After the Fire: Recovery Efforts at the See Yup Temple

How do we recover precious heritage objects and why are they significant in the first place? Join us for an evening at the Emerald Hill Library to find out as part of the Australian Heritage Festival.

On 17 February 2024 a devastating fire, caused by an electrical fault, broke out in the main Kwan Dai Hall at the See Yup Temple in Raglan Street, South Melbourne. Built in 1866, over two hundred objects were recovered from the site of the fire. Thankfully none of the temple Gods were damaged. News reports of the fire mentioned in passing that the temple was heritage listed. But what does this mean and why should we care? 

Join Professional Historian and Curator Dr Sophie Couchman and students from the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne to learn more about recovery efforts after the fire and the work ahead. 

Australian Heritage Festival

The theme for the 2025 Australian Heritage Festival is Connections. The Australian Heritage Festival is coordinated annually by the National Trust of Australia.  

The Australian Heritage Festival is Australia’s largest annual community-driven heritage festival, created with the vision of recognising and celebrating the significance of our natural, historic and Indigenous heritage places and ensuring they are valued by Australians, protected for future generations and cared for by the community.

You can use this link to explore all of our events that are part of the festival.