PUBLIC INVITED TO HAVE THEIR SAY ON MV BEARDMORE HERITAGE LISTING

Members of the public are invited to provide input on the proposed listing of the MV Beardmore – a tugboat used in the sugar industry on the Clarence River from 1914 – on the NSW State Heritage Register.

State Nationals MP for Clarence, Richie Williamson, said the MV Beardmore may hold State historical significance for its role in the sugar industry throughout the 20th century and encouraged local residents to have their say.

“The MV Beardmore played an important role in cane cutting and river transport practices across the Northern Rivers, a region that has contributed to the NSW sugar industry for more than 150 years,” Mr Williamson said.

“This State significance may also extend to its historical connections with the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) and the Harwood Sugar Mill, the longest continuously operating sugar mill in Australia.”

Mr Williamson said the vessel may also hold historical value at a State level for its role in the 1970s development of community-led Aboriginal organisations striving to create economic and social opportunities for Aboriginal communities.

“The historic ownership and successful commercial operation of the tugboat by the Nungera Aboriginal Cooperative reflects a period of increasing Aboriginal community autonomy and capacity building during the 1970s and 1980s,” he said.

Mr Williamson is encouraging Clarence Valley residents and all interested community members to provide feedback on the MV Beardmore heritage listing nomination by Sunday, 12 April 2026.

“This is an opportunity for our community to have a direct say in recognising and preserving an important part of our regional and cultural history,” Mr Williamson said.

The Heritage Council will review all submissions and advise contributors of any decisions made.  Community members can access the survey and provide feedback via the NSW Government’s website: https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/mv-beardmore