Plumwood Mountain, the remote 120-hectare bush property where Australia’s most prominent environmental philosopher Dr Val Plumwood resided and worked, has been listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.
Executive Director of Heritage NSW, Sam Kidman, said Dr Plumwood was a key figure in the emergence of the Australian environmental movement, right here in New South Wales.
“Dr Plumwood made a major contribution to the development of the Australian environmental movement, in the realm of environmental humanism, during the mid-1970s.
“The Plumwood Mountain residence was where Dr Plumwood composed her pioneering scholarly works between 1975 and 2008, and was a key location where environmentalists, scholars, and protesters congregated to rally, talk through, and plan,” said Mr Kidman.
Deputy Chair for the Heritage Council of NSW, The Hon Robyn Parker, said the property protects an untouched, ancient rainforest, home to a variety of plants and animals, including the ancient and uncommon plumwood tree.
“Dr Plumwood’s quirky, off-the-grid octagonal stone home looks a bit like a 50-cent coin.
“It was designed by Dr Plumwood and co-built in 1976 with her then partner, environmentalist and philosopher Dr Richard Sylvan,” Ms Parker said.
Today, Plumwood Inc. manages the property, stone building and personal collection of Dr Plumwood.
Dr Lara Stevens, Treasurer, Plumwood Mountain Committee, who put forward this nomination, wanted recognition of the site’s environmental significance.
“The Plumwood Committee welcomes this listing as a testament to the legacy of Dr Val Plumwood for her pioneering work as an ecofeminist philosopher, environmental activist and an affirmation of the extraordinary forest home that inspired her thinking,” said Dr Stevens.
Listing Plumwood on the State Heritage Register is an important step in preserving the history and culture of New South Wales. Not only does it protect the significance of the place and its associated stories, but it provides a platform for local communities to share and celebrate their cultural heritage.
