Cultural treasure: Bull cave finally added to state heritage register

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Bull Cave
The Bull Cave at Kentlyn is located in Aboriginal Land Council bushland.

The Bull Cave is of great cultural importance to the Dharawal people and features one of the earliest examples of contact art.

Located under a sandstone rock shelter at Kentlyn the cave contains a charcoal drawing depicting cattle soon after European settlement.

Now, after a strong community campaign this Campbelltown treasure is also finally on the NSW State Heritage Register.

The State Government has accepted the Heritage Council’s recommendation after several months of lobbying by the local community.

The Heritage Council formally recommended that the site be listed on the State Heritage Register on April 5 this year.

Under the Heritage Act, the minister is required to make a decision on such recommendations within 14 days – however it took almost five months for the recommendation to be accepted.

Campbelltown MP Greg Warren said he was delighted to see the community’s calls being listened to and relieved that the government had finally accepted the recommendation.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“This is a great success for everyone in our community who has been involved in the campaign to get the Bull Cave – one of our region’s great treasures – added to the State Heritage Register.[/social_quote]

“How it took the minister five months to accept a no-brainer of a recommendation like this is beyond me, but the important thing is that it was accepted and the cave is now protected for future generations.

“Campbelltown is experiencing significant growth and development, so it’s vital that we take measures like this to protect and conserve such vital parts of our history.”

Campbelltown MP Greg Warren with Labor’s Environment and Heritage spokesperson Penny Sharpe outside the Bull Cave site in Kentlyn.
Campbelltown MP Greg Warren with Labor’s Environment and Heritage spokesperson Penny Sharpe outside the Bull Cave site in Kentlynutside the Bull Cave site in Kentlyn during the campaign to have it put on the heritage register.

 

 

 

 

 

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