Small Changes to Avoid Major Loss: Collaborative Conservation Practices at Rouse Hill House and Farm

ABSTRACT

Rouse Hill House Estate is a historic property, one of twelve sites managed by Sydney Living Museums (SLM, the Historic House Trust of New South Wales). Spread across the site, nineteenth-century structures including the house, stables and outbuildings, which house over 18,000 collection items. The property was in the private ownership of a single-family until 1978. Its significance lies in the intact nature of the buildings, landscapes, interiors and collections, and the complex layering of material over time. The conservation management plan, which guides the care and management of the site, aims to preserve the intact nature of the site as a whole, with minimal intervention. This paper reflects on the effectiveness of the plan over a 30-year period, and the way it has adapted over time, addressing the challenges of the inevitable deterioration of materials exposed to an uncontrolled and sometimes extreme environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Historic house
• conservation management plan
• conservation policy
• traditional craft skills
• collaboration
• historic interior
• preventive conservation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.