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History of cultural heritage awareness in Australia

Last edited: November 3, 2022

Broader public appreciation and celebration of First Nations cultural heritage is a relatively new phenomenon, see our timeline of cultural heritage awareness in Australia…

The first one hundred years of European colonisation was a period of intentional silence about the very presence of the First Nations peoples of Australia. The heart of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture – a sacred person-land-ancestral-interrelationship – was wantonly destroyed and communities marginalised.

This timeline shows the slow evolution from that silence to a growing awareness and more recently positive pathways towards conservation and appreciation for First Nations cultural heritage, and it’s great value for all Australians.

TIMELINE

Timeline

1870-1880

The idea of colonial/European ‘built’ heritage in Australia emerged in the 1870’s.

All further timeline items, unless otherwise referenced, are drawn from Deep Time Dreaming

1900

Colonising communities begin to protest the disappearance of their colonial buildings in the cities and towns.

1938

Archaeologists begin to make public pleas for legislation to preserve Aboriginal pre-history and Aboriginal relics.

1950-1970

Archaeologists begin to publicly condemn looting of Aboriginal sites and looting of relics.

1964

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies (AIAS) is established. In 1989, it became the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).

1965

Australian Council of National Trusts and the Australian Conservation Foundation is established.

1967

The Referendum whereby Australians voted to allow the Commonwealth Government to make laws for Aboriginal people and include them in the Census count.

1965-1975

All states pass minimal legislation to preserve and protect Aboriginal sites. The Acts were the results of long-term advocacy by archaeologists and conservationists along with growing public interest in Australia’s natural and cultural heritage.

1973

Federal government establishes the Aboriginal Arts Board of the Australia Council, advocated by archaeologist Bob Edwards who argued that the arts were the key to changing attitudes towards First Nations peoples and their heritage.

1974

Federal government ratified UNESCO World Heritage Convention and passed the Australian Heritage Commission Act – integrating natural and cultural heritage strands.

1976-1983

The Franklin River Campaign to stop the Tasmanian government damming the river for hydroelectric power was won in the High Court case, Commonwealth v Tasmania. Records show that the Judges’ decision was swayed by archaeological evidence that the region had been occupied by humans from 20,000 years ago.

1981

Willandra Lakes Region, UNESCO world heritage status. The evidence of occupation establishes that humans were in Australia by 42,000 years ago. The discovery of human remains – Mungo Man and Mungo Lady – rewrote the ancient story of this land and sent shock waves around the world.

1984

The first Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Act introduced.

1992

Mabo High Court of Australia decision recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have rights to the land – rights that existed before the British arrived and continue..

1993

Introduction of the Native Title Act. A momentous development, a legal structure for protecting First Nations culture. Under this framework, sacred and significant sites and objects have the potential to be protected, not within the historical category of Aboriginal Heritage, but rather as matters valued in present-day First Nations culture that have ongoing significance.

1997

Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) program was established. These areas are ‘land and sea country’ owned or managed by First Nations groups, as protected areas for biodiversity conservation through an agreement with the Australian Government.

1999

Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC). Australia’s first effort at a truly national scheme of environment and heritage protection and biodiversity conservation. The Act establishes the National Heritage List, which includes First Nations places of outstanding heritage value.

2003

The Australian Heritage Council is established by the Australian Heritage Council Act. It assesses nominations for the National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heritage List and makes recommendations to the Minister for the Environment. The final decision on listing is made by the Minister. The Council includes First Nations heritage experts.

2006

The Wave Hill Walk-Off Route was added to the National Heritage List. The Gurindji’s actions and demands for equal wages had attracted national attention, leading to their community becoming the first Aboriginal community to have land returned to them.

2009

Australia ratified the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), after initially voting against it. The Declaration highlights Indigenous rights to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature.

2015

The Australian Heritage Strategy is expanded as the Australian Government’s expert advisory body on heritage matters. This document sets out a ten-year framework to address national priorities and reach desired outcomes in relation to heritage places.

2016

The Federal government’s State of the Environment Report (SoE) Heritage Strategy is released. The SoE reports provide information about environmental and heritage conditions, trends and pressures every five years. They cover the Australian continent, surrounding seas and Australia’s external territories.

2018

The unification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Heritage Chairs into the Heritage Chairs of Australia and New Zealand (HCOANZ). This landmark event finally brought First Nations cultural heritage representatives to a national level.

Since January 2020

Publication of Dhawura Ngilan (Remembering Country) A vision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage in Australia Heritage Chairs of Australia and New Zealand and Best Practice Standards in Indigenous cultural heritage management and legislation. This publication provides a roadmap for improving approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage management in Australia.

The tragic destruction of 46,000 year old heritage site at Juukan Gorge in WA by mining company Rio Tinto.

The First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance was created at a crisis meeting immediately after the deliberate destruction of Juukan Gorge WA, by Rio Tinto mining company in May 2020. The goal is to vow to pursue national reforms to prevent this from ever happening again. The Alliance represents Aboriginal Land Councils, Native Title Representative Bodies and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations.

2020 Report of the Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) presented to the Federal Government. This latest ten-yearly statutory reporting requirement for the EPBC Act presents an urgent wake up call to Australia’s Federal government that fundamental reform is necessary to manage the state of the environment.

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Djab Wurrung sacred site protection protest, 2019.

Resources

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Submission

Protecting the Spirit of Sea Country Bill 2023 Read

Background Paper

Cultural Heritage Protection Reform Read

Scorecard

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Scorecard

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