The future of heritage: looking back to move forward

In the wake of rapid development across Queensland in preparation for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, there has never been a better moment to reflect on where we started, how far we have come, and what the future of heritage might look like.

This insightful panel brings together founding members of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and authors of the Burra Charter to trace the origins of heritage protection in Australia, explore the evolution and ongoing impact of the Charter, and consider future directions for the field. Hannah Lewi, co-author of the recently released book Adapt, will discuss the adaptive reuse of historic buildings in Australia, before the panel turns its attention to one of Brisbane's most cherished public buildings: State Library of Queensland.

About Our Speakers:

Jane Lennon AM is a Brisbane based heritage consultant, who trained as an historical geographer and has a PhD on cultural landscape conservation; she is a founding member of Australia ICOMOS [1976], has held academic positions and published extensively. She has long experience in national park, museum and historic site management, and State, national and international heritage boards. She was chair of Australia ICOMOS (1987-1990), an Australian Heritage Commissioner [1998-2001), Australian Heritage Council member [2001-2009] and Queensland Heritage Council member (2007-2010). Since 2010 she has been on the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on cultural landscapes and for 24 years has assisted the Barkindji Maura at Taru (Lake Victoria) managing their cultural landscape. Her interests centre around historic landscapes.

Peter Marquis-Kyle is an architect with more than forty years’ experience of specialist heritage practice. He has undertaken many conservation studies and projects, and was co-author of the award-winning book The Illustrated Burra Charter: good practice for heritage places, a guide to practice that is widely used in Australia and elsewhere. Peter has a broad range of skills in conservation, with particular interests in cultural significance, conservation policy, the care of timber structures and the maintenance of historic lighthouses. Peter is a former member of the Queensland Heritage Council and of the Brisbane City Heritage Advisory Committee. He is a full professional member of the Australian national committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

Prof Hannah Lewi is a co-director of the Australian Centre for Architecture History and Urban and Cultural Heritage (ACAHUCH) at the University of Melbourne. Her research spans architecture history, the representation of architecture and urban planning in new media genre; and broad-ranging inquiries into heritage conservation. She has been the past president of SAHANZ (the Society of Architecture Historians of Aus and NZ), past chair of Docomomo Australia. She has authored and edited books including the award-winning Australia Modern: architecture, landscape, design; Community: Building Modern Australia (with P Goad, Thames & Hudson); The Routledge International Handbook on New Digital Practices in the GLAM sector; contributed chapters to the book CAMPUS about the history and design of Australian university campuses post-1945; and most recently published ADAPT: Designing New Lives for Old Buildings (with C Logan, URO Books).

Damian Eckersley is Senior Practice Director at BVN and a nationally recognised architect with extensive experience delivering complex civic, cultural and educational projects. Throughout his career he has worked on projects that navigate the intersection of heritage conservation, adaptive reuse and contemporary design, helping to shape how significant public buildings evolve to meet changing community needs. His work reflects a strong commitment to preserving cultural value while ensuring buildings remain functional, accessible and relevant for future generations. As a practising architect working directly with heritage places and adaptive reuse projects, Eckersley brings a contemporary industry perspective to discussions about how heritage protection can respond to future challenges and opportunities.

Presented by State Library of Queensland with Brisbane Open House.

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