Hawkesbury City Council is inviting community members to view and comment on Council's Draft Hawkesbury Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Study, which is on public exhibition on Council's online community engagement site yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au until Friday, 1 October 2021.
The Study has been developed in consultation with the Aboriginal community and provides the following outcomes:
1. Comprehensive assessment and mapping of the historic known and unknown Aboriginal archaeological sites and relics in consultation with the Aboriginal community to build a complete picture of the cultural landscape of the Hawkesbury.
2. Comprehensive assessment and mapping of the historic and contemporary Aboriginal cultural heritage values in conjunction with local communities to complement the existing traditional and archaeological values in order to build a more complete picture of the cultural landscape of the study area.
3. Integrating Aboriginal cultural heritage into land use planning and Environmental Impact Assessment.
4. Establish effective mechanisms for community involvement in land use planning in the study area and a basis for communication between Government, landowners and the community about Aboriginal Heritage.
The intention of the document is to start the process of truly understanding connection to country, and to provide Council officers with the tools to recognise the potential for known and unknown sites that may be impacted through development or Council operations. The Study is a starting guide for mapping, Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHMIS) registering and to start the conversation with local elders first with respect to potential sites.
The Draft Hawkesbury Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Study can be viewed at yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au
Council will receive submissions in writing via yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au
