Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area, World Heritage Site

This cultural landscape, with its historic colonial-era buildings, archaeological ruins and museums, draws many visitors. GML Heritage provided risk assessment, preparedness and mitigation advice for the site and its rich heritage.

The Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities engaged GML to identify hazards that may affect KAVHA and the safety of staff, local residents and visitors there.

GML and its multidisciplinary team—comprising cultural landscape, architectural and engineering experts—undertook a detailed hazard scoping study. Using historical data and an extensive site survey, we identified potential natural and human hazards, both fast and slow onset, that pose a threat to the property, its heritage values, significant features, occupants and visitors.

Risks associated with climate change and extreme weather events (severe storms and ex-tropical cyclones) resulting in flash floods and storm surge, as well as earthquakes, building fires, water quality and vehicles, were considered alongside provision of safe access to the buildings and site. The study considered the exposure and vulnerability of KAVHA’s heritage to the various hazards, as well as risks to people.

GML and its team, provided strategic heritage advice in prioritising, managing and mitigating risks to, and within, the World Heritage property.

GML’s projects in Kingston, Norfolk Island—the Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area (KAVHA)—builds on the extensive work and consultation undertaken for the heritage management plan (HMP) in 2015 by Sharon Veale, Richard Mackay (founding partner of GML) and Chris Johnston (founding partner of Context).