Report to the Future Melbourne (Arts, Culture and Heritage) Committee
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Page 1 of 366 Report to the Future Melbourne (Arts, Culture and Heritage) Agenda item 6.2 Committee Recommendations of Aboriginal Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the Hoddle Grid 2 April 2019 Heritage Review Presenter: Emma Appleton, Manager Urban Strategy Purpose and background 1. The purpose of this report is to provide the Future Melbourne Committee with three volumes of the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review (The Review) which pertain to Aboriginal Heritage (Volume 3), Aboriginal History (Volume 4) and Pre-Contact Aboriginal Archaeology (Volume 5) (Attachment 2); and to provide management’s recommendations to implement these volumes of the Review. Volumes 1 and 2 of the Review regarding built heritage were considered by Future Melbourne Committee on 21 August 2018. 2. The area which became known as the Hoddle Grid was a place of meeting and ceremony for thousands of years before colonial settlers arrived – a highly significant place for Aboriginal people. In the post contact period the Hoddle Grid was then a place for key interactions between settlers and Aboriginal people. 3. The Review, undertaken by a team of independent expert heritage consultants led by Context, sets a new benchmark for heritage assessment that represents best practice, evidence based assessment and draws on the knowledge of Traditional Owners to gain a better appreciation and understanding of Aboriginal heritage values. 4. The Review was undertaken by engaging closely with the Traditional Owners: the Boon Wurrung, Bunurong and Wurundjeri people, with a specific geographic focus on the Hoddle Grid. An innovative component of this engagement has been a co-research model where Traditional Owners selected places of significance to them and collaborated with heritage consultants to produce place research reports. This model enabled Traditional Owners to draw on and maintain control of information held by community members, as well as to build capability in the preparation of heritage studies. Key issues 5. Aboriginal Heritage (Volume 3) outlines the methodology undertaken to inform research for the Aboriginal volumes of the Review and contains 14 place reports co-researched by the Traditional Owners. The places identified and actions to implement the findings of Volume 3 are summarised in Attachment 3. For each place identified as significant, one or more of the following actions may be relevant: 5.1. Record and interpret places via the City of Melbourne’s Aboriginal Melbourne digital mapping tool currently under development. 5.2. Consult with Aboriginal Victoria about recognition of Aboriginal values on the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register (VAHR) – the register of Aboriginal heritage places. 5.3. Consult with Heritage Victoria about recognition of Aboriginal values on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) – the register of state significant heritage places - including piloting a change of registration application to better understand the process necessary to amend the VHR. 5.4. Consult with Heritage Victoria about possible amendment to site information recorded on the Victorian Heritage Inventory (VHI) – the inventory of all known historical archaeology sites in Victoria. 6. Aboriginal History (Volume 4) explores the Aboriginal history of Melbourne before and after colonisation using an Aboriginal and shared history thematic framework. It is recommended that this history is published on the City of Melbourne website to communicate the Aboriginal heritage significance of the Hoddle Grid, once final review has been undertaken by all Traditional Owners. 7. Pre-Contact Archaeology (Volume 5) analyses the pre-contact Aboriginal archaeology of the Hoddle Grid incorporating evidence uncovered through archaeological investigations and knowledge of past ground disturbance, resulting in a spatial model that predicts areas of archaeological sensitivity. The recommendations of Volume 5 are to request the submission of voluntary Cultural Heritage Management Plans (CHMPs), to inform permit applicants on the importance of urban Aboriginal archaeology and to continue to update the spatial model to reflect recent archaeological discoveries. 1 Page 2 of 366 Recommendation from management 8. That the Future Melbourne Committee: 8.1. Notes three volumes of the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review which pertain to Aboriginal Heritage (Volume 3), Aboriginal History (Volume 4) and Pre-Contact Archaeology (Volume 5) - Attachment 2. 8.2. Authorises management to progress actions to implement the findings of Aboriginal Heritage (Volume 3) as summarised in Attachment 3 including the following: 8.2.1. Record and interpret the places identified in the Review via the Aboriginal Melbourne digital mapping tool. 8.2.2. Consult with Aboriginal Victoria about recognition of Aboriginal values on the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register. 8.2.3. Consult with Heritage Victoria about recognition of Aboriginal values on the Victorian Heritage Register, including piloting a change of registration process. 8.2.4. Consult with Heritage Victoria about possible amendment to site information recorded on the Victorian Heritage Inventory. 8.3. Authorises management to publish the Aboriginal History (Volume 4) on the City of Melbourne website following final review by all Traditional Owners. 8.4. Authorises management to implement the recommendations of the Pre-Contact Archaeology (Volume 5) as set out below: 8.4.1 Request the submission of voluntary Cultural Heritage Management Plans with all development applications deemed high impact as defined by the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 2018 in areas identified as having archaeological sensitivity within the site predictive model. 8.4.2. Continue to update the site predictive model to recognise additional archaeological evidence regarding the Hoddle Grid. 8.4.3. Develop a brochure that provides information to permit applicants on the importance of managing Aboriginal archaeology in urban environments. Attachments: 1. Supporting Attachment 2. Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review 3. Management’s recommendations to implement recommendations of Volume 3 2 Page 3 of 366 Attachment 1 Agenda item 6.2 Future Melbourne Committee 2 April 2019 Supporting Attachment Legal 1. The Heritage Council of Victoria may amend the VHR under Section 62 of the Heritage Act 2017. 2. The VAHR must record details of all known Aboriginal places in Victoria under Section 145 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. 3. The VHI site information is not controlled by statute. 4. CHMPs may be prepared under Section 45 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 even if not required under that Act. Finance 5. Adding/amending places on the VAHR and VHR to reflect Aboriginal values will cost approximately $30,000. This will be covered by the 2019-20 budget, pending Council endorsement. Conflict of interest 6. No member of Council staff, or other person engaged under a contract, involved in advising on or preparing this report has declared a direct or indirect interest in relation to the matter of the report. Health and Safety 7. In developing this proposal, no Occupational Health and Safety issues or opportunities have been identified. Stakeholder consultation 8. All three Traditional Owner groups have been consulted during all stages of development of Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the Review. It will be necessary for some Traditional Owner groups to provide final review of Volume 4 (Aboriginal History) prior to publishing. Relation to Council policy 9. Recognising the Aboriginal heritage values of the Hoddle Grid aligns with Council policy seeking to conserve and protect places of identified heritage significance, including Council Plan Goals, the Heritage Strategy 2013, and Clauses 21.06 of the Municipal Strategic Statement and 22.04 of the Local Planning Policy Framework. Environmental sustainability 10. The recommendations of this report do not impact on environmental sustainability. 1 Page 4 of 366 HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEW Volume 3: Aboriginal Heritage Final Report March 2019 Prepared for City of Melbourne Page 5 of 366 © Context 2018 [GML Heritage Victoria Pty Ltd, trading as Context. ABN 31 620 754 761] Project Team: Context: Chris Johnston, Project Manager Louise Honman, Vanessa Walker, Robyn Ballinger, Vicki McLean, Helen Doyle. Support team: Chairim Byun, Jessica Antolino, Rosalie Mickan On Country Heritage and Consulting: Katrina Hodgson, Amanda Lourie, Nina Kojovic Ochre Imprints: Petra Schell, Sharon Lane and Meg Goulding Spatial Vision: Geoff Williams Recognition of Traditional Owner connections: The project team acknowledges the contributions of the following Traditional Owner organisations, their Elders, members and staff: Boon Wurrung Foundation, Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation. Future understandings of the Aboriginal history, peoples and their connections with the City of Melbourne and the Hoddle Grid study area may indicate that it is time to review and revise this history. Report Register This Report Register documents the development and issue of the report entitled Hoddle Grid Heritage Review – Volume 3: Aboriginal Heritage undertaken by Context in accordance with our internal quality management system. Project Issue Notes/description Issue Issued to No. No. Date 2255 1 Hoddle Grid Heritage Review – 26.6.2018 City of Melbourne Volume 3: Aboriginal Heritage - Draft 2255 2 Hoddle Grid Heritage Review – 29.6.2018 City of Melbourne Volume 3: Aboriginal Heritage revisions 2255 3 Hoddle Grid Heritage Review