Cumberland Councillor Ola Hamed said going on a heritage tour with her own children was the inspiration behind her call for the council to run a history-based activity.
“Heritage sites are our connection to the past and our social cohesion is thanks to the struggles of our ancestors,” she said.
“Conserving our heritage is imperative because it provides a sense of identity and continuity in a fast changing world.”
Delivered by Library Services as a school holiday activity, the council will utilise the knowledge and skills of local history officers as well as consulting with local history groups such as the Granville Historical Society, Auburn Gallipoli Mosque, Cumberland RSL Sub-Branch and Friends of Linnwood.
Aimed at children aged five to 12, the tour will include interactive activities based around the concept of a ‘Cumberland Historical Passport’.
Initial plans are for stops at the Granville Train Disaster Memorial, the Auburn War Memorial, the Japanese Gardens at the Auburn Botanic Gardens, Linnwood House in Guildford, and the Holroyd Gardens including the brickworks and the Granville Town Hall.
While the proposed heritage tour does not incorporate Aboriginal cultural heritage, a report on the proposed program noted that the council is developing an Aboriginal Education Program in consultation with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Consultative Committee as part of the rollout of the Reconciliation Action Plan.
History tour for children
Built by George McCredie in 1891, Linnwood House at Guildford is one of the stops for a new school holiday heritage tour to be piloted in October.
KICKING off in Granville with stops in Auburn, Lidcombe, Guildford, Greystanes and Merrylands, a free heritage bus tour for children is set to be piloted during the October school holidays.
