Lithgow City Council

LITHGOW CITY COUNCIL WINS MAJOR ENERGY AUSTRALIA NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARD

From Newtown to the Snowy Mountains, from converted industrial silos to the grand sandstone buildings of Sydney’s CBD, from a humble corner store to a heritage trail entitled Furnace Fire and Forge - all these heritage projects have a story to tell and they all have been recognised at a prestigious heritage awards ceremony.

The EnergyAustralia National Trust Heritage Awards were presented today in Sydney by the Hon. Tony Kelly ALGA MLC, Minister for Lands at a special lunch at the Westin Hotel, attended by over 250 people from around New South Wales .

This year’s awards program attracted over 70 entries with a total of 35 winners and commendations awarded. The annual awards event provides well-deserved recognition to those who protect NSW’s heritage across all sectors of society, including government, community groups, commercial enterprises and individuals.

Many submissions connected important stories from our past to the issues of today enabling us to learn in ways that inform the future, and importantly involved so many members of the community across the whole state.

The Judges were also impressed with the level of sophistication that heritage interpretation has now reached through a range of publications, DVDs, catalogues, award initiatives and heritage trails which featured amongst the submissions.

Specifically, Lithgow’s Furnace Fire & Forge Highly Commended was the top award given in the Education: Corporate / Government category. The judges commented that “Lithgow City Council has worked closely with their community and generated incredible interest in a new heritage trail entitled Furnace Fire & Forge. The trail re info rces Lithgow ' s importance as a centre for coal mining, minerals processing, manufacturing and railway heritage. It is the educational aspects of the trail that connect the community into this rich history. Many cities and towns could emulate Lithgow ' s example”.

Mr Paul Anderson , Council’s General Manager accepted the award on behalf of Council. He said ”The recognition that Lithgow is up there with the best in the field of heritage management is a feather in the cap of the community, as there has been so much input from the heritage groups in Lithgow. In particular, the State Mine Heritage Park and Railway and the Zig Zag railway have come together with Councillors and officers to achieve this splendid result. This project as it continues to build will provide educational opportunities to Lithgow city residents, but to all Australians as they explore Lithgow City – the crucible of industrial development in Australia nestled in an outstanding natural environment”

Lithgow’s importance as a centre for coal mining, minerals processing, manufacturing and railway engineering heritage give it a unique place in Australia ’s cultural heritage. However, without education to extol these important facts and stories, this cultural heritage will remain unknown.

Lithgow played a substantial role in the development of the Australian economy. The story of the Lithgow region’s industrial development in the late 19th & early 20th centuries is rich and fascinating tale of great visionaries, family tragedies, class conflict and riot.

Lithgow’s industrial story draws together the visions of the founders of Cobb & Co., the skill of engineers who built the Great Western Railway, the dream of Australia’s early ironmasters to establish a local steel industry, the sweat and toil of those who dug in the earth to liberate the captured energy of coal and the struggles of the women who supported the workers. It is also the story of the men and women who worked to supply Australia ’s armies during the dark days of World War II.

The Furnace Fire & Forge Heritage Trail helps you explore the stories of Lithgow through the sites where momentous events occurred. Explore Lithgow’s heritage and learn the many stories of this fascinating place that played such an important role in the development of our nation.