Heritage Act 1977

A person must not disturb or excavate any land knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that the disturbance or excavation will or is likely to result in a relic being discovered, exposed, moved, damaged or destroyed unless the disturbance or excavation is carried out in accordance with an excavation permit.

A person must not disturb or excavate any land on which the person has discovered or exposed a relic except in accordance with an excavation permit.

This section does not apply to a relic that is subject to an interim heritage order made by the Minister or a listing on the State Heritage Register.

The Heritage Council may by order published in the Gazette create exceptions to this section, either unconditionally or subject to conditions, in respect of any of the following—

any relic of a specified kind or description,

any disturbance or excavation of a specified kind or description,

any disturbance or excavation of land in a specified location or having specified features or attributes,

any disturbance or excavation of land in respect of which an archaeological assessment approved by the Heritage Council indicates that there is little likelihood of there being any relics in the land.

This section does not prevent a person from disturbing or excavating land in which a historic shipwreck is situated in accordance with a historic shipwrecks permit in force in respect of that shipwreck.