Within the field of Cultural Heritage there are many fields of specialisation. Ainsworth Heritage has in house and associated specialists that have a wide and recognised experience in the following specialist fields. Please click on the specialist area below to see a detailed description.
- Aboriginal Heritage
- Defence Heritage
- Industrial Heritage
- Heritage Owners
- Non-Profit Organisations and Grants
Aboriginal Heritage
Our staff and associates have experience in a wide range of projects involving Aboriginal Heritage. Projects range from due diligence studies and reporting, through Aboriginal group consultation, surveys, excavations to large scale Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plans.
Ainsworth Heritage believes that Aboriginal groups should be the custodians of their own heritage and be the leading voice in how that heritage is managed and maintained. As such, we follow the Ask First principle in all work undertaken with Aboriginal groups.
This process involves the understanding, that all Aboriginal sites are part of a larger network of Aboriginal sites and landscapes. These large complexes of sites are rarely acknowledged when studies are undertaken, with only the sites on a particular piece of land being analysed. This would be like assessing Sydney based on the layout of a single suburb.
We seek to address this lack of context that has existed for many years through the methods and practices we use to identify Aboriginal sites and site networks and in the practices we have adopted to assist in the recognition of all Aboriginal heritage in Australia.
With the recent changes to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act, due diligence reporting for Aboriginal Heritage for most developments, will become an imprtant part of the planning and development process. Ainsworth Heritage has developed a straight forwards and practical approach for these studies, which take into acount the timeframe of development as well as the significance of any potential Aboriginal Heritage.
Defence Heritage
Our consultants are all specialists in Military/Defence Heritage and possess extensive experience in delivering research, assessments, comparative analysis, management plans, conservation advice and strategic heritage advice for Colonial through to Cold War military sites.
We have an extensive military library which includes books, articles, maps and plans, extensive archival records and consultants’ reports regarding defence and military sites in Australia. Our staff are recognised in this speciality and have published and lectured on the topic, as well as being recognised as Expert Members on International committees for military heritage.
Ainsworth Heritage has extensive experience in understanding the historic context of military sites, current strategic constraints on operational defence sites and management issues often encountered when working with active or former military sites.
Industrial Heritage
Ainsworth Heritage offers specialist skills and experience in the assessment, management and reuse of former or current industrial sites, including industrial machinery and equipment. We have experience undertaking industrial heritage surveys, industrial heritage registers, industrial heritage assessments, industrial heritage curatorial plans, industrial heritage management plans, reuse options, and strategic advice.
Goulburn Waterworks, NSW
Industrial sites are unique and need to be assessed and managed with an understanding of the process which occurred at the site and the relationship between the machinery pieces, the buildings within a site and the elements within the landscape. We have experience with mining sites (extraction sites and processing sites), utilities (water, gas and power supply sites), agricultural sites and transport (roads, bridges, railways, tramways).
Heritage Owners
Heritage owners are more often than not dedicated to ensuring that their property is well maintained and that the heritage aspects of their home are maintained and enhanced. Unfortunately, many heritage homeowners are unaware of the best methods to use when undertaking works and also do not realise the wealth of free heritage advice that is available along with grants for assistance. Ainsworth Heritage takes great pride in the service we are able to provide to small heritage owners and have greatly reduce our fees for such projects to ensure the owner can maximise their often limited budget.
Non-Profit Organisations and Grants
Ainsworth Heritage has undertaken several projects for non-profit organisations and for groups and councils who have received grants funding. As limited grant monies are intended for the restoration of heritage iema and sites, Ainsworth Heritage undertakes work on grant funded projects at a heavily reduced rate to ensure that the maximum amount of grants funds are available for the heritage works proper. We believe it is ethically reprehensible to charge high fees for community works that are funded by often limited grants monies.
Additionally, work undertaken for non-profit organisations is also charged at greatly reduced rates, as these organisations often have severely constrained budgets and are often forced to go to great lengths to protect the heritage that is under their care.
