Aboriginal heritage

This section of this website includes information that will assist people conducting on-ground works to ensure that Aboriginal cultural heritage is appropriately accounted for and managed. (On-ground works in this context includes any activity- physical, chemical or biological - that impacts upon the landscape.)

In what circumstances do I need to account for Aboriginal heritage?

• It is a condition of all Corangamite Catchment Management Authority funding for on-ground works that the conservation of Aboriginal heritage be planned for and undertaken.
• All Aboriginal artifacts and cultural places in Victoria are protected by law. It is illegal to disturb or destroy an Aboriginal place. Artifacts should not be removed from sites.

Registered Aboriginal cultural heritage places in the Corangamite region

In November 2007 the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Places database maintained by Aboriginal Affairs Victoria included records of the following occurrences of Aboriginal sites and artifacts in the Corangamite CMA region:

Place type	Number of recorded occurrences

Shell middens (coastal and freshwater)	435
Artifact scatters	1,384
Earth features (e.g. occupation mounds)	99
Burial/human remains	31
Stone features (e.g. ceremonial stone arrangements)	18
Scar trees	44
Quarries	15
Aboriginal cultural heritage places	7
Art sites	2

Descriptions of the various types of Aboriginal sites and artifacts that may be encountered in the course of Environmental projects can be found in the sites and artifact description pages