About the Webinar

Why should environmental practitioners care about cultural heritage conservation and why are environmental impact assessment frameworks that only consider avoiding or mitigating negative heritage impacts out of date?

Traditionally, heritage has been framed as something that is exclusively about the past, involving conservation of physical remnants that are valued as sources of historical information or evidence of historical events or processes. Global research however, is increasingly demonstrating that cultural heritage is a dynamic force that delivers significant benefits to communities in the present.

This webinar will consider the social, emotional and imaginative experiences that people have in historic environments, using evidence collected from interviews with hundreds of members of the public at Australian case study sites where archaeological remains have been retained in the context of new development. It will explore the ways that relationships between people and the past develop in the present, supporting individual and community resilience and wellbeing, identity building, belonging and social cohesion. It will conclude by considering the need for alternative environmental impact assessment frameworks that actively consider public benefits and support the important work that heritage does in contemporary communities.

Meet the Speaker

Dr Caitlin Allen | Cultural Heritage Specialist, Archaeologist, Research and Teaching

Dr Caitlin Allen is a Senior Lecturer in Heritage at the University of Sydney and has nearly 30 years’ experience in cultural heritage and archaeological practice in Australia. Her current research interests focus on social values and place attachment and the ways heritage contributes to the creation of liveable cities and community outcomes such as wellbeing and identity building. Caitlin is currently the President of Australia ICOMOS.

The webinar will be recorded and a link to the recording will be sent to all registered attendees in the days after the webinar.

Event Details

Date:
Wednesday 22 April 2026

Time:
This event will run off Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) for one hour and will begin at the following times:

11:00am | WA
12:30pm | SA, NT
1:00pm | ACT, NSW, VIC, TAS, QLD
3:00pm | NZ

Location:
Online via Zoom Webinar

Cost:
Free – EIANZ members and $25 non-members

Contact:
Event enquiries contact EIANZ Central Office on +61 3 8593 4140, +64 9887 6972 or office@eianz.org

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