Past to Present. Memory to Action
From the Team here at Willow Court Tasmanian Advocacy Group we hoped you had a safe and happy Christmas and wish you all the best for the New Year.
Thank you for your ongoing support in seeing the Vision of Willow Court as a sensitive and respectful tourist attraction and museum that interprets the story, not only of the people that worked at the Centre, but those that called it “Home”.
Cheers
Mark Krause
Communication Brief – December 2012
The Chairman of the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee (WCCSC) David Llewellyn today reported that a further productive meeting of the WCCSC had occurred on December 13th 2012 at its meeting in New Norfolk.
Mr Llewellyn said “progress on power supply renewal and security fencing were two issues that occupied the minds of committee members at the December meeting but by far the most important matter approved by the committee was the appointment of Mr Brett Noble to the position of Project Manager to oversight and drive restoration and development of the Willow Court site”.
Mr Noble comes to the role of Project Manager with impeccable qualifications having recently occupied the position of Director Policy and Projects within the Department of Primary Industry Parks Water and the Environment. With formal degree qualifications in archaeology Brett has wide experience in heritage development projects and will provide the important impetus necessary to achieve the outcomes sought by the committee.
“I want to place on record my thanks to the Secretary of DPIPWE Mr Kim Evans for facilitating the appointment of Mr Noble to the project manager’s position and to Brett for accepting the challenge” Mr Llewellyn said.
Although some issues may be dealt with out of session by the committee in January 2013 the next formal meeting of the WCSCC will beheld in Hobart on Thursday 14th of February.
Susan Piddock Australian Author and Authority on Asylums.
Susan is an Australian renowned published author and authority on Australian Asylums. Her work has been made available here by her generous nature and her want to share the history of Australia’s Asylums.
Communication Brief November 2012
The Chairman of the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee (WCCSC) David Llewellyn today reported that a productive meeting of the WCCSC had occurred on the 8th November 2012.
Mr Llewellyn said “The recent meeting had been important in clarifying the role of the WCCSC and in establishing a number of priorities”. The most important priority was a recommendation to the Derwent Valley Council of an immediate start to establishing a works program for the Willow Court Barracks Building.
“This will require the preparation of an appropriate brief and the development of a works program by a suitable qualified heritage practitioner” he said.
Reports on progress toward the major upgrade of the power supply to the site and on the site security fencing were also given at the meeting.
Gratitude was expressed regarding the recent efforts of the Friends of Willow Court in their work of painting and restoring the avenue gates.
The recent meeting held in Hobart discussed a large number of other issues, the details of which will appear on the Derwent Valley Council’s web site following the confirmation of the minutes at the WCCSC December 13th 2012 meeting.
By Susan Piddock
This book is available online to read, but not to download, without payment. It has some sections from Willow Court and there are some comparisons with other Institutions which are interesting. Susan also looks and compares a number of institutions against John Conolly’s “Ideal” Asylum Model .
The Willow Court inforation starts about chapter 8. There are floor plans of both Parkside Asylum (SA) and Adelaide Asylum (SA) and some early sketches of the Barracks, Willow Court’s floor plan. This is an adaption from her thesis work and reads like a piece of academic work, but really gives an evidence basis for the conclusions that are made. The book costs $205 on some websites, but is available here to read for free, thanks Susan.
Cheers
Mark
We have been given four films that will go into the educational side of the website. I am still trying to date two of them, but the others are from 1960 – 1991. We are now gathering a really good historical film library and have permission to use them for educational purposes and some for extra footage within our own willow court documentary.
Here are some stills from the films.
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE DVC.
The last minutes for the Derwent Valley Council Cr Bester asked the follow question without notice
Can you update us on the search for tunnels beneath Willow Court?
The Mayor Evans advised that the Hon. David Llewellyn had been researching the matter in the state archives and had found historical references to the tunnel dating to 1834.The mayor said he would liaise with the new licensee of the Bush Inn Hotel and a member of the public who had seen the tunnel beneath the hotel.
It is also interesting that Frascati was also built in that year and we know that the Barrel Tunnel runs out next to the Bush Inn Tony Talks about the Barrel Drain that runs from Willow Court to the Derwent River is this one in the same?
Taken from the agenda for November 15th Meeting of the Derwent Valley Council. Priority Conservation Works on the Willow Court Precinct. With the power being installed soon the work needs to begin. This item is suggesting works start on the Barracks Building. We look forward to the joint press statement from the Mayor and the Chair of the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee.
DISCUSSION PAPER PRIORITY CONSERVATION WORKS
WILLOW COURT
Report To: Council
Author: General Manager
Qualified Officer: Dr Jane Harrington (Willow Court Conservation Special Committee) and General Manager Introduction and Purpose
The purpose of this report is to table the recommendation of the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee in regard to Priority Conservation Works on the Willow Court Precinct.
Strategic Plan
IS5 To develop partnerships with relevant stakeholders on the development, management and maintenance of services in the municipality.
S3 To encourage the development of local sporting, cultural and artistic activities.
Ec1 To encourage and facilitate greater opportunities for business development and tourism and work toward a strategic plan for tourism and business development in the area.
Ec3 To develop partnerships with State Government, industry and regional bodies to promote economic and employment development.
Discussion
Background
One of the charters given to the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee (WCCSC) under the MoU with Derwent Valley Council (DVC) is to ‘develop a program of works to achieve sustainable re-use for the buildings in the Willow Court Precinct’ (para 3.3.5). at Meeting 5 of the committee (11/10/12 there was recognition that the development of a full program will take some time, but in the interim it was imperative to identify a priority project that could be commenced with a greater immediacy. This imperative has two primary drivers: the first is to provide a tangible outcome that reassures the community that the project is progressing in a meaningful way, the second is to recognise that the existing heritage documentation is now a number of years old and that it has identified a range of responsibilities in terms of conservation maintenance that need to be progressed urgently. It is proposed that the priority project be the implementation of a conservation works program for the Willow Court Barracks building. There is no argument that the heritage significance of Willow Court as a whole lies in its long history of use and incorporates all contributory structures and landscapes (this is identified in the citation for the listing on the Tasmanian Heritage Register). Within the complex, however, the Barracks building stands out as the hub of the complex, the oldest and indeed original structure, and the most fragile in terms of its construction material. It could probably be argued that it has become the most easily recognised structure in the precinct and this is enhanced by its architectural style and aesthetic appeal. Because of its ongoing use it represents both the convict and latter periods of institutional residency. The prerequisite for a program of works on any heritage place is the preparation of a Conservation Management Plan, Stage C, The Barracks and Bronte. Scripps et al, 2005. I draw the committee’s attention to page 1 of that document:
The reason for the production of this part of Stage 3 before the remaining buildings and landscape relates to factors such as:
It is some 7 years since the identification of the urgency of works on the Barracks and a decision by the WCCSC and the DVC to commence a conservation program for the Barracks is desirable and responsible. The conservation program being proposed relates only to general maintenance and repair, as prioritised under the Conservation Management Plan (CMP) – noting however that as the CMP is dated it is fair to assume that further works may be identified and reprioritised. It should include the external context of the building surrounds and address the courtyard plantings and relevant landscape features, including the front wall. It is not proposed that this is an initial stage of works includes interpretation. The latter depends on decisions regarding future use, however while some structural elements have been identified as less contributory to the heritage significance of the building than others, the CMP does not support internal structural changes and hence an immediate works program can be predicated on the existing room configurations remaining, regardless of latter use decisions.
Opportunities / positives
• It provides a ‘flagship’ project to endorse that the intent of the WCCSC and the
DVC is to achieve tangible and measurable outcomes
Barracks building and the others in the DVC precinct.
Threats / negatives
(c) Stakeholders
Willow Court Conservation Special Committee and Derwent valley Council
Proposed Community Consultation, Public Relations and Media Issues
If the recommendation of the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee are adopted by Council a joint press release should be developed by the Mayor and Chairperson of the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee.
Budget/Financial Issues
The funds required will be sourced from the Royal Derwent Hospital Development Reserve.
Policy Implications
Code of Public Tendering.
Recommendation
1. That a priority and immediate project for attention and funding is conservation works program for the Willow Court Barracks Building.
2. That a brief be prepared to engage an appropriately qualified heritage practitioner to progress this works program.
Decision:
Information on the three tour guides for the next open day can be found by clicking in the blue hyperlink. (Subject to change without notice)
