Cairns Transit Network Concept Design Report
Table of contents
7 Cultural heritage...... 7.2
7.1 Introduction...... 7.2
7.1.1 Aboriginal history...... 7.2
7.1.2 European history ...... 7.2 7.2 Methodology ...... 7.3 7.3 Analysis ...... 7.3
7.3.1 Overview of previous cultural heritage studies...... 7.3
7.3.2 Predictive model of site occurrence ...... 7.6 7.3.3 Heritage listed places ...... 7.6 7.3.4 Known sites in and adjacent to the study area...... 7.7
7.3.4.1 Specific areas ...... 7.7
7.3.4.2 Other comments ...... 7.8
7.3.4.3 Summary ...... 7.9 7.3.5 Potential cultural heritage impact ...... 7.13 7.3.6 Potential mitigation measures ...... 7.13 7.4 Opportunities and constraints ...... 7.13
7.4.1 Opportunities ...... 7.13 7.4.2 Constraints ...... 7.14 7.5 Recommendations for further investigations ...... 7.14
List of tables Table 7.1: Previous cultural heritage studies near Cairns...... 7.3 Table 7.2: Places listed on the Queensland Heritage Register for Cairns City...... 7.6 Table 7.3: Sites known to be in or near the study area...... 7.9
List of figures Figure 7.1: Sites known to be in or near the study area, Map 1...... 7.10 Figure 7.2: Sites known to be in or near the study area, Map 2...... 7.11 Figure 7.3: Sites known to be in or near the study area, Map 3...... 7.12
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7 Cultural heritage 7.1 Introduction
7.1.1 Aboriginal history Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for at least 40,000 years. Throughout this time, there have been environmental and sea level changes, some of which appear to be described in local oral traditions.
At the time of white settlement, Aboriginal people in the Cairns district were hunter/gatherer/fishers, exploiting the rich resources of the marine, estuarine, woodland and rainforest environment available in the area. Settlements were semi-permanent, with well thatched substantial huts. People moved though the country on a seasonal round, harvesting material for food, medicines, material for baskets, implements, decoration etc.
Different clan groups owned and were responsible for their own clan territory, but people frequently lived in and used other clan territories. All parts of the land were known and named and associated with stories of ‘creation time’, traditional and historical events, and/or traditional use.
Following European settlement, Aboriginal people were displaced, and forcibly moved around. However, most people still know their origins, and wish to practise their culture as much as possible, including protecting significant cultural heritage places.
The Cairns Transit Network study area includes the territory of three Traditional Owner groups:
• Yirrganydji to the north (Palm Cove region)
• Djabugay to the west, near Kamerunga
• Yidinj (Cairns/Trinity Inlet region).
The areas of interest to these groups overlap to some extent.
Detailed information on traditional and post-contact Aboriginal life in the Wet Tropics can be found in sources such as: Burke et al (2000); Horsfall (1987); Bottoms (1990, 1999, 2008); (Dixon 1991); Thomson (1989); and Skeene (2008).
7.1.2 European history European settlement at Cairns began in 1876, although beche-de-mer gatherers had utilised Trinity Inlet from about the 1860s. The town became the main port for the district, and the land north and south was cleared and cultivated, mainly for sugar cane. As the town has grown, residential development has steadily spread north and south from the original settlement, encroaching on the farmland. Few of the early buildings and constructions still exist today.
A study by Moore and Sachs (2000) for the Southern Cairns Land Use and Transport Study includes a comprehensive summary of the history of the area. Other relevant sources include Jones (1976), Bolton (1963), Collinson (1942), and Broughton and Stephens (1984).
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7.2 Methodology
This report provides an initial overview of the cultural heritage values, known and potential, along the Cairns Transit Network. It consists of a desk top study analysis, based on the comprehensive (but not complete) data available to the study team.
Consultation with Traditional Owner groups has not been undertaken at this stage. However, members of the project team are familiar with concerns generally held by the Traditional Owners on cultural heritage matters, and have recently worked with the two main groups on the Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade (Horsfall 2008).
Consultation will be needed at a later stage to inform the various groups of the project, to clarify their areas of interest and determine any places of particular concern and their management requirements.
7.3 Analysis
7.3.1 Overview of previous cultural heritage studies Numerous cultural heritage studies and site recording programs have been undertaken throughout the study area in recent years. These can be categorised into two main groups, with some degree of overlap:
1. cultural heritage surveys associated with proposed developments; these have generally focused on Aboriginal cultural heritage
2. studies to identify and assess historical cultural heritage places.
Table 7.1 lists reports of surveys within the Cairns area, together with a summary of the sites recorded. They include Aboriginal Story places (especially to the south of Cairns), ceremonial sites, traditional and post-contact campsites, shell middens, burials, a massacre site, and contemporary resource areas. Many of the studies found no cultural heritage places. Archaeological sites tended to be small, sparse and disturbed by cultivation.
Table 7.1: Previous cultural heritage studies near Cairns
Study Location Summary of finding
Archaeo 2008 Mount Peter Two grave sites, one massacre site, one cane barracks with Aboriginal associations, five campsites, one ceremonial site
Bird & Hatte Cairns Airport Three shell middens with post-contact materials and 1995 smaller shell scatters; possible grave; on sand ridges
Bukal Chalumbin to Significant Aboriginal values Consultancy Woree Services 1995
Burke 2000 Palm Cove No archaeological sites; Aboriginal campsite reported on sand ridge
Burke 2002 Queerah No archaeological sites found; significant Aboriginal
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Study Location Summary of finding
sites
Burke et al Southern Site complex with Story, burials, campsite; three shell 2000 Cairns middens; three campsites; resource areas; 12 areas of concern
Cole & van Smithfield Stone artefacts Acker 1996
Cribb & Lee CBD to East Shell middens on Admiralty Island Long 1995 Trinity
Cribb 1995a Thomatis No sites Creek
Cribb 1995b Trinity Beach No sites
Cribb 1995c Smithfield Small shell scatters
Cribb 1995d Holloways No sites Beach & Machans Beach
Cribb 1995e Smithfield Sparse shell scatters
David 1994 East of Trinity Many archaeological sites, resource areas and Story Inlet places
Duke & Collins Caravonica No sites 1992
Duke & Collins Smithfield No sites found; shell midden has been reported 1993
Duke & Collins Woree No sites found 2000a
Duke & Collins Edmonton No archaeological sites; significant Aboriginal sites 200b nearby
Duke 1996 Lake Placid Known Story places, traditional campsites, initiation site and walking tracks; no archaeological survey
Duke 1998 White Rock No archaeological sites; contemporary resource use
Fourmile & Green Hill Story place Marrie 1995
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Study Location Summary of finding
Fourmile & CBD to East Major campsites at Woree and Skeleton Creek; many Mundraby Trinity other campsites; many named places; many Story 1995 places; burials; resource places
Greer 1988 Cairns Airport No sites
Grimwade & Yorkeys Knob Sparse shell middens and scatters; three non- Cribb 1991 indigenous post contact sites
Grimwade & Buchan Point No Aboriginal sites; three historical sites, possibly Townrow WW2 1996a
Grimwade & Earl Hill No definite sites Townrow 1996b
Grimwade Taylor Point No Aboriginal sites, some WW2 remains 1994
Hatte 1989 Cairns Airport One large shell midden and some smaller scatters
Horsfall 2003 Woree No sites (extensive sub-surface investigation)
Horsfall 2004 Trinity Beach No sites
Horsfall 2008 Cairns to Desk top study; numerous sites mostly previously Edmonton identified
Lee Long Caravonica No archaeological sites; Aboriginal walking tracks 1995a nearby
Lee Long Chalumbin to Shell midden, Chinaman Creek 1995b Woree
NAC 1995 Chalumbin to See Lee Long 1995b Woree
Roberts 1997 Cairns Golf No sites Club
Rowney & Redlynch No archaeological sites but high Aboriginal Grimwade significance 2003
Taylor 1995 CBD to East Many named sites, Story places, campsites, resource Trinity places, burial
Source: Study team compilation
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7.3.2 Predictive model of site occurrence Cribb and Lee Long (1995) developed a predictive model of site occurrence of archaeological material. This model predicts that:
• the least likely areas for sites are coastal and inland mangroves, saltpans, and urban/developed areas, and
• the most likely locations for sites are on sand ridges and in Melaleuca open forest.
They also noted that cultivated areas were unlikely to retain surface archaeological material except in a very disturbed state, although intact material might well survive below the level of ploughing (approx 60cm). It should be added that Aboriginal archaeological sites may also still exist within urban/developed areas; buried deposits have been found in such situations in many parts of Australia.
This suggests that a precautionary approach be taken during any clearing and that practices be developed to react appropriately when cultural heritage material is discovered. The Department of Transport and Main Roads Environmental Management Plan (Construction) document includes such practices.
7.3.3 Heritage listed places Assessments of historical cultural heritage places include: Allom Lovell Marquis-Kyle (1994); Pawsey & Prowse (1996); Moore & Sachs (2000); Rowney and Grimwade (2004). A state-wide survey of the Cairns region by the Department of Environment and Resource Management is currently underway to identify places of historical, cultural and heritage significance for listing on the Queensland Heritage Register. Those places already on the register are listed in Table 7.2.
Table 7.2: Places listed on the Queensland Heritage Register for Cairns City
Name Street name
99 Grafton Street 99 Grafton Street
Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd (former) 37 Lake Street
Barrier Reef Hotel Abbott Street
Bishop’s House Abbott Street
Bolands Centre Lake Street
Cairns City Council Chambers (former) 151 Abbott Street
Cairns Customs House (former) 6A-8A Abbott Street
Cairns Masonic Temple 8 Minnie Street
Cairns School of Arts (former) 93-105 Lake Street
Cairns War Memorial Esplanade
Cairns Wharf Complex Wharf Street
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Name Street name
Central Court 39-49 Lake Street
Dr EA Koch Memorial Abbott Street
Explosives Magazine & Detonator Store Magazine Street, Stratford (former)
Flecker Botanical Gardens Collins Avenue
Herries Private Hospital 180 McLeod Street
Hides Hotel 87 Lake Street
Jack & Newell Building (former) 29 Wharf Street
McLeod Street Pioneer Cemetery 127-145 McLeod Street
Mulgrave Shire Council Chambers 51 Esplanade (former)
St Joseph’s Convent 179 Abbott Street
St Monica’s High School Administration Abbott Street Building
St Monica’s Old Cathedral Minnie Street
St Monica’s War Memorial Cathedral 183 Abbott Street
WW11 RAN Fuel Installation Collins Avenue
Xavier & Sadie Herbert’s Cottage 399 Kamerunga Road, Redlynch (former)
Source: Study team compilation
The above heritage listed places are unlikely to be directly affected by the Cairns Transit Network. Future design phases will consider appropriate urban design responses.
7.3.4 Known sites in and adjacent to the study area
7.3.4.1 Specific areas
North of the Barron River (Sections N2 (part), N3, N4 and W2)
No significant Aboriginal or historical sites are known within the transit corridors. Few Aboriginal sites have been found in the general area, and they have mainly been small disturbed shell scatters. The exceptions are significant Aboriginal cultural sites in the vicinity of Lake Placid (Duke 1996), which are not located within the transit corridor.
Barron River to Earlville (N1, N2 (part), C, S1, W1 (part))
No significant Aboriginal or historical sites are known within the transit corridor (presuming that existing buildings are not to be affected). However, a recent study for the Department of Transport and Main Roads (Horsfall 2008) identified a post-contact
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walking track along Spence Street and post-contact camps between Moody and Chinaman Creeks. These have not been investigated nor recorded, but would appear to be within or adjacent to the transit corridor.
Cairns Central Swamp (W1)
It is known that indigenous people regularly used the marine resources of the Cairns Central Swamp and this use has continued to recent times, with indigenous people regularly fishing and netting the watercourses. No significant Aboriginal sites are known to remain (Connell Wagner 1991) although it is most likely shell scatters exist in the more remote parts of the swamp. However, these are some distance from the Cairns Transit Network corridor which lies along the formed roads.
Earlville to Gordonvale (Sections S2 to S4)
The majority of recorded Aboriginal cultural and heritage sites are east of the Bruce Highway, and outside the corridor. However, some sites identified from previous studies appear to be close enough to the corridor to be of possible concern:
• The former Fourmile camp at Woree, the precise location of which is not known, is thought to lie under the racecourse, although occupational material could be more wide-spread. Investigations south of the racecourse yielded no results (Horsfall 2003). Any disturbance in this area will need to be monitored for archaeological material
• A campsite with stone artefacts near the Bruce Highway at Blackfellows Creek (Archaeo 2008) needs further investigation
• A massacre site reported near the Bruce Highway at Wrights Creek (Archaeo 2008); needs further investigation.
7.3.4.2 Other comments
As the majority of the Cairns Transit Network is within the road reserve, no sites on the Queensland Heritage Register are anticipated to be impacted. A number of historical sites were identified by Moore and Sachs (2000) along the Bruce Highway and railway between Cairns and Gordonvale. Most were assessed as having no heritage significance. However, it was noted that a switching mechanism and lock at the old railway bridge at Chinaman Creek might be of interest to the Cairns Historical Society; in situ preservation is not required. A cane cutter’s barracks was reported near the junction of Draper Road and the highway at Gordonvale, but its heritage significance has not been assessed.
The area also contains historical graves reported at Bentley House near Edmonton, and European graves near the Bruce Highway at Wrights Creek. These have not been recorded nor their significance assessed. Further on-site investigations and environmental management will be required prior to undertaking works in these areas.
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7.3.4.3 Summary
The approximate locations of sites that are known to be in or near the Cairns Transit Network are summarised in Table 7.3 and shown in Figure 7.1, Figure 7.2 and Figure 7.3.
Table 7.3: Sites known to be in or near the study area Site number Site Comment (see Figure 7.1, Figure 7.2, Figure 7.3) 1 The former Fourmile camp at Woree; Any disturbance in this the precise location is not known. It is area will need to be
thought to lie under the racecourse, monitored for although occupational material could archaeological material be more wide-spread
2 A campsite with stone artefacts near This site needs further the highway at Blackfellows Creek investigation. (Archaeo 2008)
3 A massacre site reported near the This site needs further highway at Wrights Creek (Archaeo investigation 2008)
A A switching mechanism and lock at In situ preservation not the old railway bridge at Chinaman required, but item might Creek be of interest to the Cairns Historical Society
B A cane cutter’s barracks reported Heritage significance near the junction of Draper Road and has not been assessed the Bruce Highway at Gordonvale
C Historical graves reported at Bentley Need to be identified House near Edmonton and assessed
D European graves reported near the Need to be identified Bruce Highway at Wrights Creek and assessed
Source : Environment North
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Figure 7.1: Sites known to be in or near the study area, Map 1
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Figure 7.2: Sites known to be in or near the study area, Map 2
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Figure 7.3: Sites known to be in or near the study area, Map 3
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7.3.5 Potential cultural heritage impact Much of the corridor follows existing roads, where it can be presumed that disturbance from construction has severely affected any archaeological material that may have been present. However, in small sections, the transit network may be constructed along new alignments. These sections may require survey for Aboriginal cultural heritage sites, and/or monitoring during construction.
The Mount Peter development area was assessed for cultural heritage values by Archaeo (2008). The transit corridor does not appear to have been one of the areas chosen for survey. However, the report noted the potential for archaeological material to be present and undisturbed in cane paddocks, below the plough zone. The recommendations of that report are endorsed. They include on-going consultation with the relevant Traditional Owners and monitoring during construction. Survey of cane lands prior to further disturbance may also reveal the location of archaeological material brought to the surface by ploughing.
While no places on the Queensland Heritage Register are likely to be affected by the Cairns Transit Network, there are buildings of historical significance along the corridors. This will require sensitive urban design treatments and appropriate construction techniques to ensure potential impacts are minimised in future planning.
7.3.6 Potential mitigation measures A Cultural Heritage Management Plan will be developed for the construction phase. It could contain a range of potential mitigation measures to protect cultural heritage values, including:
• consultation with Traditional Owner groups
• heritage assessment of nearby buildings to determine heritage significance
• monitoring programs for significant buildings to assess building movement and condition
• urban design treatments to reduce potential impacts (for example, station design and associated artworks could reflect the historical significance of the site)
• induction training of construction crews and appointment of a heritage archaeologist during construction to manage any archaeological discoveries.
7.4 Opportunities and constraints
7.4.1 Opportunities Route opportunities from a cultural heritage perspective (ie areas where there is a low probability of encountering cultural heritage constraints) are:
• existing roads and railway reserves
• areas cleared for urban development
• cultivated areas
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• coastal and inland mangroves and saltpans.
However, cultivated areas may require survey for Aboriginal cultural heritage sites and/or monitoring during construction.
7.4.2 Constraints Route constraints from a cultural heritage perspective (ie areas where there is a high probability of encountering cultural heritage constraints) are:
• the sites listed in Table 7.3
• sand ridges and Melaleuca open forest
• Cairns Central Swamp
• creek banks, especially those with established riparian vegetation.
7.5 Recommendations for further investigations
A Cultural Heritage Management Plan will be developed in accordance with departmental policy and relevant legislation for the construction phase. This will provide instructions on how to protect cultural heritage values in the transit network corridors. It could include the actions contained in section 7.3.6 as well as:
• Consultation should be undertaken with Traditional Owner groups to determine any specific concerns associated with the Cairns Transit Network. This is particularly relevant for the Mount Peter Master Planned Area
• Any new roads, particularly across native vegetation, creek lines, wetlands and cultivated land, should be subjected to a field survey for archaeological sites and monitoring during construction
• The known sites identified in Table 7.3, and any others of concern to Traditional Owners should be investigated, recorded, and their significance assessed prior to the development of an appropriate management strategy (this may vary from conservation to collection to destruction), unless it is clear that their locations will not be affected by the transit network
• Further on-site investigations and environmental management will be required prior to undertaking works in the vicinity of the historical graves at Bentley House near Edmonton, and the European graves near the Bruce Highway at Wrights Creek
• Monitoring should be undertaken for any ground-disturbing works in the vicinity of the racecourse, in case traces of the former Fourmile camp are uncovered.
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