MUNDARING residents are being invited to comment on the shire’s revised draft heritage list with the aim of considering elevating places into the heritage list to safeguard and celebrate the area’s historical assets.

The draft heritage list uses two significance categories to differentiate its items with category one indicating exceptional significance and category two indicating considerable significance.

Heritage entries in category one is considered essential to the heritage of Mundaring while category two means it’s very important to heritage and has a high degree of authenticity.

An example of a category one entry is Chidlow’s Lake Leschenaultia which has a statement of significance that outlines its great social and historic significance as a recreational location and origins with railway heritage.

Category two entries include sites such as Greenmount’s Bilgoman well and convict ruins which is one of the few physical reminders of the convict era.

In 2024, Mundaring and Hills Historical Society (MHHS) member Jenny Johnson, who is now the society’s president, said having a designated heritage officer within the shire would prevent any queries or issues surrounding heritage in Mundaring shire from slipping through the cracks.

In Mundaring heritage strategy presses ahead (Echo News, July 19, 2024) it was reported Ms Johnson felt it wasn’t cost efficient for the shire to outsource heritage consultation when there were experts that lived in the area already.

Ms Johnson said she still maintained that view a year later, and the MHHS has submitted to council their suggestion, but it remained yet to be implemented.

“Council has stated they are not going to employ a heritage officer in the coming months,” she said.

“There have been consultations made and outsourced and they’re not cheap.

“We have people with PhDs in this subject and our council is wasting money when some of our members can provide the same service free of charge.

“We offer our services but there’s a bit of a gap there which we are trying to bridge.

“The whole MHHS committee are of that view.”

Ms Johnson said she was however glad that the heritage list was progressing, and the community was now given the opportunity to comment.

“MHHS has reviewed the document and are pleased that it has been presented for comment by the public,” she said.
“There are inaccuracies in the list which MHHS will note in a submission to council.”

Public submissions close 4pm Friday, April 11 and can be made on Engage Mundaring portal.