June 2018 – Willow Court Tasmania

Friends of Willow Court National Trust Heritage Festival Event 12 May 2018 –

Report from the Chairperson A Salt

The theme for this year’s National Trust Heritage Festival was My Culture My Story, with a focus on sharing the strengths of our local cultural identities.

The Friends of Willow Court invited the New Norfolk High School, the Derwent Valley Community House and the Derwent Valley Concert and Marching Band, Professor of History Hamish Maxwell-Stewart, Dr Helen Norrie and past Lachlan Park Hospital Education Dept. teacher Margaret Reynolds to participate in the event.

The displays included Willow Court artifacts loaned by DVC (Derwent Valley Council) and the HIC (History Information Centre), posters depicting various aspects of connections to Willow Court’s history, including a display depicting the establishment and activities of the Lachlan Park Hospital Auxiliary. New Norfolk High display included a portrait of 95 year old local identity Ken O’Brien who the students interviewed as part of a history project, and memorabilia from the high school.

Prof. Maxwell-Stewart presented talks on his research projects into Understanding Convict Records and Prisoners, Solitary Confinement and Psychiatric Admissions. Dr Norrie photographed Willow Court artifacts brought to the event by participants, and Margaret Reynolds talked about her experience as a teacher at Lachlan Park Hospital in 1963, and her actions that led to the establishment of a dedicated school building which is now the Community House.

History tours of the site were conducted throughout the day by Friends of Willow Court members with 133 people participating in the tours.

 A total of 209 people attended the event
 Visitors came from 27 different postcode districts in Tasmanian and three interstate
 $1710.00 total takings
 $1045 entry takings deposited in DVC Willow Court account.
 $655 takings from tours deposited in Friends of Willow Court account.
Costs incurred by Friends of Willow Court have yet to be calculated, but will exceed the takings from tours.

Derwent Valley Council Agenda – 21 June 2018 Page 247

More secret decisions from DVC about Willow Court

“Expressions of Interest” for the Heritage Precinct signs removed on the 31 May.

“In relation to the council-owned buildings on the site, Cr Shaw said an expression of interest process had recently concluded and a number of submissions had been reviewed. “A report to council is expected this month,” Cr Shaw said, noting that this was likely to be tabled in a closed council meeting due to confidentiality.” New Norfolk News 09.06.2018

More and more decisions are being made behind closed doors in the Derwent Valley Council and the above is yet another case. Willow Court is a Heritage location worthy of National Heritage listing (Currently being approved) and the Derwent Valley Council are the Custodians of our heritage and to see these important decisions being made without public consultation is of concern.

With closed doors again there is a concern that exiting Councillor’s will go along with decisions that are made by Councillors who are looking for a “quick fix” for their own re-election campaign due in October this year.

The Mayor was recorded as stating;

“Willow Court had been a millstone around the council’s neck for 18 years, costing ratepayers “a couple of hundred thousand dollars” a year” New Norfolk News 09.06.2018

Closed doors and attitudes towards Tasmania’s Heritage such as this is a concern for people interested in Tasmanian history and a seriously call to State and Federal Government to intervene is needed. There hasn’t been any entrepreneurial skills shown by the owners of the Heritage Precinct known as the Willow Court Barracks area and only a small number of groups have had access over the years.

Last month’s secret decisions were:

Australian Paranormal Investigation Unit – tours of Willow Court and Frescati House: Approved.

Tasmania’s Most Haunted – paranormal tours of Willow Court precinct: Approved.

Documentary film at Willow Court: Deferred for further information.

We will have to wait and see who has applied to use or buy the area and for what purpose.

Heritage Festival round-up

More secret decisions from DVC about Willow Court