Applicant:  The Urban Renewal Authority trading as Renewal SA

Application area: An area of land 17.08 hectares in size immediately south of Womma Road, east of Heaslip Road, and north of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Edinburgh in Penfield

Application type: Sections 21, 23 and 29(1)(b)

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs has received an application for authorisations under the Act from Renewal SA to impact Aboriginal heritage during construction of its proposed Deeper Maintenance and Modification Facility (DMMF).

Under the Act, authorisations under sections 21 and 23 are required to excavate, uncover, damage, disturb or interfere with Aboriginal sites, objects and/or ancestral remains.

Authorisation under section 29(1)(b) has also been sought to allow, should Traditional Owners request it, for radiocarbon dating to be undertaken on any discovered heritage, as this would require its removal from the state to suitable testing facilities interstate or overseas.

About the project

The project involves the construction of a facility within an area of land immediately south of Womma Road, east of Heaslip Road, and north of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Edinburgh in Penfield.

The facility would be for the long-term maintenance and modification requirements of the Commonwealth Department of Defence’s Boeing 737 aircraft fleet next to RAAF Base Edinburgh.

The project would consist of ground-disturbing works associated with the construction of 4 aircraft hangars, warehouses, workshops, offices, and associated infrastructure and services. Landscaping and vegetation clearing is also proposed, as well as various works required to establish a temporary compound.

Known Aboriginal heritage

While Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation’s (AAR’s) central archives have no records of previously identified Aboriginal heritage within the application area, in April 2022 a cultural heritage survey conducted by Neale Draper & Associates (ND&A) and 4 Kaurna representatives identified 6 Aboriginal objects.

Aboriginal heritage management

The Applicant, in conjunction with ND&A, developed a draft Kaurna Cultural Heritage Management Plan (KCHMP), for managing known, as well as any discovered Aboriginal heritage, throughout the life of the project.

Should the authorisations be granted to the Applicant, the KCHMP will be updated in consultation with the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC.

Consultation and submissions

Before granting any authorisation under the Act, section 13 requires the Minister to consult with Traditional Owners, the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee (SAHC) and any other Aboriginal parties that may have an interest in the matter.

See the following for detailed information about the application - including a map and information provided by the Applicant:

Consultation information pack (PDF, 8.3 MB)

In addition to its own proposed management measures, Renewal SA has committed to following AAR’s Aboriginal Heritage Discovery Protocols (PDF, 154.0 KB) and Heritage Impact Procedure (PDF, 257.4 KB) if heritage is discovered during project works. More information about the Applicant’s proposed heritage management measures is presented in the consultation information pack.

Aboriginal Community Consultation Meeting

An Aboriginal Community consultation meeting about the application will be held for Traditional Owners and any other interested Aboriginal parties.

10:00 am, Friday 12 April 2024
Tauondi Aboriginal College
1 Lipson Street
Port Adelaide SA

A light lunch will be provided for attendees. For catering purposes, please RSVP to AAR as soon as possible.

Submissions

If you are a Traditional Owner or an interested Aboriginal party, please consider making a submission.

When making a submission, consider the following key questions:

1. Should the authorisations sought by the Applicant be granted? Why or why not?
2. If the authorisations are granted, what conditions (if any) should be imposed on them?
3. Will the Project provide you with any direct or indirect benefits (e.g. cultural, financial or personal)?
4. Are there any other matters the Minister should consider when deciding this application?

Consultation closes Friday 26 April 2024

More information

RSVPs, all consultation feedback and/or requests for further information should be provided to:

AAR.CIR@sa.gov.au

(08) 7424 6674

Dr Stephen Muller
Senior Project Officer (Heritage)
Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation
GPO Box 464, ADELAIDE SA 5001

Applicant: Walker Buckland Park Developments Pty Ltd

Application areas: Authorisations were originally sought over 2 separate areas located in Riverlea Park (formerly Buckland Park) approximately 30km north of Adelaide. In late October 2023, the applicant varied the application to include 3 additional areas of land within its existing development approval.

The 5 areas are located south of the Gawler River (Kadlitparri) and west of Port Wakefield Road

Application type: Sections 21, 23 and 29(1)(b)

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs received an application for authorisations under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 from Walker Buckland Park Developments Pty Ltd (the Applicant) to impact Aboriginal heritage during the construction of a large development at Riverlea Park (formerly Buckland Park) north of Adelaide.

Under the Act, authorisations under sections 21 and 23 are required to excavate, uncover, damage, disturb or interfere with Aboriginal sites, objects and/or ancestral remains.

Authorisation is also required under section 29(1)(b) to remove Aboriginal objects from the state. This includes for the purposes of undertaking analysis of Aboriginal objects at interstate research facilities.

About the project

As part of the development, ground-disturbing works are proposed to construct residential housing, retail and commercial areas, schools, sports fields, lakes, reserves, stormwater management, and for the installation of services.

Known Aboriginal heritage within the application area, as well as any discovered Aboriginal heritage, would be excavated and removed, if necessary, to enable these works.

Further information about the development, including an interactive masterplan map, is available on the Riverlea website.

An Environmental Impact Statement has also been prepared for the development, updated in April 2023. See a copy on the PlanSA website.

Aboriginal heritage

The application area contains extensive Aboriginal heritage, including:

• multiple Aboriginal ancestral burials
• archaeological sites
• culturally modified trees.

Consultation and submissions

Before granting any authorisation under the Act, section 13 requires the Minister to consult with Traditional Owners, the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee (SAHC) and any other Aboriginal parties that may have an interest in the matter.

Consultation closed on Thursday 25 February 2024.

See the following updated information about the application - including updated maps, additional information provided by the Applicant and a consultation addendum (attachment 9).

Consultation information pack with new attachment 9 (amended 22 December 2023) (PDF, 11.5 MB)

Attachment 9 - Consultation Addendum (22 December 2023) (PDF, 277.2 KB)

Consultation notice (amended 22 December 2023) (PDF, 7.6 MB)

Updated Information - 16 February 2024

Riverlea Park Development Update - Letter to Consultees (16 February 2024) (PDF, 254.9 KB)

What happens next

Submissions will be forwarded to the Applicant for response. Once the public consultation period has closed, submissions and the Applicant's comments about them will be forwarded to the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee for its views.

AAR will then collate all feedback with its own recommendations to the Minister to help them make a final decision about the application.

Applicant: District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula

Application area: Two parcels of Crown land comprising the Poonindie Cemetery and a surrounding vacant paddock

Application type: Sections 21 and 23

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs has received an application for authorisations under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 from the District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula to carry out upgrade works at the Poonindie Cemetery, some 17 km north of Port Lincoln.

Under the Act, authorisations under sections 21 and 23 are required to excavate, uncover, damage, disturb or interfere with Aboriginal sites, objects and/or ancestral remains (together, heritage).

About the project

The Poonindie Cemetery once formed part of the former Poonindie Mission, which was operated by the Church of England from 1850 to 1894. The former Poonindie Mission holds historical significance for many Aboriginal families across South Australia, and potentially other parts of Australia, who have historical connections to the mission, and/or whose ancestors may be buried at the cemetery.

The Council proposes to carry out upgrade works, including ground-disturbing works, within the application area.

These works would involve:

• removing an existing fence and installing a new rabbit-exclusion fence and entrance gate
• creating a new gravel parking area and access track from the parking area to Cemetery Close
• installing a shelter with a concrete floor, bench seats, and information signs
• planting native trees around parts of the cemetery, parking area and access track
• repairing warrens and depressions using soil sourced from other areas within the local council
• laying gravel to define designated walking paths as well as laying gravel over possible burials in a contrasting colour so they are easily identified
• any additional works that may reasonably be required to complete the project.

Aboriginal heritage management

The Poonindie Cemetery is listed as an Aboriginal heritage site on Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation’s (AAR’s) central archives.

The District Council released a draft Poonindie Cemetery Management Concept Plan, which outlines the project, for council-wide consultation between 22 November and 14 December 2022. A copy of the draft plan is available on the council's website.

Despite the project being conservation-oriented, the council acknowledges that the works are proposed within an Aboriginal site, and therefore interference with that site may be inevitable. On this basis, the council sought authorisations to avoid any inadvertent breach of the Act in delivering the project.

To help identify and avoid the many unmarked burials in the Poonindie Cemetery during project works, the council engaged Flinders University to carry out a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) assessment over parts of the application area in September 2022. See the GPR assessment results on the council's website.

Consultation and submissions

Before granting any authorisation under the Act, section 13 requires the Minister to consult with Traditional Owners, the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee and any other Aboriginal persons or bodies that may have an interest in the matter.

Consultation closed on Thursday 22 February 2024.

See the following detailed information about the application prepared by AAR based on information provided by the Applicant:

Consultation Information Pack (PDF, 3.5 MB)

Consultation Notice (PDF, 1.6 MB)

An Aboriginal Community consultation meeting was held for Traditional Owners and any other interested Aboriginal parties on Thursday 8 February 2024.

What happens next

Submissions will be forwarded to the Applicant for response. Once the public consultation period has closed, submissions and the Applicant's comments about them will be forwarded to the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee for its views.

AAR will then collate all feedback with its own