The Hunter Heritage Network is pleased to announce the inaugural Hunter Bonafide Awards (hunter Bonas). These Awards draw inspiration from the Latin ‘bonafide’ meaning ‘In Good Faith’ i.e. genuine, trustworthy. The aim of the Awards is to celebrate outstanding scholarship and service to Australian history and heritage in the Hunter Region, and at the same time, inspire young people to get involved in historical research, identification, advocacy and documentation of local heritage. The Awards also aim to encourage the Hunter’s rich heritage to be the catalyst for innovative design and scholarship.

Since Australia does not have a national award we have decided to start one, but our emphasis remains local history and heritage. We hope that the awards can be used by communities across the nation to promote and acknowledge their local history.

Newcastle and the Hunter Region’s past achievements have all but been written out of the history of Australia. This is a deplorable situation for Australia’s second oldest city and so we wish to recognise and congratulate the people and organisations who have helped to research, document and protect our archival and built heritage.

This work will assist in the quest to attain world recognition for Newcastle and the Hunter Region’s historical contribution to the development of the Australian nation.

Our draft Award Categories are:

Beacon Tower

Golden Bona – Best Adaptive Heritage Reuse for a building

Academic Bona – Best academic history based upon a local historical theme

Deadly Bona – Best Indigenous History Monograph, article or digital work

Commemorative Bona – Best Commemorative History, event or on site interpretation

Family Bona – Best Family History Monograph

Studious Bona – Best Student Paper,  design project, or article – including architecture projects, interior design, drafting or colour projects where local heritage or history has been a feature component (please email details to hunterheritagenetwork@gmail.com)

Amateur Bona – Best history by an amateur historian

Literary Bona – Best fictional tale or dramatic production based on a local historical theme

No Bona – For the most inappropriate development upon a heritage place

Nominations are now welcome for the inaugural event to be held during Heritage Festival in April 2010.

As this is the inaugural year there is no formal nomination form. Simply send an email including a brief outline of your project nomination to hunterheritagenetwork@gmail.com. Nominations close 16 March 2010. We will contact the short list by 1 April 2010. Be sure to include your contact details.

See the Flyer or email hunterheritagenetwork@gmail.com for further information.

Award ceremony

Join us for high tea with Mrs Macquarie at Monet’s the former Military Hospital, 1841, in the grounds of historic James Fletcher Hospital, adjacent the site of the “Government House “ where Governor Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth, stayed on their visits to Newcastle. Heritage architect John Carr will outline the rich history of this site, and its colonial buildings, including the remains of the 1819 parsonage.  The awards ceremony will follow this talk and drinks and canapes will be served. Tickets are $30(National Trust  members) $35 (non-members) and bookings can be made on 49275135.

Short listed nominees will be sent a personal invitation and will attend courtesy of the Hunter Heritage Network. 

Rules of entry

Judging is conducted by the Board of Management of the Hunter Heritage Network Incorporated.

The judging process is confidential and the jury reserves the right to give multiple awards and / or commendations in a category. The jury also reserves the right not to give awards / commendations in a category. The Jury reserves the right to re-classify the entry to a more appropriate category, if deemed necessary. Jury decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. The Hunter Heritage Network reserves the right to create categories depending upon  the nature of the work or activity to be acknowledged.

The AGM of the Hunter Heritage Network is scheduled for Tuesday 2 February 2010 at 8:00am, to be held at the Level 3 Conference Room, Newcastle City Council Administration Centre, 289 King Street Newcastle (the round building…looks like a spaceship).  You are cordially invited to attend.

If you are a financial member you have voting rights. There are currently several vacancies on the Board of Management so if you wish to nominate for a position and be part of the decision making and part of the fun, give me a call on (02) 4974 2785.

Sarah Cameron

Public Officer and President

As at October 2009 there is a vacancy on the Board. If you are interested in finding out more about this vacancy please email scameron@ncc.nsw.gov.au or phone (02) 4974 2785.

AGM 2008

The 2008 AGM was held at the offices of Lake Macquarie City Council and chaired by Sarah Cameron.  The guest speaker was from the Department of Planning. A presentation was provided on the topic of the State government’s infrastructure SEPP.

AGM Minutes (draft)_051208

AGM 2007

The inaugural AGM of the Hunter Heritage Network as an incorporated body was held at the offices of Newcastle City Council.

Agenda 2007 AGM  AGM Agenda_ Final_SCameron_041207

Minutes 2007 AGM DRAFT Minutes AGM Dec 2007

Ravensworth is one of those gems of Australian pastoral and colonial history. It contains one of the most fascinating and oldest shearing sheds in the Hunter valley. Built for colonial surgeon Dr James Bowman and his wife, the daughter of John and Elizabeth McCarthur, in 1832, the house is rumoured to have been designed by John Verge, who was associated with the family. 

Our Network got to preview the $600,000+ conservation works to the complex of buildings on behalf of Xstrata by Australian Heritage Restorations. The work is extensive, involving salt treatment, re-piering, repointing with lime mortars, repairing slate roofing, repairs to timber lintels and other structural components…the list goes on and on.  Congratulations to Xstrata who are safeguarding our heritage for future generations. And well done Chris Bart and team for a comprehensive and well executed program of works.

We also had the pleasure in accouncing our next scheduled seminar, which we have penned in for Thursday and Friday 26 and 27 November 2009. This will be hosted by Kempsey Shire Council and involves site visits aplenty to Trial Bay Gaol, Belbrook, Kempsey and many other places. We are considering making this a 2-day program, so please email with your thoughts and preferences so we can design the most meaningful day possible.

Michelle has received a good response from most of our financial members and councils and many have renewed their memberships for the next financial year. Thank you to everyone who organised their renewals on time, we are most ggrateful. 

If you still wish to join or renew your membership please contact Michelle at rainbow118@hunterlink.net.au

We rely on the continuing support of each and every member to ensure we can exist and to cover the overheads of the network…catering costs, insurances, wages,  etc etc.

If you want further information email me or Michelle or leave a comment here.

Many Thanks

Sarah Cameron

Sarah Cameron