The National Trust (NSW) has received a Community Arts and Cultural Development grant of $29,000 from Arts NSW to provide disability access to public toilets and an additional disabled facility for our regionally based cultural heritage property Cooma Cottage, Yass.
Cooma Cottage is the home of the first Australian-born explorer, Hamilton Hume (1797-1873). Hume bought the cottage on 100 acres and set about expanding it for his new life as a pastoralist. It still sits on extensive grounds. Cooma Cottage, Yass now stands as a fine example of the way our pioneers constructed their dwellings and how they lived.
The National Trust will undertake capital works to increase accessible toilets and an additional disabled facility for our regionally based cultural heritage property Cooma Cottage. These mandatory and much needed facilities will expand our capacity to programme for our community, our arts organisations and local families as well as facilitate our growth in visitation as identified through our strategic plan research. It will ensure the long term viability to realise the potential of Cooma Cottage as a focal point for regional arts and culture in the Yass community. The construction of an Accessible Adult Facility will cater for visitors with high support needs and their carers where they require additional space, assistance and specialised equipment to allow them to use toilets safely and comfortably.
Our Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Richard Silink thanked the Arts NSW, NSW Government: “The National Trust of Australia (NSW) is extremely grateful for the financial support from the NSW State Government to construct a new accessible toilet facility at Cooma Cottage, Yass. Cooma Cottage is of state heritage significance and is the final home of Hamilton Hume, the renowned Australian born explorer after whom the Hume Highway was named. The provision of the new facility will allow visitors of all ages to come and explore this magnificent historic property.”
In keeping with our heritage mandate, Heritage Architect, William Blackledge has worked with us on the successful submission to the Office of Environment and Heritage and Yass Valley Council, to ensure the facility complements the surrounding buildings without detracting from the historic significance of structures or views across the valley to the Yass River. The National Trust is liaising with educational providers of school excursions in the region for Cooma Cottage, to form part of the curricular activities in the primary school’s education program. The inclusion of a disabled facility would benefit the property to cater for school children at any given time. In addition, the property is also planning to attract the popular seniors bus tour groups.
Accessible Facility Under Construction – Cooma Cottage, National Trust of Australia 2020
