It’s not even a second-best solution: plans for an aboriginal cultural centre in the enormous “cutaway” under the hollow headland at Barangaroo on Sydney Harbour have been cancelled and the Museum of Sydney (MoS) space in the CBD has been announced by the Perrotet government as an alternative.
Under the rebuilt headland, originally proposed by Paul Keating to turn the Northwest corner of the City of Sydney back towards nature, the cutaway rivals the Opera House concert hall in size at almost 5,500 sq metres of space, but has been underused in the last seven years.
The cutaway needs a fitout and until the recent announcement by Premier Dominic planning for an aboriginal staffed cultural centre formed part of the government’s plans. Unlike Melbourne, Sydney does not have an aboriginal cultural space run by aboriginal leaders in the city centre.
The aboriginal centre was to be called Buruk, meaning fullness in local Aboriginal language, was promised by the previous premier Mike Baird. Wesley Enoch, an artist and playwright, and Rhoda Roberts, the head of Sydney Opera House’s Indigenous programming for nearly a decade, were among the First Nations arts leaders involved in the project the Guardian reports.
The MoS was set up to commemorate the remains of Sydney’s first Government house and consists of an open plaza with outlines of the plan of the first seat of white government and showing off the remains of the colonial era footings. Government House was was the first substantial building to be constructed by the settler culture in Australia.
The museum has space tucked underneath a state office block, Governor Phillip Tower (an embarrassing name if the proposal for an aboriginal cultural centre goes ahead.)
It is hard to consider a less appropriate place for an aboriginal cultural centre – unless like some statues the foundations of Government House are to be removed. Unlikely.
“The decisions made and actions taken at the first Government House had profound and long-lasting impacts on Aboriginal people across this country and region,” Premier Perrottet was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“This site will create a place for these stories and perspectives to be shared, while celebrating the enduring living culture of Aboriginal people,” he said.
But to walk into the museum, visitors will pass over the carefully preserved government house outlines. Commemorating the white settlement of Sydney and aboriginal culture in what is a confined site makes for an uneasy mix. The Premier’s point that Government House was the site of round decisions that ” had profound and long-lasting impacts on Aboriginal people across this country and region,” is why it may not be the place they would choose for their cultural centre. They need to be asked. Some additional interpretation at the MoS site is likely needed in addition to whatever Aboriginal cultural centre for Sydney’s centre is built.
FJMT, possibly Sydney’s most innovative large-scale architectural practice has been selected to design the new fitout. Their practice includes an acknowledgment of country on their website. They will create a good architecture at the cutaway. The relegation of a First Nations’ cultural space to the MoS is not their decision or their fault.
A Barangaroo Development authority announcement of the FJMT appointment says “The concept design continues our commitment to recognising and celebrating First Nations people and culture, design excellence and high-quality architectural designs, and embedding sustainability initiatives that are consistent with Barangaroo’s climate positive principles.” Cringeworthy.
The cutaway marks a place where the original nature of Sydney Harbour has been restored. The Museum of Sydney is a monument to white settlement where the marks of the first white settlement have been lovingly preserved.
MoS a failed museum with few visitors.
It is a compromised site, almost hidden apart from the plaza. It offers little opportunity to create a significant presence, and is much smller than the cutaway.
Our First Nations people are being offered leftovers.