Community update #2
While it appears the former Berrima Gaol site has been quiet over winter, the past three months have been a busy time for the project team, with a comprehensive suite of studies and reports in progress and nearing completion.
In keeping with the vision for a sensitive revitalisation of the site that embraces the social, built and environmental heritage elements of the site and the surrounding environment, we are well underway with the environmental, cultural and engineering due diligence studies, which are needed to inform best practice planning and design outcomes.
While we continue to undertake the necessary studies and surveys, we have remained in contact with the local Council, NSW Heritage Office, local businesses, community groups and local organisations. We have also conducted the first of a series of site discovery sessions as part of the Connecting with Country process. This is a state government initiative that involves Aboriginal knowledge holders in the design and planning of projects of state significance. We have also completed a comprehensive Conservation Management Plan, which will be made available on the project website in October.
Activities underway:
An Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment (ACHA) site walk has been carried out with representatives from the registered Aboriginal parties.
Connecting with Country process is underway, with the first on site discovery session taking place in September.
Ecological, bushfire and aquatic site investigations have been undertaken, and the assessments are in progress.
A flood study and ground water investigation are currently underway.
A formal traffic study has commenced.
A Conservation Management Plan (CMP) has been completed.
The CMP is a significant document that covers all aspects of heritage significance of the site and discusses important considerations for undertaking an adaptive re-use of the site. The CMP encompasses the site’s history along with its immediate and long-term future – considering all potential factors from maintaining and protecting items of heritage significance to appropriate design and construction of new works and to long term usage. The CMP will soon be made available on the project web site.
The technical, cultural and environmental processes are part of the pre-planning phase. The results of these studies and surveys provide important context for concept designs that will be proposed. When completed, the results will be incorporated into the overall planning of the site and concept designs.
Next steps
Community engagement - Once we have completed all the necessary due diligence, we will be in a position to share our proposal with community stakeholders and residents – in Berrima and across the Southern Highlands.
Staying in touch - We are nearing completion on a new project web site that will provide more information about the project and current status. We are hopeful this will be live by the end of October.