AHIMS has been upgraded to enable the instant delivery of site cards and reports, and automated payments. This upgrade went live in late 2023. Manual invoicing will be discontinued after this date. This upgrade does not change the way Aboriginal cultural heritage information is accessed and managed in AHIMS.
Do you have questions about changes to AHIMS?
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the new automated service.
The AHIMS contains information for over 100,000 recorded Aboriginal sites and over 14,000 archaeological and cultural heritage assessment reports.
Access the AHIMS below.
Refer to the frequently asked questions below for how to search and request information from the AHIMS about:
- Aboriginal Places declared by the Minister for Heritage that have special significance to Aboriginal people
- other significant Aboriginal sites and objects.
All of these are collectively referred to as Aboriginal ‘sites’ in the database.
The AHIMS offers services including:
- requesting copies of archaeological reports and site cards
- requesting sensitive information under an Aboriginal heritage information licence agreement.
Search Aboriginal sites for due diligence
Before carrying out any on-ground work or activity, thought must be given to how it might affect Aboriginal sites. For some activities, the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 requires the exercise of due diligence to see if Aboriginal sites might be harmed by activities. Checking the AHIMS is part of this due diligence.
Refer to the Due diligence code of practice for the protection of Aboriginal objects in NSW if you are doing a search as a part of the due diligence process.
The code of practice sets out the reasonable and practicable steps which individuals and organisations need to take in order to:
- identify whether or not Aboriginal objects are, or are likely to be, present in an area
- determine whether or not their activities are likely to harm Aboriginal objects (if present), and
- determine whether an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit (AHIP) application is needed.
Register as a first-time user or log in to AHIMS.
To perform a basic search you can use:
- a single lot and DP reference for a parcel of land
- easting and northing coordinates of the area of the proposed activity (minimum and maximum coordinates are needed to form a rectangular search area)
- longitude and latitude coordinates of the area of the proposed activity
- map viewer to zoom in to the area using a street address locator.
Refer to the AHIMS Web Services Quick reference guide [PDF 820KB] for more tips on how to enter basic search criteria.
A basic search will assess if any relevant items have been recorded in the search area. These could be:
- Aboriginal objects (as defined under the National Parks and Wildlife Act)
- a declared Aboriginal Place (as defined under the National Parks and Wildlife Act) that may or may not contain Aboriginal objects
- a group of Aboriginal objects (such as a collection, scattering or deposit)
- an area of land containing Aboriginal objects
- a potential archaeological deposit (an area where previous investigation shows that Aboriginal objects are likely to be present)
- an Aboriginal site that has been partially or fully destroyed under the conditions of a past consent.
Next step:
If the results of your basic search show there are no Aboriginal sites in the area of proposed activity, consider whether Aboriginal objects are likely to be in the area by looking at the landscape features and by doing additional research and assessments.
If the results show there is an Aboriginal site in the area of proposed activity, you will need to do an extensive search to look for more information about the Aboriginal site/s.
To perform an extensive search you can use:
- a single lot and DP reference for a parcel of land
- easting and northing coordinates of the area of the proposed activity (minimum and maximum coordinates are needed to form a rectangular search area)
- longitude and latitude coordinates of the area of the proposed activity.
- map viewer that allows you to zoom in to the area of interest using a street address locator
- shapefile polygon to upload any boundary (in shapefile format) for the area you want to search.
If you have already performed a basic search in AHIMS you will not need to re-enter the search coordinates as the system will re-use them.
You can also use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) boundaries of the area of proposed activity for an extensive search.
Next step:
Extensive search results are provided as a report in PDF format. The report will contain more information about the Aboriginal site/s, such as site features, site location and the name of the site. Extensive search reports are made available within 10 working days.
An Aboriginal Heritage Information Licence Agreement (AHILA) is used to ask for information about large areas or information that is deemed sensitive. For example:
- multiple recorded Aboriginal sites across a local government area or particular region
- sensitive Aboriginal sites
- recorded Aboriginal sites located near a major development project (such as road or other infrastructure network).
An AHILA is a signed agreement between Heritage NSW (the department) and the applicant. The agreement covers the terms for releasing the information and the applicant’s obligations when using it.
Most AHILAs are completed within 4 to 8 weeks. This gives Aboriginal organisations enough time to provide endorsement or comments on the release of information.
A site card is the original document that was completed when an Aboriginal site was recorded in the field. Copies of these documents are stored in PDF format and they can be requested when additional information about a site might be necessary. Site cards might include photographs, maps, detailed descriptions of site contents and management recommendations. The level of detail in each site card varies historically and according to the effort put by the original recorder.
The site cards go back to the 1970s, when the original register was established by the Australian Museum. Since then, the format and presentation of site cards have changed at times including the type of information recorded.
Archaeological reports are also known as Aboriginal cultural heritage reports. They are usually submitted as part of the due diligence process or cultural heritage studies done by archaeologists or heritage professionals.
The reports can include background information, methodology, detailed analysis, conclusions and recommendations regarding the Aboriginal cultural heritage in a particular area. Copies of these documents are stored in PDF format and can be requested when additional information about a site might be necessary.
The table outlines available services and fees. Aboriginal individuals, Aboriginal community organisations and some government agencies are eligible for fee waivers. Find more information on fee waivers at Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System – automated service.
| AHIMS service | What the user receives | Fee (GST exempt) |
|---|---|---|
| Report or site card | PDF document/s via email, usually after an AHIMS database search. | $0.40 per page (minimum charge $20 if not associated with a search service) |
| Archive visit | Access to AHIMS archive | Free |
| Archive visit – photocopy or PDF | Photocopy or PDF document/s | $0.40 per page (minimum charge $20 if not associated with a search service) |
| Search – basic | Cover letter | Free |
| Search – extensive | PDF or Excel report, and cover letter | $60 |
| Search – GIS | PDF report | $60 |
| Express search surcharge | Service provided in 2 working days | $50 |
| Data request – Aboriginal heritage information licence agreement (AHILA) | Use of, or access to, data for up to 2 years | $210 |
| Data request – resupply of data from AHILA | Resupply of data based on current AHILA (includes the new search) | $60 |
| Other – processing surcharge | Specialist services that cannot be processed under normal service conditions | $90 per hour |
Record Aboriginal sites found in New South Wales
If a new Aboriginal site is found in New South Wales it should be recorded in the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS).
There are 2 ways to record Aboriginal sites:
Mobile phone app
Download the free AHIMS site recording mobile app. The app was developed to make site recording easy, consistent, and more accurate.
When using the mobile app to record site information, a site card will automatically be generated with the site details entered. You will be identified as a ‘recorder’ in the AHIMS.
Desktop platform
Access Quarantine Station to:
- view any site cards created by you when using the mobile app, before they are uploaded to AHIMS
- import extensive searches from AHIMS which can be viewed via the mobile app and used in the field
- submit an Aboriginal site impact recording form for a site impacted as part of archaeological investigation and authorised impacts under an Aboriginal heritage impact permit.
Record natural and unauthorised impacts to Aboriginal sites in New South Wales
In cases where a recorded Aboriginal site has been impacted by the occurrence of natural events such as wildfires or floods, complete the Natural and unauthorised impact assessment Aboriginal cultural heritage form [DOCX 80KB]. This form can also be used to record accidental or unauthorised impacts to sites already recorded.
This form is only for sites already recorded in Aboriginal heritage information management system.
Condition reporting includes:
- identifying whether Aboriginal cultural heritage has been lost or harmed, to what degree it has been harmed and whether it is still at immediate, short- or long-term risk
- identifying immediate, short- and long-term actions that can be taken to protect and manage the Aboriginal cultural heritage recorded during these surveys.