We are delighted to announce that Clive James will be presenting the 2006 Heritage Lecture, to be held at the State Theatre, Market St, Sydney, on Tuesday 27 June 2006.  Clive will bring his unique brand of wit and erudition to the subject of postwar Australian painters such as Brett Whiteley, Margaret Olley, Jeffrey Smart and John Olsen, peppering his talk with personal anecdotes.  Tickets will be on sale from 10 May, and are available from Ticketmaster on 1300 136166 or www.ticketmaster.com.au

One of the Trust’s partners, Clearview Retirement Solutions, is offering our members a free day at Taronga Zoo, including a seminar on getting the most from your retirement savings and investments.  The seminar, on Wednesday 24 May, will cover issues that could affect your retirement, such as legislative changes and investment updates, followed by a light lunch and a surprise encounter with some of the animals!  Places are limited so book early. 
Call Clearview on 132976 or see www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au

Help preserve the magnificent gardens at Everglades

The recent closure of the historic Avoca Beach cinema has highlighted the need for continued campaigning to draw attention to the plight of historic movie houses through NSW. The National Trust’s fundraiser, the screening of Ballet Russes, will be held on Sunday 7 May from 10.30am at Cremorne’s Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace. This amazing documentary tells the story of the revolutionary dance troupe from its beginnings in turn-of-the-century Paris to its demise in the early 1960s. Tickets are $22 for Trust members and $25 for others, and include a special gift on arrival. To book, call 9258 0123 or go to www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au

Why are conservation skills disappearing?  What can be done to reactivate training in these areas?  How can traditional materials be used creatively in modern applications?  These are the issues that will be tackled at the Annual Conservation Conference, to be held on 12 and 13 May.  Join us for presentations from leading experts in the areas of conservation craft skills and traditional building techniques to discover how we can keep these skills alive in Australia.  For bookings call Mara on 9258 0161 or for further information see www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/

As the finale of the 2006 Heritage Festival celebrations, Sydney artist Belinda Ward is exhibiting a series of her softly coloured drawings in the Annie Wyatt Room at the National Trust Centre from Saturday 29 April to Friday 12 May.  Ward captures the essence of industrial sites around Sydney, and the exhibition includes drawings of Walsh Bay, Cockatoo Island and even the construction of the Eastern Distributor at Woolloomooloo.  The exhibition is free and the works are available for purchase. www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au

In order to conserve and protect our scenic marine landscapes, the National Trust has issued a new position paper in relation to sand extraction.  Sand is a vital resource for the building and construction industry, but the looming shortage of building sand in Sydney requires a coordinated response.  This position paper encourages the search for alternative sources of marine sand to protect scenic coastal landscape areas from mining.  To view the policy, see www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au

The first in a series of guidebooks to National Trust’s house museums throughout NSW has recently been published thanks to the assistance of the NSW Ministry for the Arts.  Miss Traill’s House & Garden, Bathurst, covers the history of a unique property and collection left to the National Trust by long-term resident, Miss Ida Traill, and is written by the Trust’s Senior Curator, Patricia R McDonald and the property’s Manager, Samuel Molloy. The book, with full colour photographs, costs $12 and is available from the property.  Call 6332 4232 or email mth@netwit.net.au