The contagious magic of James Cook in Captain-Cook's cottage

It is widely known that the so-called Cooks' Cottage in Fitzroy Gardens, relocated from Yorkshire to Melbourne in 1934, was never inhabited by Captain James Cook. Yet a subliminal nationalism, sustained by the ancient traditions of contagious magic, feeds the conviction that the dwelling must be directly connected to Australia's foundation hero — a relic that the great man touched — or else it is meaningless. This paper tracks a sequence of managerial–interpretive strategies derived from a chronology of knowledge systems to make meanings at the cottage. It introduces evidence of the original shape of the building in its Great Ayton location, and observes the consequences on management and interpretation of an older demolition and consequent rebuilding of only half the cottage in Melbourne. Much turns on changing ideas about authenticity, as management strategies fail to engage the popular taste for a hero via the magic of faith. The result is a set of opposing principles in presenting the cottage: the role of the historical record as it has enlarged, and the desires of visitors who expect a simple connection between myth and materiality.

Making sense of heritage mining landscape conservation in Malaysia: potential and challenges

Landscape is interpreted as the creation of a cultural expression through human ideology and representing a living heritage. Since landscapes are continually evolving, it arouses challenges for sustainability in preserving significant cultural landscape which rested in evolving and transitional world. Kinta Valley former mining landscape can be described as ‘relic landscape’ and this landscape type is one of the sub category under organically evolved cultural landscape (or vernacular landscape) as incorporated in UNESCO Operational Guidelines [18:8]. The main contribution of this paper lies within the gap of knowledge and practise of cultural landscape conservation in Malaysia emphasizing on the cultural values embedded within the heritage mining landscape of Kinta Valley of Perak State, Malaysia. Concerning to the significance heritage values that lies within the Kinta Valley former mining landscape through the lens of cultural landscape theory and practice, this paper highlights on the potential and challenges faced by the Perak state government in establishing mining cultural landscape conservation which can be incorporated within the state and districts planning gazetted documents. Palang & Fry [15] remark that the interface between culture and landscape is very important to understand as it will lead to interpretations of future and current issues of past landscape developments and interventions. United Nations [17] emphasize that sustainable cultural landscape composing of ‘socially, economically and environmentally durable’ and therefore preserving the heritage mining landscape will unravel and unveil the valley sustainability. In addition, qualifying the cultural landscape significance crafted by past tin mining activities in Kinta Valley has resulted in the establishment of heritage values of state and national significance. Therefore potential and challenges of preserving this heritage landscape will be disclose and thereupon embellish the Malaysian culture heritage in general especially in enduring Perak State culture heritage and sustainability.