GML Celebrates 30 Years

In a backyard shed in suburban Sydney, our business began in 1989 when Don Godden and Richard Mackay created one of the first specialist heritage consulting firms in Australia.

At a time when Sydney’s urban and waterside industrial sites were rapidly transforming and projects were agreed on a handshake, Godden Mackay’s expertise in industrial heritage, public archaeology and project management heralded a new era of heritage planning, management and conservation.

By 1995 David Logan had joined the company and we were trading as Godden Mackay Logan.  Our services expanded to include architecture and urban planning, balancing new development with conservation of the historic built environment.

In 2005 we opened an office in Canberra and have worked across Australia and its territories on heritage management, policy and planning for the federal government and its departments and agencies. Today our experience in delivering advice across the nation’s heritage places under federal environmental legislation is unrivalled.

We became GML Heritage in 2013, marking a significant transition to a majority employee owned company.

In 2017 we acquired Context, a long-term collaborative partner based in Melbourne. With Context we share a passion for intellectual rigour, getting to the heart of the values and meanings of heritage places, and finding clever solutions that balance conservation with communities’ needs.

Together, GML and Context are proud to celebrate 60 years of combined experience in heritage advice and services, connecting people, places and heritage.

From our humble beginnings, GML has grown consistently on the strength of its great clients and talented team of people.

At GML we see Australia’s heritage as integral to the everyday experience and the character and identity of our cities and towns. Given the pace of change and development today, conserving historic places and liveability for our communities is as vital as ever.

Our vision is to shape new futures for heritage places to enrich our environment and contribute to life in our communities. Building on our legacy of deep industry experience and practice, we will continue to challenge conventions and think beyond the limits. We remain true to our founding purpose by continuing to set new industry standards and by delivering intelligent solutions for heritage places.

We’re excited to continue this journey with you.