NATIONAL HERITAGE By Leo Brodsky-Grey, 8A

What Is National Heritage? National heritage is natural or cultural or historic sites that are special or unique to a specific nation. Deciding something has heritage value means governments and people choosing which of their historic buildings, monuments and natural environment features they most want to conserve for current and future generations.

Australia In Australia, the natural environment was largely untouched and unspoiled for thousands of years. Indigenous people only did controlled fires to prevent wide areas of bush being destroyed by bigger fires in the summer.

The Dreamtime Australia’s many indigenous tribes also preserved their heritage by painting, singing and telling stories about their Dreamtime. That way, they preserved old myths and legends about ancestors and spirits. Like all ancient peoples, they had their own theories about what created the sun, the moon, animals, rain and natural phenomena. Paintings were a way to connect with the land.

White colonists When white colonists from England arrived in 1788, Australian natural and cultural heritage was nearly ruined during the next hundred years by the settlers destroying forests and wildlife to make space for farms, and bringing in animals that helped kill Australia’s native fauna and plants.

Destroying heritage Many indigenous people were killed or dragged to camps to be assimilated with the settlers. This destroyed many of their languages and some of their traditions.

Creating heritage Gradually people and governments began to realise that Australia was somewhere to value, not destroy. Gradually people and governments began to realise that Australia was somewhere to value, not destroy. People wrote books, painted artworks and made music and the many towns and cities that sprang up themselves developed heritage value. People wrote books, painted artworks and made music and the many towns and cities that sprang up themselves developed heritage value. There are many stories associated with Sydney alone. The Dictionary of Sydney has begun to list them all. There are many stories associated with Sydney alone. The Dictionary of Sydney has begun to list them all.

Photography and Greenies People taking photos can also show something of the past that is now gone. People taking photos can also show something of the past that is now gone. We can see what used to be in a place, and to know about who lived there, what they did, and even what was there before them. We can see what used to be in a place, and to know about who lived there, what they did, and even what was there before them. In the 1970s, there was the Green Bans movement which tried to protect Sydney’s Rocks area from being demolished. In the 1970s, there was the Green Bans movement which tried to protect Sydney’s Rocks area from being demolished.