About us

The National Trust of Western Australia works to raise knowledge, awareness, understanding and commitment to Western Australia’s natural, Aboriginal and historic heritage. The Trust achieves this objective through the conservation and interpretation of heritage places it manages on behalf of the community and government of Western Australia, and through its education and learning programs.

The National Trust of Western Australia was established in Western Australia in 1959 by a group of concerned citizens who identified the need to promote heritage conservation. This group grew rapidly and included some of the most prominent citizens in the State. Some five years later an Act of Parliament was passed in the State Parliament which formally established the Trust as an independent community based organisation.

The National Trust is a registered charity.

The National Trust of Australia (W.A.) Act 1964-1970 can be found on the Australasian Legal Institute (Austlii) Database.
Our Act [external link]

 

Vision

A Western Australian community valuing and conserving its natural, Aboriginal and historic heritage for the wellbeing of current and future generations

Mission

The National Trust of Western Australia will engage and inspire community support for the conservation of our natural, Aboriginal and historic heritage for the present and the future

Services
The National Trust of Western Australia is a statutory body that delivers heritage services through whole of government appropriations. The organisation delivers services in the areas of property and collection management, natural heritage management and education and learning programs.

 

Aboriginal Acknowledgement

The National Trust of Western Australia acknowledges its properties are situated on Aboriginal land across the state.

The National Trust recognises Aboriginal people remain the cultural and spiritual custodians of their land and continue to practise their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge.

The National Trust is committed to working with Aboriginal people to ensure these practices are recognised and included in the conservation and interpretation of its properties and Aboriginal people are consulted and involved in the development of Trust projects and programs.

Patron of the National Trust of Western Australia

The Patron of the National Trust of Western Australia is Her Excellency the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC Governor of Western Australia

government house website

Council of the National Trust of Western Australia

The Council consists of 25 members, of which 16 members are elected from amongst members of the National Trust and the remaining nine members are appointed by nominating organisations. Terms conclude following the Annual General Meeting in the year of expiry.

Meet our Council

Senior Staff

Julian Donaldson
Chief Executive Officer
Mr Donaldson brings to the National Trust significant leadership experience gained in a career spanning the commercial and arts sectors. He is committed to involving the community in the National Trust’s mission to conserve and interpret [our] Western Australia’s cultural heritage and will emphasise the role of storytelling in deepening the connection people have with heritage. He is focused on ensuring that all West Australians have the opportunity to engage in the National Trust’s role in building a valued sense of our place in the fast changing world through reflection on our rich and diverse cultural heritage. Mr Donaldson led the Perth International Arts Festival over a decade before joining the National Trust of Western Australia in 2016.

 

Enzo Sirna AM
Deputy Chief Executive Officer

With over 20 years experience in education, Mr Sirna was previously a Senior Policy Advisor for the Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests and a former Head of Languages and Director of Studies at Penrhos College. He has over 25 years experience governing community and not-for-profit organisations. He was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the community through education, multicultural affairs, welfare and the arts.

 

Shaun McLeod
Chief Financial Officer

Mr McLeod joined the National Trust of Western Australia in July 2017.  He has significant financial and management accounting experience within the public sector, holding previous roles in the Office of the Auditor General, Chief Finance Officer of the former Department of Lands and roles of Senior Analyst and Chief Finance Officer in the Department of Treasury.

 

Anne Brake
Senior Manager, Marketing and Community Services

Anne Brake has been working in the museum and heritage industry for 30 years. Anne believes people will embrace heritage places if they continue to play a part in contemporary society through their adaptive and innovative continued use. She has a strong commitment to engaging community through the Trust’s properties and programs in an endeavour to build an understanding of the similarities between diverse groups and to respect their differences. The National Trust has an important part to play in nurturing and supporting community well being through a heightened sense of place.

 

Committees of Council

The purpose of the Finance and Audit Committee is to assist Council in fulfilling its statutory and good governance responsibilities relating to financial planning, reporting and control, risk management, accountable performance, and audit.

The role of the Classification Standing Committee is to identify and assess places and objects of cultural heritage significance and recommend to Council the classification and conservation of those places and objects considered to have heritage significance.

The purpose of the Committee is to support the National Trust of Western Australia in the identification, recording, classification and preservation of Western Australia’s Defence Heritage. The definition of defence heritage is as encompassing as the interests of the committee members. It is not limited to army, navy or air force artefacts, equipment, oral history or military heritage sites. It is also concerned with the history of civil and military aviation, war graves, war memorials, internment and POW camps, women’s services, restoration, conservation and the impact of war and conflict on the security and defence of Western Australian communities since 1826.

Honours

The National Trust depends on the commitment and support of the community and many individuals.

In recognition of the hard work and dedication to conservation and interpretation of Western Australia’s unique heritage, the National Trust awards individual effort.

In 2012 the National Trust introduced Fellow of the National Trust as the highest honour bestowed to an individual.

 

Honours List

Ronald Bodycoat
Eileen W Brown
Dr Fiona L Bush
Hon. John Cowdell AM
Heather J Dayman
Pamella F Hall
Joyce M Hardy
Cleve Hassell
Michal Lewi AM (Fellow)
Katherine Joan Mclart
Frank M Montgomery
Roslyn F Stewart
Don Strang
Valmai O Symons

Annual General Meeting

Policies and Rules

Section 27 of the National Trust of Australia (WA) Act 1964 enables the Trust to establish by-laws to assist regulating the affairs, business and management of the Trust. Trust by-laws are adopted by general or special general meetings of the National Trust.

National Trust By-Laws 1972

 

Every five years the National Trust adopts a Strategic Plan to guide the activity of the organisation.

Through this strategic plan the National Trust of Western Australia aspires to awaken the community to the value of heritage. The plan sets out to achieve this by connecting Western Australians with the story of their heritage. The stories found in the rich and diverse natural, Aboriginal and historic heritage are the embodiment of our memories – the vast collection of things, both tangible and intangible – which we chose to keep and which we choose to keep for the future

Strategic Plan 2016-2020

As requested by the Minister in 2009, the National Trust of Western Australia has examined the issue of maintenance funding for heritage places under National Trust stewardship. The intent of this document is to alert the Minister and the State Government of a problem where the situation will get worse over time if action is not taken. This document provides an overview of the business case for a planned strategy of maintenance investment for heritage places. Endorsement of the philosophy presented will allow the final formulation of the formal Business Case based on current whole of Government and Treasury procedures.

Maintenance Business Case For Public Places

The current property portfolio of the National Trust has been determined by a number of factors. These factors are:
  • The broad intent of the National Trust of Australia (WA) Act is to manage heritage places for the purposes of public education and public utility;
  • The heritage places managed by the National Trust remain in public ownership for the ongoing benefit of the Western Australian community;
  • Many places were acquired for the purposes of long term conservation when there was no other legislated or statutory alternative available to the community or government for this purpose;
  • Places under stewardship of the National Trust are held under a wide variety of titles (freehold, conditional freehold, vesting and management orders) and reflect the variety of need, opportunity or advantage for the transfer of these places to the National Trust over time;
  • The unique public-private-corporate partnering advantages of the National Trust in the management of heritage assets has been recognised by local and state government agencies with a resulting increase in requests for stewardship of these assets by the National Trust;
  • The National Trust is able to hold, over the long term, “at risk” assets which could be lost to public ownership until the circumstances evolve to permit community access and enjoyment through conservation and interpretation.

National Trust Property Acquisition Policy

National Trust Property Disposal Policy

One of the principle roles of the National Trust of Western Australia is to influence decision makers on matters and issues related to cultural heritage. From time to time this action will require public advocacy.

Public Advocacy Policy

The Australian Privacy Act requires The National Trust of Western Australia to provide information to our members about the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information.

This Privacy Statement is prepared in conjunction with the Privacy Commissioner’s ten National Privacy Principles (NPPs).

Privacy Statement

National Trust of Western Australia Staff and Volunteers use of email, internet and social media is governed by these policies.

Social Media Policy

Internet and Email usage Policy