Headland Preservation Group 25th Anniversary Fundraising Dinner
President’s Address – Jill L’Estrange
7 November 2022
Good evening, everyone.
Thank you Dennis for your warm Welcome to Country.
Welcome and thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Headland Preservation Group.
I would also like to extend a special welcome to distinguished guests:
Our guest speaker, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove & Lady Cosgrove
Chairman of SHFT - Mr Joseph Carrozzi AM
Executive Director SHFT – Ms Janet Carding
Commander Michael Nipperess – Commander of HMAS Penguin
Brigadier Kevin O’Brien (ret’d) – ‘Author of Defending Middle Head A Short History’ written for HPG.
First Nations Guests: Professor Dennis Foley and Mr Djon Mundine
To all our very generous Donors, a warm welcome to you and thank you for your support of the Headland Preservation Group
I’m so thrilled to see a room full to capacity. We are so appreciative of your support tonight. I look across the room and see many different community groups represented and it is clear these lands mean so much, to so many.
Tonight, we are celebrating a very special milestone – the 25th anniversary of our organisation. Like many celebrations in recent years, this one has been delayed due to the pandemic. 2022 is actually our 26th year.
It was 1996 that the story of the Headland Preservation Group began.
The Commonwealth government had proposed to sell and re- develop former defence sites in and around Sydney Harbour including Middle Head. These were priceless sections of public land with huge environmental, cultural, military and Indigenous significance. Parcels of pristine native bushland that were at risk of irreversible damage.
A group of passionate locals led by the late Mr Don Goodsir, Ms Linda Bergin and the late Mr Peter Jones rallied community support to try and stop the proposal to sell off land at Middle Head for housing development. They formed the Headland Preservation Group, otherwise known as HPG.
HPG then joined with other harbour foreshore groups to opposed Defence’s sell-off plans for its other significant sites around the foreshore.
It is hard to put into context now, 26 years later, just how monumental this fight to save the land was. These areas were and still are some of Australia’s most valuable pieces of real estate. To give you context, I want to show you this brief video about the fight to save Trust lands..
As you can see, HPG had an important seat at the table and lobbied all political parties to achieve this result.
It was 2 years later in 1998, that we had our next big win! In response to lobbying by HPG and other harbour foreshore groups, the Commonwealth Government established the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. This statutory agency was tasked with rehabilitating former Defence lands around the Harbour including Middle Head, North Head and Cockatoo Island, conserving their natural, built and cultural heritage. We believe the Trust was then and still is today the appropriate body to manage these lands.
We were also closely involved in, and advised government in, drafting the Harbour Trust Act. Our close involvement meant the legislation was drafted in almost the very same words as our vision.
Our vision being: “That Sydney Harbour Trust lands of natural, cultural and heritage values be conserved, protected and interpreted in perpetuity for the benefit of all Australians.”
‘Conserve, protect, interpret’. These words are not only the cornerstone of the Harbour Trust Act – they are the foundation of a mission the HPG has pursued for 26 years with relentless advocacy.
So, what have we achieved in two decades since our initial struggle? I can assure you we have not been idle.
Most importantly, in the last two years, HPG was instrumental in achieving recent amendments to the Harbour Trust Act, strengthening the protections of these lands.
The Act that designated the Harbour Trust as manager and overseer of these lands was due to expire in 2033 – just 10 years’ time. HPG garnered community support and lobbied the Commonwealth government to amend the Act extending its ownership of the land, and the Trust ‘s stewardship, in perpetuity.
We also assisted the government in drafting amendments to cap commercial leases on Harbour Trust lands at 35 years. This was a crucial win. It provides a check on appropriate use of the land and prevents inappropriate leases from dragging out to 99 years. This a protection against the permanent alienation of public land for private use.
I think it’s fair to say the government and the opposition don’t often agree but our proposed amendments received bi-partisan political support in Federal Parliament! Of the 12 politicians across the political spectrum who spoke in support of the amendments, 7 specifically referenced and thanked the HPG’s contribution in drafting of the legislation - including the now PM, the Hon Anthony Albanese.
This was a momentous occasion and a wonderful accolade to our community group.
Many of you in the room may also remember our campaign to protect the historic military building known as 10 Terminal from being turned into an aged care facility. This proposal threatened to decimate the rich military, cultural and historic values of this priceless site. Our lobbying continued for more than 2 years and in the end, HPG was successful in halting the development.
So – is the battle for Sydney Harbour over? I suggest not!
Yes, we saved Middle Head from housing development two decades ago, but today the threats are more subtle and complicated.
We fight the tension between commercial activity and protecting the important values of the land. Commercial creep threatens constantly; we see this happening elsewhere around the Harbour foreshore eg at Barangaroo.
Inadequate funding is also one of our biggest challenges. If the Trust does not receive the investment it needs to properly rehabilitate these lands, it can be tempting for the Harbour Trust to make short sighted and sub optimal decisions to secure financial gain. “Selling out” may have unwanted ramifications and may put at risk compromising the values of these precious sites forever.
Perhaps our biggest current struggle looms over Middle Head, North Head and Cockatoo Island.
For eight years, HPG has advocated to restore the historic 10 Terminal building at Middle Head in an appropriate way. The community has proposed turning it into a world-class interpretation centre, telling the rich stories of First Nations, colonial and military heritage of the Headland and the Nation. We are presently trying to boost the inadequate government funding that has been allocated to this project and urge the Harbour Trust to make the community’s vision a reality.
The future of North Head is also contentious. Under current arrangements, North Head is due to be transferred back to the state government in 2032 – that is 10 years’ time! Will we be able to prevent this from happening and NSW from carving up public green space for commercial use? I hope so.
As for Cockatoo Island – how will this iconic land be adaptively re- used? It is a complex and sensitive site, which no doubt will attract plenty of interest from private developers. HPG will be advocating to ensure it is treated appropriately, with a soft footprint complementing its layered history.
Apart from conserving and protecting Trust lands, HPG’s vision for the future is to interpret them.
Jill L’Estrange
President Headland Preservation Group