The chairman of the state's heritage council has reaffirmed the council's view on the historical and cultural significance of Ravensworth homestead, despite being urged by planning officials to change its position to help to pave the way for a coal mine extension.
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The nineteenth century homestead comprises four sandstone buildings and a timber cottage.
It forms part of the Ravensworth Estate, which is within the footprint of Glencore's proposed extension of the Glendell coal mine.
Colonial records that show a series of attacks and counter-attacks between Aboriginal people and settlers occurred at the estate and the adjoining Lethbridge Estate between 1825 and 1826.
Tensions between the groups culminated in late 1826 when, with the endorsement of Governor Darling who sought revenge for the murder of two settlers and destruction of crops, a posse of mounted police and settlers hunted down and massacred a group 18 Aboriginal people.
Historians are divided on the exact location of the massacre. Glencore disputes that a massacre occurred on the site of the proposed mine extension.
The Heritage Council, which acts as a government advisory body, has opposed a plan by Glencore to relocate the homestead to a nearby farm.
In response to questions from Greens MP David Shoebridge at a recent Budget Estimates hearing, Heritage Council chairman Frank Howarth confirmed the council met with Department of Planning representatives last October to discuss the council's view on the site's significance to the Upper Hunter's indigenous community.
Mr Shoebridge asked: "They were trying to persuade you of the benefits of relocation. They were trying to persuade you that the contested massacre site could not be on the Ravensworth property. They were actively trying to persuade you on these matters, weren't they?
Mr Howarth replied: "The short answer is yes."
The Planning Department has recommended in favour of the Glendell Continued Operations Project, noting: "the only option that would leave the Ravensworth Homestead in-situ would be to refuse the project in its entirety"
The proposed project would extend the mine's life until approximately 2044 and result in the extraction of an additional 140 million tonnes of coal.
Glencore estimates the project would support more than 1000 jobs and inject $229 million into the Hunter economy.
The Department of Planning commissioned its own heritage report on the site's significance as part of its assessment of the proposed project last year.
The report by Hector Abrahams Architects found the Ravensworth Estate was "likely ... to meet the threshold for state heritage significance for its historical heritage value".
It also found that mining in the area would violate the traditional relationship between the Aboriginal peoples and their land.
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