Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan
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ABN 97 009 377 619 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan Distribution: KCGM Internal Department of Indigenous Affairs Goldfields Land and Sea Council Central Desert Shire Council Approval Version Revised By Manager Document Date Reason for Change Owner 1 M.Holmes B Povey EH&S Dec 2009 New Document Manager Distribution and 2 M.Holmes 23.04.2010 changes to Section 3 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 2 OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................... 2 3 ABORIGINAL HISTORY ........................................................................................... 4 4 ABORIGINAL SITES ................................................................................................ 6 4.1 Definition of Aboriginal Sites .............................................................................. 6 4.2 Identification of Aboriginal Sites....................................................................... 12 4.2.1 Ethnographic Surveys ................................................................................. 12 4.2.2 Archaeological Surveys .............................................................................. 12 4.3 Aboriginal Sites at KCGM ................................................................................ 13 4.3.1 Ethnographic ............................................................................................... 13 4.3.2 Archaeological ............................................................................................ 15 5 PROTECTION OF IDENTIFIED ABORIGINAL SITES ........................................... 16 6 IDENTIFICATION AND PROTECTION OF NEW ABORIGINAL SITES ................ 17 6.1 Identification of New Aboriginal Sites .............................................................. 17 6.2 Protection of New Aboriginal Sites .................................................................. 17 6.2.1 Aboriginal Skeletal/Ancestral Remains ....................................................... 17 6.2.2 Previously Unidentified Aboriginal Site ....................................................... 18 6.2.3 Reporting of Disturbance to an Aboriginal Site ........................................... 19 6.2.4 Consequences for Site Disturbance ........................................................... 19 7 REVIEW CYCLE .................................................................................................... 20 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................... 21 9 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ........................................................................................ 22 Prepared by: KCGM Version: 2.0 Page i Document Name: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan Apr 10 Date: 23/04/2010 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan Figures Figure 1 Artefact (Source www.dia.wa.gov.au) .................................................................. 6 Figure 2 Fish Trap (Source: www.dia.wa.gov.au) .............................................................. 7 Figure 3 Grind Patches/Grooves (Source: ww.dia.wa.gov.au) .......................................... 8 Figure 4 Midden (Source: www.dia.wa.gov.au) ................................................................. 8 Figure 5 Painting (Source: www.dia.wa.gov.au) ................................................................ 9 Figure 6 Engraving (Source: www.dia.wa.gov.au) ............................................................. 9 Figure 7 Scarred Tree (Source: www.dia.wa.gov.au) ...................................................... 10 Figure 8 Quarry (Source: www.dia.wa.gov.au) ................................................................ 11 Figure 9 Aboriginal Sites in the KCGM Area (Site ID shown) .......................................... 14 Tables Table 1 Legislation Relating to Aboriginal Heritage Management ..................................... 3 Table 2 Ethnographic Sites in the KCGM Area ................................................................ 13 Table 3 Archaeological Sites in the KCGM Area ............................................................. 15 Appendices Appendix 1: KCGM Indigenous Peoples Policy ............................................................... 24 Appendix 2: Summary of Aboriginal Heritage Sites ......................................................... 25 Appendix 3: Mt Gleddon (Nanny Goat Hill) Rehabilitation Proposal 2005 ....................... 26 Appendix 4: Mt Gleddon (Nanny Goat Hill) Rehabilitation Project 2009 Update ............. 27 Appendix 5: Pre-Commencement Work Area Clearance ................................................ 28 Appendix 6: Ministerial Statement No.782 ....................................................................... 29 Prepared by: KCGM Version: 2.0 Page ii Document Name: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan Apr 10 Date: 23/04/2010 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan 1 INTRODUCTION Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd (KCGM) manages the Fimiston Operations on behalf of it’s Joint Venture Owners – Newmont Asia Pacific and Barrick (Australia Pacific) Limited. The Fimiston Operations are located in the Goldfields Region of Western Australia, immediately east of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder which is approximately 600km east of Perth. KCGM is the largest gold producing operation in Australia with an annual gold production of up to 850,000 ounces supported by an estimated gold reserve of around 10 million ounces. KCGM is currently planning to extend its operations to include the mining of a westerly cutback, known as the ‘Golden Pike Cutback’. This cutback will allow for both the widening and deepening of the pit and will extend the life of mine from 2012 to 2017. A report, Fimiston Gold Mine Operations Extension (Stage 3) and Mine Closure Planning (Report), was prepared and assessed through the Public Environmental Review (PER) process to allow the Golden Pike Cutback to proceed. The PER was approved on the 29th January 2009 by the release of the Ministerial Statement No.782. In the Report KCGM committed to prepare an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan (Plan). This Plan fulfills this commitment and also meets the requirements of Condition 12 of Ministerial Statement No.782 (Appendix 6). The development of the Plan draws on many years of consultation with the Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA) and local aboriginal groups and also considers the requirements of our Joint Venture Partner’s cultural heritage standards. KCGM consulted directly with the DIA on the finalisation of the Plan with a meeting held in November 2009 at the Kalgoorlie office of the DIA at which KCGM were given approval to submit the Plan to the DIA. Subsequently the Plan was submitted to the DIA (Kalgoorlie) in December 2009. Commitment: Aboriginal culturally significant sites are protected by law and it is the intention of KCGM to abide by these laws and do all it can to assist in the protection and respect of any such sites that fall within KCGM’s area of influence. Prepared by: KCGM Version No:2.0 Page : 1 Document Name: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan Apr 10 Date: 23/04/2010 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan 2 OBJECTIVES The objectives of this Plan are to ensure that: Aboriginal sites that lie within the vicinity of KCGM’s operations are properly respected and protected; Significant heritage sites are preserved; and All such sites are identified and locations and access conditions communicated to employees and contractors as appropriate. The principal legislation relating to Aboriginal heritage management is summarised in Table 1. KCGM aims to manage culturally significant and heritage sites in accordance with: Relevant legislation; Department of Mines and Petroleum tenement conditions; and Company standards and procedures. Prepared by: KCGM Version No:2.0 Page : 2 Document Name: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan Apr 10 Date: 23/04/2010 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan Table 1 Legislation Relating to Aboriginal Heritage Management Legislation Summary Introduced in Western Australia in 1972 to protect Aboriginal heritage. The Act recognises Aboriginal people’s strong relationships to the land, which may go back thousands of years. Aboriginal Heritage The Act provides automatic protection for all places and objects in Act 1972 (WA) Western Australia that are important to Aboriginal people because of connections to their culture. Under the Act it is an offence for anyone to excavate, damage, destroy, conceal or in any way alter an Aboriginal site without the Minister’s permission. Regulations applying to any Aboriginal site or protected area or Aboriginal Heritage land held subject to a covenant in favor of the Minister in relation Regulations 1974 to which the Minister has a duty under the Aboriginal Heritage Act (WA) 1972. Australian Heritage An Act to establish the Australian Heritage Council and for related Commission Act purposes. 1975 (Cth) Aboriginal and The Act offers protection for significant places or objects through Torres Strait Ministerial decision. Aboriginal people who believe that a place or Islander Heritage object is threatened and believe that state government processes Protection Act 1984 offer inadequate protection can apply to the Australian (Cth) Government