speak Belgian Malinois, not English.

Great video..... mentions the fund raiser..

Hey, does anyone know any good creeks around Bendigo-ballarat to go panning?

Buck-11, you should have started a new thread for this.

However, your best start would be at the Ballarat Gold Museum next to Soveriegn Hill. They have a large map of the area with displays of gold panned from the local rivers, and the locations of those rivers.
Almost every river in the Ballarat area had good gold panned from it.

Regards Axtyr.