Ian Travers
Chief Executive Officer
“We’re experts in managing the tangible and intangible material of heritage, be it buildings or sites, stories or practices. But remember—we work with people to study people on behalf of people.
It’s really all about people.”
Ian Travers is Chief Executive Officer of Extent Heritage and has more than 25 years of heritage consultancy experience in Australia and internationally, including work in the UK, USA, Southern Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
A specialist archaeologist, Ian also has extensive experience in the management of built heritage, historical infrastructure, industrial heritage, cultural landscapes and intangible heritage. He has developed and led many large, ground-breaking cultural heritage projects involving diverse clients, complex teams and numerous community stakeholders.
Ian has a multidisciplinary outlook and strong knowledge of, and experience in, other environmental fields and natural resource management. Through this broad perspective and his active involvement in national and international heritage discussions, including as a recent Past President of Australia ICOMOS and the inaugural President of the Australian Archaeological Research Trust, he is well placed to understand and address emerging issues and developments in cultural heritage management practice.
Ian is an expert in the assessment and management of heritage places and has led investigations, management programs and conservation works for a wide range of sites and landscapes. These have included World Heritage and National Heritage places across Australia, such as the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area, Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, and the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape. More recently, Ian led the team responsible for the tentative listing process for the proposed World Heritage nomination of the Victorian Goldfields.
A major focus of Ian's recent work has been the sustainable management of cultural heritage resources and climate change preparedness. He is also at the forefront of providing cultural heritage support to Australia's rapidly expanding renewable energy sector.
Ian has particular expertise in the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of water and was the inaugural President of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Water and Heritage. He regularly acts as an expert witness and has appeared in planning appeals, state Heritage Council hearings, VCAT proceedings and matters before the Federal Court.