This briefing session, talk & lunch is an invitation-only event. Invitations have been sent to all historical societies which have portable buildings in their area. This event is only open to people representing one of the historical societies that have been invited to attend. Please do not RSVP unless you have been invited.

Charles Sowerwine,  RHSV Councillor, Chair of the RHSV Heritage Committee and member of the Portable Buildings World Heritage Nomination Task Force, invites local historical societies who have portable buildings in their area to become involved in the task force’s campaign to nominate Australia’s unique stock of portable buildings for UNESCO World Heritage status.

To qualify for the listing, nineteenth-century buildings must be portable; that is buildings made in other countries and shipped to Australia for assembly here.

At last count, there are 104 such buildings still standing in Australia, more than anywhere else in the world. The majority of these buildings – 64 of them – are in Victoria, in part because the Gold Rush created immense demand for buildings. World heritage listing would not only protect this precious heritage but would also be a boon for tourism.

The Hon Barry Jones AC launched the campaign in April 2021. If you’re curious, read“‘Extraordinary’: Push for 19th century prefabricated buildings to be added to World Heritage List” (The Age, 15 April 2021). More information is on the web site of the Portable Buildings World Heritage Nomination Task Force (portablebuildingsaustralia.org). (click on either heading above to read more)

We’re asking local historical societies to help us gather vital information about buildings in their areas to be included in our submission to UNESCO. To begin the work, we invite you and all interested parties to a meeting Wednesday 24 August, from 11am to 2pm, at the RHSV Drill Hall, 239 A’Beckett St, Melbourne 3000 (also via Zoom). The meeting will include an illustrated talk on portable buildings by Professor Miles Lewis, a general discussion and a light lunch. You will find the draft programme below.

At the meeting, we will explain how to fill in a questionnaire about portable buildings in your area.

Draft Programme

Building our Case for World Heritage Nomination of Portable Buildings

Drill Hall, 239 A’Beckett Street, Melbourne

Wednesday, 24 August 2022

11am                       Registration and tea/coffee

11:10am                 Welcome on behalf of the RHSV (Charles Sowerwine, Chair, Heritage Committee)

11:15am                  Welcome on behalf of the Taskforce (Tony Isaacson, President)

11:20-12noon        Illustrated talk on Portable Buildings in Victoria by Professor Miles Lewis

12-12:30pm          Q & A with Taskforce members. This will be your opportunity to ask questions about

any aspect of the involvement of historical societies in collecting info & photographs

12:30-1:15pm        Light Lunch and informal discussion

This briefing session, talk & lunch is an invitation-only event. Invitations have been sent to all historical societies which have portable buildings in their area. This event is only open to people representing one of the historical societies that have been invited to attend. Please do not RSVP unless you have been invited.