ASHET and Other Events and Activties

Activities

Next ASHET event

Tuesday 21 February, 2012
Talk by Anita Yousif
Residential Development of Archaeological Sites in NSW

This paper will showcase two sites, a locally significant site and a State significant heritage site, both of which have been subdivided and redeveloped as residential precincts. The first case study site is located on the outskirts of Dapto, 110km south of Sydney. Now known as Brooks Terrace, Kanahooka, the redevelopment successfully amalgamates built heritage elements of the former Dapto Smelter site.

The second case study represents a development of the State heritage listed archaeological site of the former Bungarribee colonial estate, located at Doonside, western Sydney. The residential allotments are arranged around the central heritage area that has been transformed into a Heritage Park, with interpretive landscaping of the estate’s archaeological remains.

This paper demonstrates that both developments represent an effective fusion of heritage resources and contemporary living with comprehensive interpretation of the archaeological evidence.

Anita Yousif is a Senior Consultant with Godden Mackay Logan. As a field archaeologist she has worked on a number of archaeological excavations in Australia, Cyprus, Italy and Serbia. She has recently directed excavations of World Heritage listed sites, including the Old Government House at Parramatta and the Sydney Opera House.

This is a joint activity of ASHET and the Royal Australian Historical Society.

Venue: History House, 133 Macquarie Street, Sydney
Time: 5.30 for 6 pm
Cost: $8.00 Includes light refreshments on arrival
Bookings: phone RAHS on (02) 9247 8001 or email history@rahs.org.au

More ASHET events

Thursday 29 March, 2012
Talk by Tony Griffiths
Lithgow’s Small Arms Factory Centenary; a century of service

This factory, opened in June 1912, introduced precision mass-production to Australia and has equipped Australia’s infantry from the First World War to the present with over a million rifles and light machine guns, plus sundry other military hardware and services. Its presence in Lithgow was a source of great local pride. It was a supportive local citizen and, in busy times, it boosted the local economy. In lean times, however, it struggled to keep its workforce employed; its efforts at commercial work often unprofitable victims of its own excellence.

Tony Griffiths retirement from electronics has been taken over by the urge to record the history of the Lithgow Small Arms Factory, his grandfather having worked there for parts of both World Wars. He has written a two-volume history covering 1907–1950 and 1950–1990.

This is a joint activity of ASHET and the Royal Australian Historical Society.

Tuesday 24 April, 2012
Talk by Phillip Hammon
The Katoomba Aerial Ropeway

The aerial ropeway at Katoomba, 2.4 kilometres long, was built to haul coal to the railway at Katoomba from the Gladstone Colliery in the valley 300 metres below. It was opened in 1885.The ropeway was based on a patented concept that was developed in Germany a few years earlier by Adolf Bleichert, and used widely throughout the world. The Katoomba ropeway was designed by a brilliant German engineer, Oscar Schulze, who had migrated to Australia and who later was a consultant for the Hawkesbury River railway bridge.

The Gladstone mine closed after producing only a few thousand tons of coal, and the ropeway was then used for hauling oil shale from J.B.North’s mine in the valley. The ropeway closed permanently in 1889 following the failure of one of the ropes.

Philip Hammon’s father purchased the lease of the coal mine in 1945 and built the basis of the tourist attraction ScenicWorld at Katoomba. His son Philip, our speaker, worked there as electrician, accountant, Manager and Director. He was responsible for restoring the facility’s buildings and lastly the rebuilding of the Skyway in 2004. Philip has done extensive research on the aerial ropeway and is co-author with Philip Pell of the book The Burning Mists of Time: a technological and social history of mining in Katoomba, published in 2009.

This is a joint activity of ASHET and the Royal Australian Historical Society.

Tuesday 22 May, 2012
Talk by Robert Croft
Sydney to Penrith milestones

Robert and Sandra Crofts began in 2009 their self funded project to investigate and record the sandstone, concrete and timber milestones/mileposts in Sydney and surrounds. During the course of the project they have recorded the location and photographed the remaining milestones along all the major roads out of Sydney. They are currently seeking a publisher for their book entitled Discovering Sydney’s Historical Milemarkers and Boundary Stones. Robert brings his passion for Australian history and photography while Sandra brings research skills from her nursing background to the project.

Robert’s talk will include a brief history of the milestones, and focus on the Macquarie Obelisk in the city of Sydney, and the 22 remaining milestones between Sydney and Penrith.

This is a joint activity of ASHET and the Royal Australian Historical Society.

Venue: History House, 133 Macquarie Street, Sydney?
Time: 5.30 for 6 pm?
Cost: $8.00 Includes light refreshments on arrival?
Bookings: phone RAHS on (02) 9247 8001 or email history@rahs.org.au

Welcome to the ASHET website

ASHET, the Australian Society for History of Engineering and Technology, was formed in June 2003. Its aim is to encourage and promote community interest and education in the history of engineering and technology in Australia.