1. Executive summary
- Provide an executive summary that briefly describes: the nature and extent of the proposed activity, the purpose and aims of the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan, the results of the assessment and any management conditions or recommendations.
2. Define and described the project
- Provide clear information about the nature, design, duration, location, and extent of the project.
- Provide current, detailed maps of the area covered by the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan with information on Aboriginal cultural heritage highlighted including:
- areas subject to survey
- location of sites/objects
- sites/objects that have been salvaged no-go, restricted or conservation areas.
Note: Where there are culturally sensitive restrictions placed on information and data by Aboriginal people the plan must outline how restricted sites and information will be identified and dealt with during the life of the project.
3. Outline the purpose and scope of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage management plan
- Present the key factors including:
- project area
- stages of the proposal covered (if relevant)
- consent conditions (if relevant)
- legislative requirements including the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974
- protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage
- avoidance, mitigation, and management of likely development impacts including salvage; and consultation with relevant Aboriginal community stakeholders.
- Indicate clear time frames for the duration of the plan and periodic review.
4. Summarise the Aboriginal heritage resources and project impacts
- Identify the known and predicted Aboriginal cultural heritage resource within the project area and their management strategy. Use a table when numerous sites are identified. Link to any relevant details in other sections of the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan.
- Provide a description/listing of any recommended strategy for the avoidance and/or mitigation of impacts for each known Aboriginal object/site within the project area (see sections 7 & 8 below) including updating the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System.
5. Outline Aboriginal community involvement
- Identify how ongoing consultation with, and involvement of, the Aboriginal community will occur. This may include (but is not limited to):
- establishing an Aboriginal consultative committee including its form, function, operation, and reporting requirements
- providing roles and responsibility for all parties
- providing Aboriginal community access to sites
- outlining Aboriginal community involvement in site protection measures (e.g., fencing)
- outlining Aboriginal community monitoring of ground disturbance in culturally sensitive areas
- outlining Aboriginal community participation in salvage works
- establishing the role of the Aboriginal community in care and control of salvaged objects
- a process to address any conflicts that cannot be resolved between the parties (e.g., dispute resolution protocols)
- communication protocols
- a process on how and why the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan can be changed (e.g., variation cause).
6. Provide operational and training protocols
- Outline the obligations and/or requirements of all employees, contractors, sub- contractors, and visitors for protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage within the project area. It is important these obligations and/or requirements are understood and followed by all.
- Include Aboriginal cultural heritage awareness training for all employees, contractors, sub-contractors, and visitors as part of workplace induction procedures.
- Outline the protocols for operation of the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan and clearly indicate the roles and responsibilities of staff for the timing and implementation of all protocols.
- Outline how compliance and performance will be measured (refer to section 11).
7. Describe Aboriginal site protection measures
Where measure/actions are required to avoid or mitigate project impacts the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan must outline the following:
- steps to complete the action
- how to document the action (e.g., clearance checklist)
- who is responsible for implementation
- who is responsible for ongoing management
- timeframes for the action (e.g., before works commence)
- maps showing 'no-go,' restricted or conservation areas and location of sites.
Examples of actions are:
- installation of warning signage or fencing for known sites
- erosion and sediment control
- feral animal and weed control
- bushfire maintenance
- management of indirect mining impacts including subsidence impacts
- installation and maintenance of transport corridors.
8. Describe mitigation measures
- When a site may be impacted the mitigation measures must be described for each site. This may include:
- information on the archaeological team
- conservation actions
- reporting requirements
- information on temporary and permanent storage
- Aboriginal community involvement (see section 5).
9. Aboriginal site reporting requirements
- Outline the reporting procedures:
- the legal requirement under section 89A of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 to record new sites
- the notification procedure to Heritage NSW of new Aboriginal objects revealed through any ground disturbance or survey works including:
- how the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan will be amended
- information about, and access to, Heritage NSW Aboriginal site recording forms
- the procedure to be adopted if human skeletal remains are found including 'stop work' protocols, notification procedures (including Police and Heritage NSW) and site access restrictions
- procedures to be adopted for protection, salvage and/or in the event of unapproved site impacts. Ensure Heritage NSW receives updated information relating to all sites within the project area
- procedures to manage unexpected finds of Aboriginal objects
- identification of the training, roles, and responsibilities of all staff with respect to notification and reporting of Aboriginal cultural heritage matters
- how Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System records for existing sites will be updated to reflect management actions taken.
10. Link to other environmental management plans
- Provide a link to relevant environmental management plans and outline the obligations and/or requirements that must be considered regarding their implementation.
- Ensure other environmental management plans are updated with obligations and/or requirements under the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan.
11. Performance monitoring and review
- Include a schedule for periodic reviews of the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan and develop appropriate reporting mechanisms (e.g., pro forma) for these reviews. The reviews may be incorporated into broader environmental management review documents.
- Include provisions for monitoring and/or review of the key performance criteria in the Aboriginal cultural heritage management plan. This may include (but need not be limited to):
- monitoring of work plans so that any new ground disturbance activities are preceded by processes agreed to in the plan (e.g., archaeological survey)
- monitoring and review of the detail and accuracy of the reporting of new sites and of salvage activities
- periodic inspection of protected sites to check for damage and intact signage and fencing
- review of site induction processes to ensure that employees, contractors, sub-contractors, and visitors have received and are applying the training
- monitoring of activities associated with any provisions for care and control of salvaged objects including post-salvage record keeping, provision and adequacy of any 'temporary storage'
- monitoring of the progress of applications to Heritage NSW for transfer of Aboriginal objects to the Aboriginal community (also known as a Care Agreement).
12. Definitions and/or glossary of terms
- Include a list of definitions of key terms and include an explanatory list for all abbreviations (e.g., ground disturbance).