There has been a boom in interest in goldfields heritage in recent decades. Increasingly the central Victorian region defines itself through its mining history and intangible heritage as well as its built goldfields heritage. This roundtable explores the ongoing and changing dynamic between people, place and practice using the central Victorian Goldfields region as a template.
The roundtable session draws on field based practitioner experiences of community engagement; academic based research as well as recent planning experiences. It will also discuss broader issues regarding discussions about a regional goldfields identity and how long after the rushes of the 1850s the region still defines itself as a mining community. We explore how historically informed ideas of community in the present day resonate in current attitudes towards heritage and heritage conservation. This roundtable will also evaluate how ideas and understanding of place – particularly goldfields cultural landscapes and distinctive historical urban landscapes of iconic towns and cities throughout the region – are central to the cultural heritage of the region.