A variety of places and objects that have shaped Western Australian culture, from space equipment to war memorials, will benefit from more than $1.6million in grants to support heritage conservation.

Announcing the Lotterywest grants today, Heritage Minister Albert Jacob said the funding would go towards conserving places and objects with significant heritage value for future generations.

“A total of 36 Lotterywest Conservation of Cultural Heritage Grants worth more than $1.6million have been provided to local government and community organisations,” Mr Jacob said.

“These grants are about ensuring our State’s history is preserved so these objects and places can continue to inform us about our past and how they shaped our lives.

“Among the grant recipients is the Shire of Carnarvon, which will receive $30,676 to conserve the Overseas Telecommunications Commission Satellite Earth Station in Carnarvon which played a significant role in the NASA’s Apollo Moon project in the 1960s and early 70s.

“The station is the home of the Casshorn antenna, which broadcast the first live pictures of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon to Perth audiences. The grant funds will mean urgent building works to conserve the building can go ahead.”

The Shire of Leonora will receive $193,754 to restore and conserve an 1899 mining timber head frame in the historically significant ghost town of Gwalia. Another $229,205 will also be provided to the shire for urgent restoration works to five historically significant miner’s cottages in Gwalia.

The Minister said the grants gave priority to urgent works and projects which demonstrated broad community use and support.

“Many of the applications supported are for historical buildings that are still focal points and meeting places for communities today,” he said.

“Grant support will mean they will continue to be safe, useful community assets with a story to tell for years to come.”