Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003

This section gives more information about identifying significant Aboriginal areas.

For an area to be a significant Aboriginal area, it is not necessary for the area to contain markings or other physical evidence indicating Aboriginal occupation or otherwise denoting the area’s significance.

For example, the area might be a ceremonial place, a birthing place, a burial place or the site of a massacre.

Also, if significant Aboriginal objects exist in an area and the significance of the objects is intrinsically linked with their location in the area—

the existence of the objects in the area is enough on its own to make the area a significant Aboriginal area; and

if it is reasonably appropriate under this Act, the immediate area and the objects in it may be taken to be, collectively, a significant Aboriginal area.

For identifying a significant Aboriginal area, regard may be had to authoritative anthropological, biogeographical, historical and archaeological information.