The multilayered history of Walcha will be documented and communicated thanks to a grant through the NSW Government’s Heritage Near Me incentive program.
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Last year Walcha Council tourism manager Susie Crawford and officer Lisa Kirton attended a tourism conference with Walcha councillor Jen Kealey in Taree. There they connected with people from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and saw firsthand what kind of things can be produced to tell a town’s story.
Last month, Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson announced Walcha Council’s grant application had been successful, and it would receive $100,000 to help develop the Walcha Strategic Heritage Plan. From this, a set of heritage resources will be developed including a film about the heritage of Walcha.
Mr Anderson said he was passionate about community development and is pleased this project seeks to develop a strategic action plan to guide and support all stakeholders.
“This plan is about identifying, caring for and investing in the diverse heritage of the Walcha local area,” he said.
“This will help to underpin the community over the next decade and will identify a range of actions and projects that will be implemented to strengthen the visitor economy around heritage tourism.”
Mr Anderson said Walcha and the surrounding districts had much to offer visitors and the funding would help the community from the ground up.
“It will enhance wellbeing through improving relationships between various stakeholders, outline partnerships for implementation and set specific performance measures to achieve heritage projects,” he said.
“The strategy will be formulated as a collaboration between Walcha Council, the Amaroo Local Aboriginal Land Council, the Dunghutti Elders, the Walcha & District Historical Society Inc. and the wider community.
“The Walcha district has a diverse heritage and this funding will acknowledge and protect the area’s local heritage ensuring the natural, cultural and built heritage of the district is valued, celebrated and loved.”
This will help to underpin the community over the next decade
- Kevin Anderson