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About The Bundeena and Maianbar Heritage Walk

The Bundeena and Maianbar Heritage Walk is a Federation Fund Project, which is supported by National Parks and Wildlife Service and Sutherland Shire Council. The Bundeena/Maianbar Heritage Walk project aims to:-

Provide a pleasant experience for pedestrians in our townships;
Increase general knowledge about the cultural and natural heritage of the area;
Upgrade and rehabilitate tracks and right of ways and thus increase accessibility of areas;
Increase the sustainability of our environment.

Being involved with the Heritage Walk project sent me reaching for an 1898 Webster’s International Heritage Dictionary, one of the definitions listed under the word Heritage was:-

From the old french - eriter and old english heritage and latin hereditare.
That which is inherited, or passes from heir to heir; inheritance.

Part of my heritage,
Which my dead father did bequeath to me.
                                                                                      Shak

The weight, depth and tradition of this definition made me think of what and how we deal with the responsibility of living in such a unique place.  How important it is for us, as a community, to attempt an understanding of our sense of place.  Barry O’Keefe (President of The Natural Heritage Trust) at a recent forum on Environmental Planning spoke about community and belonging and how important it is that we fulfill this sense of belonging.  He spoke about a desire that is in all of us and that is the desire to be loved and one of the ways in which this is fulfilled is by being involved with the place in which we live. 

I think the following are therefore some very good reasons for having The Bundeena and Maianbar Heritage Walk:-

a. In order to help fulfill our desire to be loved and feel a sense of belonging, we need to learn more about the natural and social history of this unique place in which we live;

b.  Indeed, to honour the above definition, it is our duty to pass on this information and to share this very special place with our visitors;

c.  The definition of a route for our visitors will also help keep them on track so to speak.

A Thank You to all our supporters

There is one way to measure the success of any community project and that is by the number of groups and people within the community that get involved.  Royal Manager, Peter Hay has been a great supporter and The National Parks have fixed up two tracks; the one from Bonnie Vale (which Peter says needs a lot more work on it) and the one to Jibbon Beach from Eric Street right of way.  The Sutherland Shire Council has installed the track through the Reserve and the Council’s Bushcare Unit continues to help co-ordinate works and planning on Council property, including the recent clearing of weeds along the lower end Hordern’s Lane Steps.  A Bushcare Group continues to weed and reclaim Newcombe Street Reserve in Maianbar and individual efforts of residents in other areas, such as the upper section of Hordern’s Lane steps.  Sam Whittingham organised a successful tree-planting session in Bundeena Reserve with some of the local school children.  So far, Bundeena Newsagency and Bundeena First National have also made contributions for projects along the route, and there are other plans and ideas; one splendid seating idea for Bundeena Reserve to be sponsored by Lyn and Roger Norman of The Lambeth Walk.

Written by Jane Northway (Bundeena-Maianbar Heritage Walk Committee)