Prof Richard Mackay, AM
Prof Richard Mackay, AM is the founder and ‘Director of Possibilities’ at Mackay Strategic.
Richard is a dynamic leader and strategic thinker in the cultural sector, with more than four decades of experience in public and private sector cultural heritage management, including impactful contributions as independent expert, Board Member and Chair.
Richard was appointed to the Australian Heritage Council as one of two ‘Historic Members’ in July 2024. He is an Adjunct Professor in the Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies program at Deakin University and was previously a long-term Adjunct Professor in the Archaeology program at La Trobe University.
Richard has served as an ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) expert advisor to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee since 2015. He was the Convenor of the ICOMOS global General Assembly hosted in Sydney in 2023. Richard was a founding Partner of GML Heritage Pty Ltd, and is a former Commissioner of the NSW Independent Planning Commission and current Reporter under the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act. Richard is also a former Chair of the Australian World Heritage Advisory Committee, the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area Advisory Committee and Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust. He was responsible for the ‘Heritage’ theme of the 2011 and 2016 ‘State of the Environment’ reports to the Australian Parliament. Richard is also a former member of the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter Working Party, a former Non-executive Director of the National Trust in NSW, a former Member of the Heritage Council of NSW and was the inaugural Chair of the NSW State Heritage Register Committee.
Richard has extensive skills in facilitation and strategic direction of heritage projects and place management throughout Australia and in Asia. He has delivered innovative but practical solutions to complex cultural heritage challenges at places ranging from Angkor, Cambodia to Sydney’s Luna Park, undertaken expert international missions to Japan, Korea, Uzbekistan, Cambodia and the United Kingdom and advised governments in the Asia-Pacific region. He has pioneered public archaeology and community participation programs, fostered cultural tourism and sustainable livelihoods, advised senior levels of government, provided expert testimony in multiple jurisdictions and published widely on archaeology, conservation, heritage management and impact assessment.
Richard was the inaugural winner of the Australian Heritage Council ‘Sharon Sullivan Award’ for his contribution to Australia’s national heritage. He is an Honorary Member of ICOMOS. In 2003 Richard was appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for services to archaeology and cultural heritage.