Safeguarding Australian heritage trade skills

Abstract

Heritage trades in the Australian context are identified inthis paper as significant aspects of the nation’s indigenousand non-indigenous intangible heritage which underpinthe Australian ethos. It is argued that there is a pressingneed to safeguard these trades and crafts within theirunique cultural context by releasing them from the timewarp of tradition and convention associated with pre- andearly Western industrialisation. One example of this is theNational Carriage Factory project being developed at theCobb+Co Museum in Toowoomba, Australia. Based on anetwork of strong partnerships, this demonstrationproject for safeguarding heritage trades and crafts willensure their future relevance to the nation through formaland informal training programmes for the youngergeneration within a framework of community practicesand with support for creativity and innovation. This projectoffers to create economic, social and cultural wellbeingfor both the artisans involved and the community ingeneral.