Younghusband Peninsula Research Project

Consultation has concluded. Thanks for your contributions.

Are you a Traditional Owner or Aboriginal party with an interest in the Coorong?

We want to hear from you about a research proposal to undertake geomorphological and archaeological investigations along the Younghusband Peninsula, in the Coorong, which would include excavations and the collection of geomorphological and archaeological samples for scientific analyses (Research Project).

Your views will help the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (the Minister) decide whether to authorise potential damage, disturbance or interference with Aboriginal heritage, and the removal of Aboriginal objects/materials from the state, to assist the Research Project.

Background

The Minister, who is responsible for the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA) (Act), has received an application for authorisations under the Act from Professor Patrick Hesp of Flinders University (Applicant). While Professor Hesp is the primary applicant, a total of eight other academics and researchers are listed as co-applicants on the application documentation.

The Applicant seeks to undertake geomorphological (landform) investigations, including the use of a drill rig (Geoprobe brand) to collect sub-surface samples, and archaeological investigations including the identification, recording, excavation and collection of samples from archaeological sites. Samples would also be removed from the state for destructive and non-destructive scientific analyses. The Research Project would be undertaken in six proposed research zones on the Younghusband Peninsula that fall within, or partially within, the Coorong National Park (Application Areas), approximately 130 km southeast of Adelaide.

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation’s (AAR’s) central archives contain records for 32 Aboriginal heritage sites within three of the six Application Areas. The Applicant advises that further Aboriginal heritage exists within each of the six Application Areas.

The Research Project would be undertaken collaboratively between Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (NAC) and Flinders University.

Under the Act, authorisations under sections 21 and 23 are required to excavate, uncover, damage, disturb and/or interfere with Aboriginal sites, objects and/or ancestral remains (heritage). Authorisation is required under section 29(1)(b) of the Act to remove an Aboriginal object from the state, e.g., for scientific analysis.

Prior to considering whether to grant the authorisations sought, section 13 of the Act requires the Minister to consult with the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee (Committee), Traditional Owners and any other Aboriginal people or organisations that he considers may have an interest in the matter.

For further information about this application, please refer to the Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation website.

Get involved

If you are a Traditional Owner or an Aboriginal party with an interest in the matter, please read the Consultation Information Pack and the Consultation Notice and consider the following three questions:

  1. Should the authorisations sought be granted to the Applicant? Why or why not?
  2. If the authorisations are granted, what conditions (if any) should be put on them?
  3. What should the Minister consider when deciding this application?

If you wish to learn more, lodge a submission and/or be notified of the Minister’s decision in this matter, please:

  • call us on (08) 8429 9408
  • email your feedback to AAR.CIR@sa.gov.au
  • post your feedback to:

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation

Attorney-General’s Department

GPO Box 464, ADELAIDE SA 5001

See the Consultation Information Pack or the Consultation Notice for further details on how to lodge a verbal or written submission.

Submissions must be received by AAR by Tuesday 5 September 2023.

What are the next steps?

Unless otherwise requested, all submissions would be forwarded to the Applicant for comment.

Once public consultation has closed, all consultation feedback, including any responses provided by the Applicant to consultee submissions received, will be forwarded to the Committee for its review. In light of that information, the Committee’s own advice about the Research Project will be sought.

AAR will then collate all feedback from the Committee and consultees with its own recommendations and provide these to the Minister with a brief to assist him make his final decision about the application.

Are you a Traditional Owner or Aboriginal party with an interest in the Coorong?

We want to hear from you about a research proposal to undertake geomorphological and archaeological investigations along the Younghusband Peninsula, in the Coorong, which would include excavations and the collection of geomorphological and archaeological samples for scientific analyses (Research Project).

Your views will help the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (the Minister) decide whether to authorise potential damage, disturbance or interference with Aboriginal heritage, and the removal of Aboriginal objects/materials from the state, to assist the Research Project.

Background

The Minister, who is responsible for the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA) (Act), has received an application for authorisations under the Act from Professor Patrick Hesp of Flinders University (Applicant). While Professor Hesp is the primary applicant, a total of eight other academics and researchers are listed as co-applicants on the application documentation.

The Applicant seeks to undertake geomorphological (landform) investigations, including the use of a drill rig (Geoprobe brand) to collect sub-surface samples, and archaeological investigations including the identification, recording, excavation and collection of samples from archaeological sites. Samples would also be removed from the state for destructive and non-destructive scientific analyses. The Research Project would be undertaken in six proposed research zones on the Younghusband Peninsula that fall within, or partially within, the Coorong National Park (Application Areas), approximately 130 km southeast of Adelaide.

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation’s (AAR’s) central archives contain records for 32 Aboriginal heritage sites within three of the six Application Areas. The Applicant advises that further Aboriginal heritage exists within each of the six Application Areas.

The Research Project would be undertaken collaboratively between Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (NAC) and Flinders University.

Under the Act, authorisations under sections 21 and 23 are required to excavate, uncover, damage, disturb and/or interfere with Aboriginal sites, objects and/or ancestral remains (heritage). Authorisation is required under section 29(1)(b) of the Act to remove an Aboriginal object from the state, e.g., for scientific analysis.

Prior to considering whether to grant the authorisations sought, section 13 of the Act requires the Minister to consult with the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee (Committee), Traditional Owners and any other Aboriginal people or organisations that he considers may have an interest in the matter.

For further information about this application, please refer to the Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation website.

Get involved

If you are a Traditional Owner or an Aboriginal party with an interest in the matter, please read the Consultation Information Pack and the Consultation Notice and consider the following three questions:

  1. Should the authorisations sought be granted to the Applicant? Why or why not?
  2. If the authorisations are granted, what conditions (if any) should be put on them?
  3. What should the Minister consider when deciding this application?

If you wish to learn more, lodge a submission and/or be notified of the Minister’s decision in this matter, please:

  • call us on (08) 8429 9408
  • email your feedback to AAR.CIR@sa.gov.au
  • post your feedback to:

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation

Attorney-General’s Department

GPO Box 464, ADELAIDE SA 5001

See the Consultation Information Pack or the Consultation Notice for further details on how to lodge a verbal or written submission.

Submissions must be received by AAR by Tuesday 5 September 2023.

What are the next steps?

Unless otherwise requested, all submissions would be forwarded to the Applicant for comment.

Once public consultation has closed, all consultation feedback, including any responses provided by the Applicant to consultee submissions received, will be forwarded to the Committee for its review. In light of that information, the Committee’s own advice about the Research Project will be sought.

AAR will then collate all feedback from the Committee and consultees with its own recommendations and provide these to the Minister with a brief to assist him make his final decision about the application.