The document discusses exploring World Heritage Site listing for the Mount Lofty Ranges agrarian landscape in South Australia. Some key points made include: - UNESCO World Heritage listing of working, evolving agricultural landscapes is rare. - The Mount Lofty Ranges represents the first and most enduring example of systematic colonization and rural settlement principles in the world. - World Heritage listing has evolved from technical preservation to an acclaimed global brand that can promote economic development and placemaking. - A WHS designation of sufficient size could serve as an engine for economic development in the region through heritage tourism and marketing local products. - The benefits of a potential listing go beyond preservation to include social,

1. Exploring UNESCO World Heritage Site listing
for the Mount Lofty Ranges agrarian landscape
University of Adelaide, Adelaide Hills Council, The Barossa
Council,
District Council of Mount Barker and the City of Onkaparinga
Dorrit Black painting courtesy of SA Art Gallery

2. UNESCO World Heritage listing of working, evolving
agricultural landscapes is rare
Alto Douro, Portugal

3. Can we get it?
Outstanding Universal Value
“South Australia was the first place in the
world to apply the principles of
systematic colonisation, and rural and
township settlement in the Mount Lofty
Ranges is its most enduring expression.”
- Susan Marsden
John Stuart Mill:
• “…the planning of colonies should be
conducted, not with an exclusive view to the
private interests of the first founders, but with
a deliberate regard to the permanent welfare
of the nation afterwards……no plan is
comparable in advantage to that advocated by
Mr Wakefield….”
From top: E.G. Wakefield, J. Bentham and J.S. Mill

4. Study area

5. Why a WHS for the Mount Lofty Ranges?
World Heritage
listing has evolved
from a technical
measure aimed
exclusively at
preservation into an
acclaimed and
globally respected
brand.

6. Motivations matter
Source: Rebanks 2010 analysis of 878 sites
(i) ‘Celebration’ designations see WHS as a celebration of
heritage value;
(ii) ‘SOS’ designations see WHS as an ‘SOS’ to save
heritage;
(iii) ‘Quality Logo/Brand’ sites see the designation for
marketing or branding purposes while
(iv) ‘Place Making’ designations see the listing as a tool to
develop powerful new identities for places.

7. Motivation matters
Source: Rebanks 2009

8. Size Matters
Using WHS as an engine of economic
development requires WHSs of scale. The sites
that the Rebanks study (2010) identified as best
practice were those places that were living
breathing communities, with population and
businesses located in them, by definition meaning
WHSs that are of significant size.

9. WHS as economic driver and placemaking tool
Why is our place unique,
special and globally important?’
• Focus economic
development on uniqueness,
authenticity, a distinct sense
of place, identity and culture.
• WHS as a catalyst to engage
with the rest of the world from
a position of confidence,
selling distinct products and
services at added value
based upon their
provenance.

10. Portovenere & Cinque Terre (inscribed 1997).
Preservation of a
socio- economic way
of life through
investment in the
structures, facilities,
products and branding
to return greater
added value to private
sector producers who
maintain the
agricultural landscape.
In 2009 cooperatives were buying organic lemons from growers for €2.50 per
kilogram, compared with a commodity price of €1.70‐€1.80 for the same product
outside the WHS/national park ‐ a 68% premium Source: Rebanks, 2010

11. The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (Inscribed
1995)
• Using WHS status to
improve the quality of
life of residents through
developing and
enhancing heritage
assets, and raising the
quality of development
to attract new people to
live, work and invest
there.

12. Bamberg – the market gardener’s city
(Inscribed 1993)
Key destination in the
debate about attracting
higher value visitors to an
existing tourism
destination by using WHS
status as a cultural
tourism brand
(particularly to attract
WHS literate visitors).

13. Unintended consequences
Iwami Silver Mine, Omori, Japan
(400 inhabitants and little infrastructure)
Inundated with 100s of
thousands of tourists
following listing.
One 90 year old man
woke up to find three
tourists relaxing on a
sofa inside his house…
Source: New York Times

14. Do we want it?
Economic Impacts
Source: EconSearch, 2012
• The cost benefit analysis shows strong returns
for three investment scenarios based on
achieving WHS listing
• Recognise that these results are based on high
levels of uncertainty surrounding the economic
outcomes that may be generated by WHS
inscription.
• Nevertheless, the proposed Mount Lofty Ranges
site falls into the category of an under-
recognised region with strong heritage
attributes, a region that is motivated by socio-
economic development and is therefore likely
to benefit significantly from WHS inscription.

15. Do we want it?

17. Do we want it?
Social, environmental and intangible benefits
Source: Rebanks, 2010

18. Will the Character Preservation legislation alone ensure
a sustainable agritourism future?
Continuing loss of productive agricultural land in the region mean
that securing the place of agriculture in the regional landscape and
economy cannot be left to a ‘business as usual’ policy stance.
Evidence from throughout the world tells us that a decisive shift in
public policy and in private behaviour is needed, as are multiple
vehicles to carry that decision through.

19. Environment Protection and Biodiveristy
Conservation (EPBC) Act implications
A thorough investigation by Council planners in
the Mount Lofty Ranges Working Group and
reviewed by DSEWPaC has demonstrated that
the Act does not affect assessment processes
for the vast majority of development
applications. Local rules and planning processes
continue to apply. It is expected however, that
local planning processes will evolve over time to
support the agritourism values of the WHS.

20. Governance model: a work in progress
Project Steering Group
Made up of Councils, State Government agencies, RDAs,
industry, and community champions meets a few times a year to
set the agenda.
Project Manager
Project Management Group
Works with the
Management team made up of funding partner management team and
reps meets regularly to manage the agenda. liaises between all
groups to carry out the
agenda.
Advisory Group A Advisory Group B Advisory Group C
Economic cluster of food, Community and
Helps with nomination
wine, and tourism and RDA Indigenous engagement
documents & defining the sectors sets economic sets social, environmental
agricultural landscape. development agenda. and cultural goals.

21. No regrets
The process is one of the goals:
Even if bids are unsuccessful, the
journey itself can be expected to
provide benefits, primarily in
terms of partnership, heritage
protection, economic
development, promotion of
cooperative planning and
through attracting funding to
supporting research and to
supporting projects.
– Price Waterhouse Coopers UK Analysis,
2007
Camino de Santiago Pilgrim Trail

22. Key Reference: Rebanks 2010