Simon Molesworth was invited, in his capacity as Chairman of INTO, to the Australia ICOMOS Annual International Conference in Broken Hill. Over the course of the Conference he opened an associated Art Exhibition, launched a new Heritage book, was the keynote plenary speaker on Sunday morning and chaired a session on Sunday afternoon. In addition, with his wife Lindy, Simon hosted a heritage study tour of his Outback property, Clevedale Station – which is kept as a heritage time capsule. Over 100 Icomites visited the property while over 200 attended the Conference itself.

Whilst visiting Jakarta last year to speak to the Indonesian Heritage Trust’s Annual Conference and dinner, Simon had invited his Indonesian hosts to come to Australia and attend this ICOMOS Conference. The Australian Council of National Trusts and the Queensland National Trust kindly covered the costs of the Indonesian delegation and so after first visiting Brisbane and then Adelaide, the Indonesian delegation of 4 arrived in Broken Hill.

The Indonesian delegation were given a tour of Simon’s Rupee Station and then officially received at the Broken Hill Council Chambers, where the Mayor and Councillors of the City received them. Simon has also arranged media opportunities with the local TV and newspaper. That evening they attended the Opening reception at the Regional Art Gallery where they were formally acknowledged and welcomed in the Mayor’s speech, the ICOMOS President’s speech and Simon’s speech.

On Friday morning Catrini presented her paper, which attracted much interest and she gave due credit to the Queensland National Trust, the ACNT and INTO – the logos of all of which were very apparent on her slides.

Among some of the other international delegates at the ICOMOS Conference were Sir Neil Cossons, former Chair of English Heritage, and Gerry Takarno, a Hawaiian American who lives in San Francisco and worked with David Brown for many years in NTHP, each of whom made excellent presentations.

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