OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management

3 LANDSCAPE CONTEXT

An understanding of the environmental contexts of a Study Area is requisite in any Aboriginal archaeological investigation. It is a particularly important consideration in the development and implementation of survey strategies for the detection of archaeological sites. In addition, natural geomorphic processes of erosion and/or deposition, as well as humanly activated landscape processes, influence the degree to which these material culture remains are retained in the landscape as archaeological sites; and the degree to which they are preserved, revealed and/or conserved in present environmental settings.

3.1 TOPOGRAPHY The Study Area for the Proposal slopes to the south with the northern portions between 650 and 700m above sea level and the southern portions between 550 and 600m above sea level (Figure 3-1).

Figure 3-1: Topography of the Study Area.

1. View of the northern portions of the Study Area (view 2. View of the southern portions of the Study Area (view south). south).

3.2 GEOLOGY AND SOILS The Pinnacle Nature Reserve is part of a ridge including Mt Painter that runs west from Black Mountain. This ridge forms the southern boundary of the suburban area, and is also the water divide that separates the Creek catchment from that of the Molonglo .

The rocks underlying The Pinnacle Reserve belong to the Hawkins Volcanic Suite, and specifically the Walker Volcanics, deposited in the mid-Silurian geological period (about 425 million years ago). As the name implies, these are largely of volcanic origin and the main rock type mapped to the area is dacitic ignimbrite. The volcanic eruptions occurred in a shallow marine and terrestrial environment. Between eruptions, lenses of sedimentary rocks (limestone and shale) were incorporated into the geological sequence. An outcrop of one of these limestone

Historic and Cultural Heritage Assessment Report: Molonglo 3 Water Supply Pipeline 9 OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management deposits occurs in the southern part of The Pinnacle Reserve. It is possibly part of the same deposit that is found further down the hill along the , and which is rich in marine fossils.

Over much of the Study Area, the surface is rocky and the soils are shallow. On the slopes and in the depressions, however, deeper soil formation has occurred. Most of the area is covered by soils assessed to have a moderate to very high erosion hazard, with patches, mainly in low lying areas, having extreme erosion hazard.

3.3 HYDROLOGY The Study Area is located in landforms on either side of an unnamed drainage line tributary of Deep Creek which flows into the Molonglo River. The drainage line within the Study Area is a first order waterway (Strahler Stream Order1); a non-perennial stream with water flows largely restricted to rain periods (Figure 3-2).

Figure 3-2: Hydrology of the Study Area.

1. View of the northern portions of Deep Creek within the 2. View of the southern portions of Deep Creek within the Study Area (view north). Study Area (view northwest).

3.4 VEGETATION While a large part of the Study Area has suffered from clearing of forest and grazing in the past, the northern portion still contains native vegetation. Woodland patches in the study area are primarily dominated by Inland Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus rossii), Red Stringybark (E. macrorhyncha) and Apple Box (E. bridgesiana), with occasional Blakely’s Red Gum (E. blakelyi) and Yellow Box (E. melliodora). Shrubs such as Bursaria spinosa and Cassinia uncata are

1 To qualify as a stream it must be either recurring or perennial. Recurring streams have water in the channel for at least part of the year. When two first-order streams come together, they form a second-order stream. When two second-order streams come together, they form a third-order stream. Streams of lower order joining a higher order stream do not change the order of the higher stream. Thus, if a first-order stream joins a second-order stream, it remains a second-order stream. It is not until a second-order stream combines with another second-order stream that it becomes a third-order stream.

Historic and Cultural Heritage Assessment Report: Molonglo 3 Water Supply Pipeline 10 OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management present in the understorey, with fallen timber and leaf litter at ground level. There are also forbs including daisies and lilies. Weed invasion is less noticeable in the north than in the south of the Study Area.

The tree cover of The Pinnacles Nature Reserve was augmented by community plantings in 1984 and 1990/91 when over 4,000 trees and shrubs were planted. A range of Acacia species and other native trees or large shrubs were introduced to the reserve at that time. Photographs supplied by the Friends of The Pinnacle show the marked increase in tree cover from 1991 (

Figure 3-3).

In the north of the Study Area, the proposal site passes through plantings of various native tree species (locally native and non-locally native). These plantings include tree species such as Apple Box, Brittle Gum (E. mannifera), Argyle Apple (E. cinerea), Blakely’s Red Gum, Ribbon Gum (E. viminalis) and Yellow Box. The groundcover vegetation in the proposal site is dominated by introduced groundcover vegetation species. The south of the Study Area has largely been cleared of native vegetation. Groundcover vegetation here is also dominated by introduced groundcover vegetation species.

Introduced grasses are common over much of the Study Area and represent the ‘pasture- improvement’ practices of past lessees and graziers. Open grassland has been invaded by Acacia, forming thickets where fires have stimulated germination.

Generally the northern portions of the Study Area consist of open woodland while the southern portions consist of grassed paddocks (Figure 3-4).

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Figure 3-3: Vegetation regeneration at The Pinnacle Nature Reserve between 1991 and 2011 (source: Friends of The Pinnacle).

Figure 3-4: Vegetation of the Study Area.

1. View of the northern portions of the Study Area (view 2. View of the southern portions of the Study Area (view north). southeast).

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3.5 CLIMATE The Study Area has a maximum mean monthly temperature of 28.5 degrees (Celsius) in January and mean minimum temperature of 0 degrees in July. The annual rainfall is 636.2mm with the highest average rainfall recorded in September.

3.6 LAND–USE HISTORY AND EXISTING LEVELS OF DISTURBANCE The Study Area has been cleared and used for farming activities since the early 19th century. As a result, the Study Area has been subjected to a moderate level of disturbance including vegetation clearance, erosion, construction of fencing and dams.

The agricultural land use has likely resulted in changes to the drainage feature within the Study Area as it is now channelized and incised due to the increased run-off into the waterway.

In addition, water reservoirs with laydown and car parking areas have impacted portions in the very north of the Study Area.

3.7 CONCLUSION The drainage feature within the Study Area would not necessarily have attracted and provided a primary focus for past Aboriginal groups and local native fauna due to its intermittent water supply. However, the ridge in the north of the Study Area that separates the Ginninderra Creek catchment from that of the Molonglo River may well have been utilised as a pathway for local Aboriginal people.

The regional environment of the Study Area indicates that Aboriginal occupational focus was most likely on and around the slightly elevated areas (upper mid slope, raised flat areas) for its views, shelter from the wind, shelter from frost zones in the cool climate and possibly stone resources. The Study Area does contain a small area of upper mid slope landforms in the north, although this landform has been extensively modified by the construction of the Weetangera reservoir. Stone sources represented in the underlying geology are generally unsuitable for stone tool manufacture.

As the Study Area is confined to sloping landforms, it is unlikely to have afforded long-term occupation within the immediate environment of the Study Area.

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4 ABORIGINAL ARCHAEOLOGY BACKGROUND

4.1 ETHNO-HISTORIC SOURCES OF REGIONAL ABORIGINAL CULTURE A number of major Aboriginal groups traditionally inhabited the Bioregion: Walbanga in the centre, Ngarigo also in the centre and southern portions, Ngunawal and Gandangara in the northern portions (HO and DUAP 1996). Other Aboriginal groups recognised in the region were the Walgal towards the west and north of Kosciuszko National Park, and the Bidawal, predominantly a coastal group whose Country extended into the south of the region towards Bombala. These inland groups were more nomadic than the coastal groups, perhaps because of the less plentiful food supply away from the coast. The people of the South Eastern Highlands Bioregion relied on the continuous supply of vegetables available in the tablelands. Spring, summer and autumn yielded the tubers of the yam daisy, wattle-seeds were plentiful in July and August, and orchid tubers were consumed in August and September (HO and DUAP 1996). Fish and crayfish were taken from the from September to May, while possums and larger grazing animals were hunted throughout the year.

4.2 REGIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT Stone tools and charcoal from ancient camp fires found at Birrigai rock shelter in what is now the Namadgi National Park (south of the ) remain as evidence of Aboriginal habitation in the region stretching back approximately 20,000 years and into the height of the last Ice Age. Elsewhere, an ochre quarry and camp site at Red Hill and grinding grooves at Ginninderra and Belconnen attest to the continued occupation of the region into the current, Holocene, epoch. The area now occupied by the Australian National University at the foot of Black Mountain was the site for many ceremonial corroborees. Josephine Flood makes reference to more than 800 camp sites, particularly along the banks of the fish-rich Murrumbidgee River and on the sand hills of the Molonglo River now occupied by Pialligo.

The Belconnen area is known to have been the traditional land of the Aboriginal Ngambri people and others speaking the Ngunnawal language but other aboriginal family groups undoubtedly traversed across the area. Intermarriage was common. From early European settler accounts, the area was known to have significant wildlife resources for food, trees/wood for shelters, tools, digging sticks, hunting weapons, eating implements, and skins for clothing – kangaroos, wallabies, emus, fish, wombats, birdlife, koalas, goannas, possums, bogong moths, wild turkeys, honey bees, berries, root crops, herbs and grains. The Ginninderra Creek water catchment area would have been an attractive camping area for any aboriginal family group dependent on hunting for food on a daily basis.

Places of special significance for ceremonies and mythology are also likely to have been scattered around the Ginninderra Creek catchment area and surrounding hills. The ochre source

Historic and Cultural Heritage Assessment Report: Molonglo 3 Water Supply Pipeline 14 OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management site on Gossan Hill may well have had “dreaming” significance. Quarrying pits have been identified and a sizable scatter of stone artefacts has been found.

At the time of the 1828 census William Davis Wright, an early settler, spoke of there being between 400 and 500 Aboriginal people in the area at the time of European settlement2. But by the time of the 1833 census they were outnumbered by the 500 settlers, including 351 convicts. By 1870 virtually the whole aboriginal population had been decimated by European diseases or moved away from their traditional lands by aggressive European settlement.

4.3 LOCAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT

4.3.1 Desktop Database Searches Conducted

OzArk contacted ACT Heritage to enquire as to the heritage requirements for the Proposal and to seek a Section 56 release of information pertaining to previously recorded sites in the vicinity of the Proposal.

ACT Heritage replied on 17 November 2016 with the requested information and the endorsed Section 56 application3.

From the mapping information supplied by ACT Heritage there are no previously recorded sites within or close to the Study Area.

The closest site is BELC29 located approximately 500m to the east from the northern end of the Study Area. The site was recorded by Peter Kabaila in 1997. The site recording was lodged with Heritage Unit (File No. 95/07171) as part of Kabaila’s study for his book, Belconnen’s Aboriginal Past. A Glimpse into the archaeology of the Australian Capital Territory (1997). Kabaila describes the site as ‘an extensive scatter of flaked stone artefacts on the crest and gentle slopes of a spur. Artefacts are currently evident in several eroded areas within an area of approximately 120 by 40m, and the site potentially extends further’. BELC29 is located in a similar landform to those located in the north of the current Study Area; namely upper slope landforms on the 650m contour. However, this landform within the Study Area has been extensively modified by the construction of the Weetangera reservoir.

To the south of the Study Area where the topography becomes undulating rather than sloping a number of sites have been recorded along the southern bank of Deep Creek where the waterway becomes a second order stream. These sites, CLB9 (B9), CLB8 (B8), CLB11 (B11) and CLB7 (B7) were recorded by T. Knight in 2003 and are recorded as ‘Aboriginal Places along Urban and Rural Bushfire Containment Lines’. The sites are described, respectively, as: a broken tuff flake

2 OzArk appreciates that early estimates of Aboriginal populations were often inaccurate as Aboriginal people were not counted in official censuses and population numbers are drawn from estimates.

3 In respect of the confidential nature of these site recordings, the locations of the previously recorded sites are not mapped in this report.

Historic and Cultural Heritage Assessment Report: Molonglo 3 Water Supply Pipeline 15 OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management on a slope crest in open paddock; a broken anvil on a crest in open paddock; an anvil on a slope crest overlooking creek line; and a metasedimentary flaked piece and anvil 40m apart, on minor ridge overlooking drainage line. The low crests within an undulating landform where these sites were recorded is not represented in the Study Area.

4.4 PREDICTIVE MODEL FOR SITE LOCATION Across , numerous archaeological studies in widely varying environmental zones and contexts have demonstrated a high correlation between the permanence of a water source and the permanence and/or complexity of Aboriginal occupation. Site location is also affected by the availability of and/or accessibility to a range of other natural resources including: plant and animal foods; stone and ochre resources and rock shelters; as well as by their general proximity to other sites/places of cultural/mythological significance. Consequently sites tend to be found along permanent and ephemeral water sources, along access or trade routes or in areas that have good flora/fauna resources and appropriate shelter.

In formulating a predictive model for Aboriginal archaeological site location within any landscape it is also necessary to consider post-depositional influences on Aboriginal material culture. In all but the best preservation conditions very little of the organic material culture remains of ancestral Aboriginal communities survives to the present. Generally it is the more durable materials such as stone artefacts, stone hearths, shell, and some bones that remain preserved in the current landscape. Even these however may not be found in their original depositional context since these may be subject to either (a) the effects of wind and water erosion/transport - both over short and long time scales or (b) the historical impacts associated with the introduction of European farming practices including: grazing and cropping; land degradation associated with exotic pests such as goats and rabbits and the installation of farm related infrastructure including water- storage, utilities, roads, fences, stockyards and residential quarters. Scarred trees may survive for up to several hundred years but rarely beyond.

Knowledge of the environmental contexts of the Study Area and a desktop review of the known local and regional archaeological record, the following predictions are made concerning the probability of those site types being recorded within the Study Area:

• Isolated finds may be indicative of: random loss or deliberate discard of a single artefact, the remnant of a now dispersed and disturbed artefact scatter, or an otherwise obscured or sub-surface artefact scatter. They may occur anywhere within the landscape but are more likely to occur in topographies where open artefact scatters typically occur.

o As isolated finds can occur anywhere, particularly within disturbed contexts, it is predicted that this site type could be recorded within the Study Area.

• Open artefact scatters are defined as two or more artefacts, not located within a rock shelter, and located no more than 50m away from any other constituent artefact. This site type may occur almost anywhere that Aboriginal people have travelled and may be

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associated with hunting and gathering activities, short or long term camps, and the manufacture and maintenance of stone tools. Artefact scatters typically consist of surface scatters or sub-surface distributions of flaked stone discarded during the manufacture of tools, but may also include other artefactual rock types such as hearth and anvil stones. Less commonly, artefact scatters may include archaeological stratigraphic features such as hearths and artefact concentrations which relate to activity areas. Artefact density can vary considerably between and across individual sites. Small ground exposures revealing low density scatters may be indicative of background scatter rather than a spatially or temporally distinct artefact assemblage. These sites are classed as 'open', that is, occurring on the land surface unprotected by rock overhangs, and are sometimes referred to as 'open camp sites'.

Artefact scatters are most likely to occur on level or low gradient contexts, along the crests of ridgelines and spurs, and elevated areas fringing watercourses or wetlands. Larger sites may be expected in association with permanent water sources.

Topographies which afford effective through-access across, and relative to, the surrounding landscape, such as the open basal valley slopes and the valleys of creeks, will tend to contain more and larger sites, mostly camp sites evidenced by open artefact scatters.

o The Study Area is within a sloping landform and lacks spurlines where the majority of sites in the vicinity have been recorded. The north of the Study Area contains landforms that have recorded sites previously but this area is heavily modified from the construction of the Weetangera reservoir. As such, the probability of recording intact artefact scatters is considered to be very low.

• Aboriginal scarred trees contain evidence of the removal of bark (and sometimes wood) in the past by Aboriginal people, in the form of a scar. Bark was removed from trees for a wide range of reasons. It was a raw material used in the manufacture of various tools, vessels and commodities such as string, water containers, roofing for shelters, shields and canoes. Bark was also removed as a consequence of gathering food, such as collecting wood boring grubs or creating footholds to climb a tree for possum hunting or bark removal. Due to the multiplicity of uses and the continuous process of occlusion (or healing) following removal, it is difficult to accurately determine the intended purpose for any particular example of bark removal. Scarred trees may occur anywhere old growth trees survive. The identification of scars as Aboriginal cultural heritage items can be problematical because some forms of natural trauma and European bark extraction create similar scars. Many remaining scarred trees probably date to the historic period when bark was removed by Aboriginal people for both their own purposes and for roofing on early European houses. Consequently the distinction between European and Aboriginal scarred trees may not be clear.

o Due to the historic clearance of trees from within the Study Area, this site type is predicted to be very rare. It is also noted that this site type is very rare at a regional level.

• Quarry sites and stone procurement sites typically consist of exposures of stone material where evidence for human collection, extraction and/or preliminary processing has survived. Typically these involve the extraction of siliceous or fine grained igneous

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and meta-sedimentary rock types for the manufacture of artefacts. The presence of quarry/extraction sites is dependent on the availability of suitable rock formations.

o This site type is unlikely to be recorded within the Study Area as suitable rock outcroppings are not available.

• Burials are generally found in soft sediments such as aeolian sand, alluvial silts and rock shelter deposits. In valley floor and plains contexts, burials may occur in locally elevated topographies rather than poorly drained sedimentary contexts. Burials are also known to have occurred on rocky hilltops in some limited areas. Burials are generally only visible where there has been some disturbance of sub-surface sediments or where some erosional process has exposed them.

o Although it is possible that this site type could be found within the Study Area, it is considered a rare site type especially given the disturbance that has occurred within the Study Area.

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5 RESULTS OF ABORIGINAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

5.1 SAMPLING STRATEGY AND FIELD METHODS Standard archaeological field survey and recording methods were employed in this study (Burke & Smith 2004).

The survey consisted of two surveyors (one OzArk, one RAO) and an escort from GHD Pty Ltd walking the entire Study Area. Figure 5-1 shows the survey tracks of the archaeologist, however, two other persons were present giving a greater survey coverage than is indicated in this figure.

Figure 5-1: Study Area showing the survey transect.

5.2 PROJECT CONSTRAINTS There were no constraints to the successful completion of the survey apart from a very low incidence of ground surface visibility. While animal tracks, vehicle tracks and some naturally bare patches afforded views of the ground surface, these were intermittent and rare. Overall, the ground surface visibility was assessed at less than ten per cent in the northern portions, dropping to zero in the south of the Study Area.

5.3 ABORIGINAL SITES RECORDED No Aboriginal sites were recorded within the Study Area. Further, no landforms within the Study Area were assessed as being likely to contain further subsurface archaeological deposits.

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5.4 RAO INPUT The RAO who accompanied the survey agreed that the Study Area was not likely to contain Aboriginal sites. Wally Bell knew the area well and noted that no sites had been recorded in similar, sloping, landforms in the district.

5.5 DISCUSSION The restricted size of the Study Area and the fact that it is located in a sloping landform demonstrated that there would be a very low probability of the Study Area containing Aboriginal sites with conservation values. The predictive model presented in Section 4.4 stated that isolated finds could be recorded in such disturbed locations, however, the relatively limited extent of the Study Area and the nature of the landforms meant that no isolated artefacts were visible at the time of the inspection.

5.6 LIKELY IMPACTS TO ABORIGINAL HERITAGE FROM THE PROPOSAL As no Aboriginal sites were recorded in the Study Area and it was assessed that there is a low likelihood of subsurface deposits, there will be no impact to Aboriginal cultural heritage arising from the Proposal.

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6 RESULTS OF THE HISTORIC HERITAGE ASSESSMENT

The assessment for historic heritage items was conducted at the same time and by the same surveyors as the Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment set out in Section 5.

The Study Area would have once been part of a larger property, probably devoted to sheep husbandry. Due to the sloping landforms within the Study Area, it was an unsuitable location for farm housing and/or infrastructure.

During the assessment no items of historic heritage were recorded.

6.1 LIKELY IMPACTS TO HISTORIC HERITAGE FROM THE PROPOSAL As no historic items were recorded in the Study Area and it was assessed that there is a low likelihood of archaeological deposits, there will be no impact to historic heritage arising from the Proposal.

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7 RECOMMENDATIONS

7.1 ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE Under Part 8 Section 51 of the Heritage Act it is mandatory that all newly-recorded Aboriginal sites be registered with the ACT Heritage Register. As a professional in the field of cultural heritage management it is the responsibility of OzArk to ensure this process is undertaken.

No new Aboriginal sites or landforms of archaeological sensitivity were identified within the Study Area.

The following recommendations are made on the basis of these impacts and with regard to:

• Legal requirements under the terms of the Heritage Act whereby it is illegal to damage, deface or destroy an Aboriginal place or object without the prior written consent of ACT Heritage Council;

• The findings of the current investigations undertaken within the Study Area; and

• The interests of the Aboriginal community.

Recommendations concerning the Study Area are as follows:

1. When trenching occurs care should be taken to note if any stone artefacts are unearthed (see Appendix 2 for a guide to recognising Aboriginal artefacts). If there is doubt concerning the identification of stone artefacts, a photograph of the pieces in question should be forwarded to OzArk for verification. Work within that designated area should cease until verification is complete. 2. All ground disturbance activities must be confined within the proposed impact areas. Should the proposed impact area change, including altering the activity, then additional assessment may be warranted. 3. Staff and contractors involved in the proposed work should undertake a cultural heritage induction so they are aware of the legislative protection of all Aboriginal sites and objects. 4. In the unlikely event that unrecorded Aboriginal objects and/or skeletal material are encountered during the proposed work, the Unanticipated Finds Protocol (Appendix 3) must be followed.

7.2 HISTORIC HERITAGE As no items of historic heritage were recorded during the assessment there are no recommendations pertaining to historic heritage.

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REFERENCES

Australia ICOMOS 2013 International Council on Monuments and Sites 2013. The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance, 2013.

Burke & Smith 2004 Burke, H. and Smith, C. 2004. The Archaeologist’s Field Handbook, Blackwell, Oxford.

Flood 2010 Josephine Flood. The Moth Hunters of the Australian Capital Territory. Gecko Books. Second Edition.

Ginninderra Falls Association Ginninderra Catchment Area Historical Notes

HO and DUAP 1996 Heritage Office (HO) and Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP) 1996. Regional Histories: Regional Histories of .

Peter Kabaila 1997 Belconnen’s Aboriginal Past. A Glimpse into the archaeology of the Australian Capital Territory.

Mary Machin 2000 Pictorial History Canberra. Kingsclear Books.

Friends of the Pinnacle About the Pinnacle Nature Reserve

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APPENDIX 1: RAO CONSULTATION

Letter of invitation to attend fieldwork

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Letter of invitation to review draft CHAR

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RAO consultation log

Molonglo 3 Water Supply Date ORGANISATION Action method 20.10.16 Ngarigu Currawong Clan; SB sent letter inviting for site work. Location to meet to email/mail be advised. FW 2.11.16 20.10.16 Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation; SB sent letter inviting for site work. Location to meet to email/mail be advised. FW 2.11.16 20.10.16 Little Tribal Council; SB sent letter inviting for site work. Location to meet to email/mail be advised. FW 2.11.16 20.10.16 King Brown Tribal Group; SB sent letter inviting for site work. Location to meet to mail be advised. FW 2.11.16 23.10.16 Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation; Received email from Wally bell updating their PO Box email and noting they accept the fee offer for the assessment on Nov 2. 23.10.16 Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation; JB sent return email to Wally acknowledging receipt of email their email re PO Box and attendance availability. JN noted we would be in touch with him again once we have set a meeting time and place. 31.10.16 Little Gudgenby River Tribal Council; SB rang and spoke to Antoinette. Antoinette asked if SB phone could call back in 20 mins 31.10.16 Little Gudgenby River Tribal Council; phone Sb rang and spoke to Antoinette. Antoinette confirmed that she would have a site officer available. SB confirmed meeting place and time, and that SB would send through an amended invitation letter. Antoinette stated that she had been away travelling and that one of her computers was broken. Antoinette requested that the amended letter be sent to an additional email address

31.10.16 Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation; SB rang and left a message for Wally to return call phone regarding the meeting location and the change of time for the commencement of the fieldwork. SB requested a return call 31.10.16 Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation; SB sent email with the amended site offer (meeting email location and kick-off time) 31.10.16 Little Gudgenby River Tribal Council; SB sent email with the amended site offer (meeting email location and kick-off time) 1.11.16 Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation; SB rang and spoke to Wally, Confirmed that Wally is ok phone for tomorrows site work and is aware of the 11am start meeting at the gates of Weetangera Reservoir 15.12.16 Ngarigu Currawong Clan; SB sent draft CHAR for feedback - Feedback due by the mail/email 6.1.17 15.12.16 Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation; SB sent draft CHAR for feedback - Feedback due by the email 6.1.17 15.12.16 Little Gudgenby River Tribal Council; SB sent draft CHAR for feedback - Feedback due by the email 6.1.17 15.12.16 King Brown Tribal Group; SB sent draft CHAR for feedback - Feedback due by the mail 6.1.17 9.1.17 Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation; SB received email from Wally - phone I have read through the attached Draft Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report, for the proposed water pipeline from Weetangera Reservoir, Weetangera, Canberra ACT. Although visibility was not the best the survey uncovered no Aboriginal sites or objects such as scarred trees. Therefore I am happy to agree with the proposed recommendations as made in this report.

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APPENDIX 2: ARTEFACT RECOGNITION

The following page demonstrates typical artefacts from the Canberra region. While artefact recognition can be a specialist task, some basic factors can be outlined:

• Artefacts tend to be small with the majority under 5cm in size;

• Artefacts in the Canberra region will tend to be manufactured from:

o Indurated mudstone;

o Milk quartz;

o Silicified tuff;

o Silcrete; and

o Volcanics. • On a typical flake one surface (the ventral) will be smooth, while the other (the dorsal) will display evidence of precious flake removals (negative flake scars; see image bottom left). While not always the case, generally an artefact needs to show negative flake removals on the dorsal surface to be considered an artefact.

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Silcrete core (left), silcrete flake (top right) and a milk Unmodified flakes: Indurated mudstone to left, milk quartz to quartz blade (bottom right). right.

Silcrete scraper (top left); unmodified flakes (silcrete, Indurated mudstone core (blank from which flakes have been volcanic and quartz); backed dark volcanic blade struck) (scale = 1cm increments) (bottom right) (scale = 1cm increments)

General flake characteristics (scale = 1cm increments) Silicified Tuff flake with edge-wear (scale = 1cm increments)

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APPENDIX 3: ABORIGINAL HERITAGE: UNANTICIPATED FINDS PROTOCOL

An Aboriginal artefact is anything which is the result of past Aboriginal activity. This includes stone (artefacts, rock engravings etc.), plant (culturally scarred trees) and animal (if showing signs of modification; i.e. smoothing, use). Human bone (skeletal) remains may also be uncovered while onsite.

Cultural heritage significance is assessed by the Aboriginal community and is typically based on traditional and contemporary lore, spiritual values, and oral history, and may also take into account scientific and educational value.

Protocol to be followed in the event that previously unrecorded or unanticipated Aboriginal object(s) are encountered:

1. All ground surface disturbance in the area of the finds should cease immediately the finds are uncovered. a) The discoverer of the find(s) will notify machinery operators in the immediate vicinity of the find(s) so that work can be halted; and b) The site supervisor will be informed of the find(s). 2. If finds are suspected to be human skeletal remains, then the police must be contacted as a matter of priority. 3. If there is substantial doubt regarding an Aboriginal origin for the finds, then gain a qualified opinion from an archaeologist as soon as possible. This can circumvent proceeding further along the protocol for items which turn out not to be archaeological. If a quick opinion cannot be gained, or the identification is positive, then proceed to the next step. 4. Immediately notify the following authorities or personnel of the discovery: a) ACT Heritage on 13 22 81; and b) Relevant RAOs. 5. Facilitate, in co-operation with the appropriate authorities and relevant Aboriginal community representatives: a) The recording and assessment of the finds; b) Fulfilling any legal constraints arising from the find(s). This will include complying with Heritage Council directions; and c) The development and conduct of appropriate management strategies. Strategies will depend on consultation with stakeholders and the assessment of the significance of the find(s). 6. Where the find(s) are determined to be Aboriginal Objects, any re-commencement of construction related ground surface disturbance may only resume in the area of the find(s) following compliance with any consequential legal requirements and gaining written approval from the ACT Heritage Council.

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File Reference: Belconnen-B1492 and 1628 Contact Officer: Daisy Chaston Phone:6207 7379 OzArkEnvironmental & Heritage Management 145 Wingewarra St Dubbo NSW 2830

[email protected]

Dear Mr Churcher,

Cultural Heritage Assessment Report: Molonglo 3 Water Supply Pipeline

OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management (OzArk) has been engaged by GHD Pty Ltd, to complete a Cultural Heritage Assessment (CHA) on land which has the potential to be impacted by works associated with the Molonglo 3 Water Supply Pipeline (WSP).

The area under assessment is located in Belconnen Blocks 1492, 1628, 1498, 1530, 1527 and 1368, and Molonglo Valley Blocks 4, 14, 15, and 43. The fieldwork component of this assessment was undertaken by OzArk on 2 November 2016. The field inspection was completed with Burn Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation.

No heritage sites were recorded within the study area. Further, no landforms within the study area were assessed as being likely to contain furthersubsurface archaeological deposits. Representative Aboriginal Organisations (RAOs) present during the study confirmedthese conclusions.

The report makes the following recommendations conceming the study area:

1. When trenching occurs care should be taken to note if any stone, and particularly stone artefacts, areunearthed. If there is doubt conceming the identification of stone artefacts, a photograph of the pieces in question should be forwardedto OzArk for verification. Work within that designated area should cease until verification is complete.

2. All ground disturbance activities must be confined within the proposed impact areas. Should the proposed impact area change, including altering the activity, then additional assessment may be warranted.

GPO Box 158, CANBERRA ACT 2601 [email protected]. au