Cultural landscapes are the entwining of landscapes with human thought and activity. The humanised landscape has become one of the key theoretical and practical tools used in heritage studies and heritage practice to understand the way in which humans have engaged with the natural environment and modified environments to create new forms of landscape. The diversity of types of humanised landscapes are considered including the cultural values of so called ‘natural landscapes', Indigenous cultural landscapes, landscapes of settlement and use, landscapes of routes, tracks and transport, build heritage environments, parks and gardens and other forms of contemporary cultural landscapes. This course examines the theoretical underpinnings of the cultural landscape concept, its history in western thought and its realisation in policy and practice, including through the World Heritage system.

The course will consider means of recognising and reading cultural landscapes, including the practices of determining cultural landscape values and their defining elements. Practical issues of managing cultural landscapes will be brought into focus through detailed case studies that consider the challenges of conserving cultural landscape values in a world of complex social and economic demands. Finally the currency of the cultural landscape concept is critically examined through examples of its cross-cultural application and in the way the concept is being harnessed outside heritage practice, such as through the tourism industry.

Key course topics:

• Human activity and the concept of cultural landscapes
• The evolution of the cultural landscape concept in international heritage practice
• The variety of expressions of landscape and its role in place making and identity
• The idea that landscapes have biography - a history of accretion
• The challenges of documenting, assessing and managing cultural landscapes

Course aims:

The aims of this course are to:

1. Provide a thorough professional level program in the issues if recognising, documenting, assessing and managing cultural landscapes in a manner relevant to the development of public policy, industry practice and academic projects;

2. To examine the cultural landscape concept as an important multi-disciplinary approach that links both land and heritage management, and one that is increasingly being associated with iconic heritage attractions as well as built environments and areas once labelled as ‘wilderness'; and

3. To critically examine policy contexts for cultural landscape conservation and the monitoring and management programs that may be put in place to protect cultural landscape values.

Learning outcomes:

On completing this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1.     use appropriate written and verbal expression for a variety of relevant professional and academic purposes that involve cultural landscape issues including essays, report prepartation and analysis, funding applications and policy preparation and advice;

2.     apply interdisciplinary thinking and the ability to apply theoretical ideas to case studies;

3.     participate more effectively in workplaces requiring an understanding of cultural landscape issues. This includes research, analysis, and verbal and written presentation at the standard expected of a postgraduate degree; and

4.     apply a functioning knowledge of current policy frameworks for cultural landscapes to academic and professional practice.

Personal cultural landscape exercise  (10% / 600 words); Reading a landscape exercise (10% / 600 words); Online discussion of management readings (20% / 1200 words); and cultural landscape case study analysis (50% / 2000-2500 words).

• Bender, B. (1993) Landscape, politics and perspectives, Berg, Providence.
• Droste, B., Plachter, H. and Rossler, M. (1995) Cultural landscapes of universal value - Components of a global strategy, Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart.
• Fowler, P. J. (2003) World Heritage cultural landscapes 1992-2002, UNESCO, Paris.