Godden Mackay Logan

Port Arthur Historic Site is a place of outstanding heritage significance in an Australian and world context.  As a major convict site, Port Arthur is an important element in perceptions of national identity, and has iconic status in Tasmanian and Australian history.

The Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority commissioned the preparation of a new Conservation Plan for the Port Arthur Historic Site in 1998.  The project was carried out by a multi-disciplinary team from Godden Mackay Logan and Context Pty Ltd over a two-year period.

The Conservation Plan is based on a comprehensive understanding of the complex values of this important site, gained through documentary research, extensive on-site examination and a broadly-based consultative process involving current and former staff of the Authority, the local and wider community and heritage agencies.

A particular innovation of this project was the use of internet-based exhibition to facilitate stakeholder feedback when the Plan was at draft stage.

The Conservation Plan sets out a vision and strategy for the conservation of Port Arthur based on excellence in heritage management—a vision that has been enthusiastically embraced by the Authority, and communicated to its staff through special training sessions conducted by the project team.

The site is reaping rewards as it implements the comprehensive planning process—through substantial increased funding from the Tasmanian Government, allowing much-needed conservation works, and the preparation of detailed, ongoing work programs.

The obligation to achieve Port Arthur’s long-term conservation is paramount.  Our Conservation Plan has proven to be a vital tool in presenting Port Arthur to visitors as Australia’s best-conserved historic site.

The importance of the site in an Australian and world context was also recognised when Port Arthur was selected as one of only four sites in the world to participate in a Values Assessment and Site Management Study in 2002 by a team of international experts assembled by the world renowned Getty Conservation Institute.  The Conservation Plan and its outcomes received high praise.

The Getty report on Port Arthur concluded that:

… PAHSMA has stopped the pendulum somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, balancing physical conservation and interpretive needs with tourism access and other revenue generating activities that also contribute to the long-term conservation of the site.

… Dealing with the impact of the 1996 tragedy was a major challenge for site management.  It helped pave the way for the 2000 Conservation Plan and planning process, which turned the site around.  The management philosophy changed to include true collaboration across management areas, incorporate lateral management, and focus on external partnerships, while simultaneously emphasizing the conservation and presentation of core cultural significance values.

… Port Arthur is a good example of the salutary effect of thoughtful, deliberate planning processes.

Location: Port Arthur, Tasmania
Client: Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority
Project Type: Conservation Plan