Warkworth Continuation 2014
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Warkworth Continuation 2014 5 Environmental Impact Statement Prepared for Warkworth Mining Limited June 2014 VOLUME 5 2 Appendices M to N VOLUME 1 2 MAIN REPORT Executive Summary Chapter 1 Context Chapter 2 The proposal Chapter 3 Proposal need Chapter 4 Improvements and differences from the Warkworth Extension 2010 Chapter 5 The applicant and assessment requirements Chapter 6 Existing operations Chapter 7 Legislative considerations Chapter 8 Stakeholder engagement Chapter 9 Economics Chapter 10 Noise and vibration Chapter 11 Air quality and greenhouse gas Chapter 12 Ecology Chapter 13 Final landform and rehabilitation Chapter 14 Land and soils capability Chapter 15 Visual amenity Chapter 16 Groundwater Chapter 17 Surface water Chapter 18 Aboriginal cultural heritage Chapter 19 Historic heritage Chapter 20 Traffic and transport Chapter 21 Social assessment Chapter 22 Environmental management and commitments Chapter 23 Design considerations and alternatives Chapter 24 Justification and conclusion Abbreviations References VOLUME 2 2 Appendices A to G Appendix A Schedule of land Appendix B Study team Appendix C Surrounding residences and assessment locations Appendix D Secretary’s requirements Appendix E Economic study Appendix F Noise and vibration study Appendix G Air quality and greenhouse gas study VOLUME 3 2 Appendix H Appendix H Ecology study VOLUME 4 2 Appendices I to L Appendix I Soil study Appendix J Visual amenity study Appendix K Groundwater study Appendix L Surface water study VOLUME 5 2Appendices M to N Appendix M Aboriginal cultural heritage study Appendix N Historic heritage study VOLUME 6 2Appendices O to R Appendix O Traffic and transport study Appendix P Social impact assessment Appendix Q Rehabilitation performance/completion criteria Appendix R Waste management strategy information www.riotinto.com.au Warkworth Continuation 2014 — Environmental Impact Statement Appendix M Aboriginal cultural heritage study www.emgamm.com Warkworth Continuation 2014 — Environmental Impact Statement Appendix M 2 Aboriginal cultural heritage study M www.riotinto.com.au Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report for the Warkworth Continuation 2014 Proposal and Mount Thorley Operations 2014 Proposal Environmental Impact Statements Prepared by Central Queensland Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd for Rio Tinto Coal Australia May 2014 Central Queensland Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd Director: Dr Luke Godwin 16 Moren St, Rockhampton Qld 4701 Ph: 07 4926 2035 Email: [email protected] Table of Contents Page ABBREVIATIONS vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vii 1.INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Warkworth Continuation 2014 Proposal 1 1.2 Mount Thorley Operations 2014 Proposal 3 1.3 The Report’s Approach 4 2. LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR ABORIGNAL CULTURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT 6 2.1 Commonwealth Legislation 6 2.2NSW Legislation 7 2.2.1 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 7 2.2.2 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 9 3. RIO TINTO COAL AUSTRALIA’S APPROACH TO ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT 11 3.1 The Rio Tinto Coal Australia Cultural Heritage Management System 11 3.2 Current Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management at MTW 12 3.3 Aboriginal Consultation in the Upper Hunter Valley 15 3.4 Consultation with the Aboriginal Community Regarding the Proposals 16 3.5 Future Directions for Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management for Coal & Allied’s Upper Hunter Valley Projects and Operations 23 3.5.1 Issues in the Current Approach to Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management 24 3.5.2 Limits of Acceptable Change 25 3.5.3 A Cultural Heritage Management Accord 26 3.6 A Note Regarding the Location and Management of the Bulga Bora Ground within the Wollombi Brook Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Conservation Area 28 3.6.1 The Issue 28 3.6.2 Brief Background 29 3.6.3 Location and Current Condition 30 3.6.4 ATSIHP Act Section 10 Application and Response 30 3.6.5 Alternative Locations 31 3.6.6 Commentary on Alternative Locations 32 4. ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT 33 4.1 Regional Research Summary 33 4.2 Aboriginal Occupation of the Central Lowlands 35 4.3 Ethnographic Context for the Aboriginal Use of the Central Lowlands 38 Page 5. RESEARCH AND DATA SOURCES FOR THIS REPORT 40 5.1 Warkworth Extension EIS Study – AMBS 2002 44 5.1.1 Study Outline 44 5.1.2 Key Findings 45 5.1.3 Aboriginal Community Views 47 5.1.4 The Development Consent and the Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Management Plan 48 5.1.5 Additional Aboriginal Community Consultation 49 5.2 Warkworth West Stage 1 Study – AECOM 2009 50 5.2.1 Study Outline 50 5.2.2 Key Findings 51 5.2.3 Additional Aboriginal Community Consultation 53 5.3 Warkworth Southwest Stage 2 Study – Scarp Archaeology 2009 53 5.3.1 Study Outline 53 5.3.2 Key Findings 54 5.3.3 Additional Aboriginal Community Consultation 55 5.4 Warkworth Non-Disturbance Area 2 Study – MCH 2009 56 5.4.1 Study Outline 56 5.4.2 Key Findings 56 5.4.3 Additional Aboriginal Community Consultation 58 5.5 Warkworth Southwest Finalisation and Bulga Farm Study – Scarp Archaeology 2011 58 5.5.1 Study Outline 58 5.5.2 Key Findings 59 5.5.3 Additional Aboriginal Community Consultation 60 5.6 MTO Ramp 22 Sedimentation Dam Area Assessment – RPS 2013 61 5.6.1 Study Outline 61 5.6.2 Key Findings 62 5.6.3 Additional Aboriginal Community Consultation 63 5.7 Warkworth Modification 6 Study – Coal & Allied 2013 64 5.7.1 Study Outline 64 5.7.2 Key Findings 65 5.8 Wallaby Scrub Road East Completion Study – Coal & Allied 2014 66 5.8.1 Study Outline 66 5.8.2 Key Findings 66 5.9 Warkworth Sands Archaeological Project – Scarp Archaeology 2009 67 5.9.1 Study Outline 67 5.9.2 Key Findings 69 5.10 Warkworth Sandsheet Sub-Area A Study– Scarp Archaeology 2013 71 5.10.1 Study Outline 71 5.10.2 Key Findings 72 5.11 A Note Regarding the Currency of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Studies 74 ii Page 6. ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT 76 6.1 Scientific Significance 77 6.2 Significance to the Aboriginal Community 78 7. ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE WITHIN THE GREATER MTW MINING AREA AND EXPECTED IMPACTS 80 7.1 Warkworth Continuation 2014 Proposal Area 80 7.2 Mount Thorley Operations 2014 Proposal Area 87 7.3 Wollombi Brook Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Conservation Area 92 7.4 Proposed Loder Creek Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Conservation Area 101 7.5 Current Warkworth Mine Development Consent Area 102 7.6 Other ‘On-Site’ Coal & Allied Owned Lands 106 8. ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE IMPACT MANAGMENT COMMITTMENTS 110 8.1 Integrated Heritage Management Plan 110 8.2 Warkworth Continuation 2014 Proposal Area 111 8.3 Mount Thorley Operations 2014 Proposal Area 112 8.4 Wollombi Brook Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Conservation Area 114 8.5 Proposed Loder Creek Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Conservation Area 115 8.6 Other ‘On-Site’ Coal & Allied Owned Lands 115 8.7 ‘Off-Site’ Coal & Allied Owned Lands (Biodiversity Offsets) 116 8.8 Hunter Valley Sand Bodies Research Study 116 References 117 Appendix 1: Aboriginal community consultation undertaken for the proposals 122 1.1 Consultation register 123 1.2 RAP and Stakeholder consultation list – May 2014 162 1.3 Example consultation meeting invitation letter for the proposals 169 1.4 Example consultation meeting public notices for the proposals 172 1.5 Meeting agenda for the Coal & Allied Upper Hunter Valley Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Working Group Community Consultation Meeting 3 April 2014 174 1.6 Meeting minutes for the Coal & Allied Upper Hunter Valley Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Working Group Community Consultation Meeting 3 April 2014 175 1.7 Meeting presentation for the Coal & Allied Upper Hunter Valley Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Working Group Community Consultation Meeting 3 April 2014 181 1.8 Invitation to Attend Site Visit to the Proposal Areas 29 April 2014 182 1.9 Minutes of Site Visit to the Proposal Areas 29 April 2014 184 1.10 Meeting agenda for the Coal & Allied Upper Hunter Valley Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Working Group Community Consultation Meeting 7 May 2014 186 iii Page 1.11 Meeting minutes for the Coal & Allied Upper Hunter Valley Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Working Group Community Consultation Meeting 7 May 2014 187 1.12 Meeting presentation for the Coal & Allied Upper Hunter Valley Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Working Group Community Consultation Meeting 7 May 2014 191 Appendix 2: Aboriginal cultural heritage studies undertaken within the proposal Areas 192 List of Figures Page Figure 1: General location of the Warkworth Continuation 2014 and Mount Thorley Operations 2014 proposal areas 2 Figure 2: Key Aboriginal cultural heritage study areas and their relationship to the proposal areas, major consent areas, tenements and other features referred to in the text 42 Figure 3: Map showing the current status of Aboriginal cultural heritage places within the proposal areas and the other portions of the greater MTW area discussed in the text 81 Figure 4: Map showing the location and current status of Aboriginal cultural heritage Places within the Warkworth Continuation 2014 proposal area 82 Figure 5: Map showing the location and current status of Aboriginal cultural heritage places within the Mount Thorley Operations 2014 proposal area 89 List of Tables Page Table 1: The proposals EIS’ Aboriginal cultural heritage impact assessment community consultation process, with reference to the 2010 OEH Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Consultation Requirements for Proponents 19-21 Table 2: AHIMS site records across sub-regions identified within the Upper Hunter Valley Aboriginal