Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area, World Heritage Site (Cultural Landscape Management Plan)

The cultural landscape of KAVHA is multilayered and complex and is recognised for its evocative and picturesque character, outstanding Georgian buildings and ruins, archaeological remains, and Pitcairn history, set within a bucolic coastal landscape. The landscape also comprises important natural systems and perceptions, beliefs, stories, experiences and practices. KAVHA is a living and continually evolving landscape that continues to be used for traditional practices and primary production as well as tourism. 

GML Heritage and Context (now GML Heritage) were engaged by the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development to provide priority policies and recommendations for the conservation and maintenance of the historic spatial layout and form of the KAVHA landscape and its setting, that recognised KAVHA as a cultural landscape. The direction for the Cultural Landscape Management Plan (CLMP) was set in the Heritage Management Plan for KAVHA, prepared in 2016.

We developed proposals in collaboration with landscape architects EP Environmental Partnerships to address four largely interconnected cultural landscape issues. These were associated with site drainage and water quality, vegetation management, parking and vehicle and pedestrian movement, and livestock management.

We worked closely with the local community through the public exhibition phase, which invited feedback on the CLMP and the proposals for strategic projects. This helped to build confidence in the CLMP and ensured local knowledge and local connections to and use of the place were appropriately considered and balanced with the obligations to conserve KAVHA’s heritage values.