The National Trust of Australia, officially the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT), is the Australian national
peak body for community-based, non-government
non-profit organisation
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
s committed to promoting and conserving Australia's
Indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention
*Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band
*Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
, natural and historic heritage. The umbrella body was incorporated in 1965, with member organisations in every
state and territory of Australia.
History
Modelled on the
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty and inspired by local campaigns to conserve native bushland and preserve old buildings, the first Australian National Trusts were formed in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
in 1945,
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
in 1955 and
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
in 1956; followed later in Western Australia,
Tasmania
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, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
and
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
.
The two Territory Trusts were the last to be founded, in 1976 (see below).
The driving force behind the establishment of the National Trust in Australia was
Annie Forsyth Wyatt
Annie Forsyth Wyatt (3 January 1885 – 27 May 1961) was an Australian community worker, conservationist and Red Cross worker. She is celebrated as the driving force behind the establishment of the National Trust movement in Australia, establi ...
(1885–1961). She lived for much of her life in a cottage in
Gordon, New South Wales
Gordon is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia north-west of the Sydney Central Business District and is the administrative centre for the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council. East Go ...
, which is still standing. She was living in the Sydney suburb of
St Ives when she died.
The organisation was incorporated in 1965. The umbrella body federates the eight autonomous National Trusts in each Australian
state and internal self-governing territory, providing them with a national
secretariat
Secretariat may refer to:
* Secretariat (administrative office)
* Secretariat (horse)
Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ame ...
and a national and international presence.
Description
the Australian national
peak body for community-based, non-government
non-profit organisation
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
s committed to promoting and conserving Australia's
Indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention
*Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band
*Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
, natural and historic heritage.
Collectively, the constituent National Trusts own or manage over 300 heritage places (the majority held in perpetuity), and manage a volunteer workforce of 7,000 while also employing about 350 people nationwide, . Around visitors experience the properties and their collections in Australia each year.
Constituent organisations
, the National Trust's constituent organisations were:
NSW
In 1975, the National Trust moved into the former
Fort Street High School building on
Observatory Hill, after the girls' school moved to
Petersham to be reunited with the boys' school, which had moved in 1916. The distinctive building, which retains its appearance from the time of its conversion to a school in 1849, is visible from the approaches to the
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, spanning Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour from the Sydney central business district, central business district (CBD) to the North Shore (Sydney), North Shore. The view of the bridg ...
.
See also
*
List of National Trust properties in Australia
This list includes any stately home, historic house, museum or other property in the care of the autonomous state and territory branches of the National Trust of Australia. Many, but not all, of these are open to the public.
Australian Capital T ...
*List of
Australian Living Treasures
National Living Treasure is a status created and occasionally updated by the National Trust of Australia's New South Wales branch, awarded to up to 100 living people. Recipients were selected by popular vote for having made outstanding contribu ...
*
SAHANZ, the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand
*
Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales
Sydney Living Museums is the trading name of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales (HHT), a statutory corporation entrusted with the care and maintenance of historic sites throughout New South Wales, Australia, including various gardens, p ...
References
Further reading
*, recollections of the Victorian Trust pioneers
*
*
*, covers the founding years of the NSW National Trust
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Trusts, Australian Council of
Historical societies of Australia
1965 establishments in Australia
Organizations established in 1965
Organisations based in Canberra