The annual Australian Heritage Festival has kicked off once again!
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) is bringing communities together to celebrate and explore Victoria’s history as part of the Australian Heritage Festival.
This year’s theme ‘Curiosity’ invites Victorians to rediscover and celebrate the places and traditions they have been disconnected from due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Curiosity events across Victoria acknowledge the contributions of many to the rich cultural history of Australia.
Here are some events the Wrights team are excited for…
Murtoa Stick Shed Open Day
Rich in history, Murtoa Stick Shed is an architectural wonder that will be open for exploration on Saturday 24 April from 10am to 4pm.
Sitting at 101st place on the National Heritage List, the Shed’s open day recognises its historical significance through its association with Australia’s wheat industry and the impact of World War Two on the home front.
Situated in Regional Western Victoria at the base of the Yarriambiack Silo Art Trail, the Stick Shed is a unique building waiting to be explored.
Event and ticket information: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/ahf_event/murtoa-stick-shed-open-day/
Pentridge Prison D Division Ghost Tour
Stay brave as you journey through Pentridge Prison, a complex that once housed the who’s who of Australia’s criminal underworld.
The guided ghost tours will have you walking in the footsteps of Chopper Read and Ronald Ryan as you visit the recent history of the prison that closed less than 30 years ago.
Pentridge Prison was home to some of Australia’s hardest and longest serving prisoners, and with 44 bodies previously buried on-site, it is no wonder the building appears haunted by its past.
Event and ticket information: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/ahf_event/pentridge-prison-d-division-ghost-tour-victoria/
Curiouser and Curiouser: Exploring Rippon Lea’s Garden
Explore the sweeping lawns, the beautiful lake, an abundance of beautiful trees, look-out tower and the magnificent fernery at famous Rippon Lea Estate.
Take a self-guided journey with the help of a map and activity sheet as you make your way through the glorious gardens.
With 14 acres to explore, this self-guided journey of discovery is suitable for all ages.
Event information: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/ahf_event/curiouser-and-curiouser-exploring-rippon-leas-garden/
Labassa Women
Join the National Trust in celebrating the women who lived at Labassa over two centuries. Discover the lives of glamorous socialites, intrepid trailblazers and those rendered invisible through domesticity and divorce.
Explore the extraordinary, ordinary and sometimes invisible lives the Labassa women lived through imagery, costume and objects.
Labassa itself is an outstanding Victorian-era mansion with opulent architectural features that reflect late 1880s grandeur and Victorian taste and elegance.
Event and ticket information: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/ahf_event/labassa-women/
Open Heritage – Ramsay House
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) is opening the rarely seen 1930s property, Roy Grounds’ waterfront holiday house.
Set amidst a faithfully reconstructed landscape of native coastal vegetation, the open house will allow guests to see the modest beach cottage built into the cliff at the far corner of the property.
Not open for long, the beautiful Ramsay House in Mount Eliza is a must see before it closes once again.
Event and ticket information: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/ahf_event/open-heritage-ramsay-house/
With even more events spread out across Victoria, be sure to check out the Australian Heritage Festival website for more information: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/explore/?keyword=&ahfdate-search=&ahf-region=vic®ion-lat=-35.5502959®ion-lng=138.620909&content=ahf_event
