These are the words of NSW Shadow Minister for Heritage and Tourism Penny Sharpe, who visited Goulburn on Monday. 

Ms Sharpe said she was moved by the sheer beauty of some of the buildings in the city and also by the enthusiasm that local people have for their heritage. 

She cited the Old Goulburn Brewery (Bradley Grange) as such a heritage gem.

“This is such an incredible place that any community would be keen to have it, so we need need to find a way to conserve it and bring people into it to love it,” Ms Sharpe said.

“It has been incredible for me just walking through it today and thinking how many more people would come to see it to understand our past, post settlement.” 

Ms Sharpe said heritage and history are fundamental to how communities see themselves.

“We want to complete a heritage plan for NSW that would include Goulburn, that is so full of heritage. It would talk about what is here and how are we going to find the money to manage it,” she said. 

“We also want to establish a separate Office of Heritage and look at the Heritage Act and see how we can make it work for the next 40 years.”

Ms Sharpe also spoke at a Heritage Forum in town.

“We had a great turnout today, with about 30 people representing various groups such as the Historical Society, the St Clair Museum, The forum had presentations from the Goulburn Heritage Group, History Goulburn, the Goulburn Railway Heritage Society, the Mulwaree High School Remembrance Museum,” she said. 

“They have such a passion for the stories of Goulburn - not just the buildings but also the characters here that have made contributions to writing, art, community and democracy.”