12/07/2005 - The iconic
Sydney Opera House, the building that more
than any other signifies Australia to the
world, has been officially recognised for
its outstanding heritage value and included
on the National Heritage List.
Making the announcement today, the Minister
for the Environment and Heritage, Senator
Ian Campbell, said the Opera House was a vital
part of Australia’s cultural heritage and
most worthy of the protection provided by
the listing.
Since its emergence on the Australian stage
in 1957 when Danish architect Jørn
Utzon’s outstanding design won an international
competition, the Opera House has become a
symbol of Australia.
After a troubled 16-year construction, the
building was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth
II in 1973. Over the years it has hosted a
diverse range of acts and international stars
including Ella Fitzgerald, Yehudi Menuhin,
Miriam Makeba, KD Lang, Billy Connolly, Dame
Kiri Te Kanawa, John Williams, Bryn Terfel,
Mel Gibson, Dame Joan Sutherland, Philip Glass
and Luciano Pavarotti.
“The Opera House is an extraordinary presence
in the hub of Sydney Harbour, with its sculptural
beauty and architectural mastery,” Senator
Campbell said.
“Its construction marked the end of Australia’s
cultural cringe and put us on the world stage,
revealing a confidence in the international
standing of our own heritage and culture.
It is timely that more than 30 years on we
acknowledge the importance of the Sydney Opera
House as part of our national heritage.”
Senator Campbell said the Australian Government
would work with the NSW Government towards
listing the Opera House on the World Heritage
List in recognition of its status as one of
the world’s most important buildings.
The World Heritage List nomination will be
forwarded to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre
in Paris by February 1, 2006 for assessment
by international heritage experts over the
following 16 months. It will then be considered
by the World Heritage Committee at its annual
meeting in mid- 2007.
The Australian Heritage Council, the Australian
Government’s expert advisory body on heritage,
has assessed the Sydney Opera House as having
outstanding heritage value to the nation for
six of the nine National Heritage criteria
listed in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
(EPBC) Act 1999.
More than 80 places have been nominated to
the new National Heritage List, including
many natural, Indigenous and historic places.
The Sydney Opera House joins 12 places that
have been listed so far.
