Historical Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) for the proposed Hunter Transmission Line
Client: Energy Co.
Location: Hunter
Date: 2024-2025
Service Provided
- Historical Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) for the proposed Hunter Transmission Line
Background
The Biosis historical heritage team were hired to deliver the Historical Heritage Impact Statement for the proposed Hunter Transmission Line.
The proposed Hunter Transmission Line, inland of Newcastle NSW, cuts across regional areas that were once the heart of colonial Australian farmland. It traverses the alignment of the convict-built Great North Road and overshadows relics of old European estates and post-colonial agricultural communities, as well as swathes of mountainous bushland forest.
Heritage NSW required the assessment to include potential areas of significance from more than 100km of terrain in addition to existing known places of heritage significance. Biosis undertook further work to meet these requirements.
This significant research task identified 240 historical features scattered across the large project area, all needing further investigation. To accomplish this efficiently, without compromising historical integrity, a set of criteria was developed to prioritise places of historical activity through analysis and refinement, categorising the features into high, moderate or low potential heritage significance.
The Biosis heritage team looked at scores of sources, from aerial photographs, historical plans and newspaper clippings to consultant heritage reports and local history studies. They researched old farmhouses and homesteads along the Hunter River, the Oakley Estate, the sawmills in the Watagan State Forest, and the remains of Vere, one of countless colonial outposts long abandoned.
Senior Heritage Advisor, Charlotte Allen, and her team, undertook site visits to determine any archaeological potential at identified sites.
Outcome
All prioritised features were subject to standard archaeological assessment, built fabric assessment and significance assessments against the NSW heritage criteria.
The Biosis historical heritage consultants determined 19 archaeological features of local or possibly local heritage significance, and 12 built features of local or possibly local heritage significance. This extensive addendum report was submitted on time, with no further requests for information from Heritage NSW. Read the full report.