DRAFT ACT Eastern Broadacre Planning Study Cultural Heritage Component Desktop Study October 2007 Navin Officer heritage consultants Pty Ltd acn: 092 901 605 Number 4 Kingston Warehouse 71 Leichhardt St. Kingston ACT 2604 ph 02 6282 9415 A Report to MacroPlan Australia fx 02 6282 9416 DRAFT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In accordance with the Canberra Spatial Plan (2004), the purpose of the broad study is to evaluate the suitability of the Eastern Broadacre area for employment generating development and to determine a future role and function for the area, taking into account the regional context. The Eastern Broadacre area is located on the eastern edge of the ACT, between Civic and the Kowen Plateau. A Land Capability Assessment of the study area is to be undertaken concurrently with an economic assessment. As part of that assessment, this report provides a ‘desk-top’ assessment of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous heritage significance within the Eastern Broadacre area. It also includes similar assessments for a number of natural, geological/geomorphological and palaeontological sites in the study area. Findings This desktop study identified a total of 333 registered, recorded and known indigenous, historic and other heritage sites within the study area. These consist of 194 indigenous sites, 127 historic sites, seven natural areas, four geological/geomorphological sites and one palaeontological site. Locations Indigenous sites occur in a linear manner at the immediate east and west sides of the northern section of Majura Road, and a number of small clusters occur adjacent to Fairbairn Pine Forest, between the Molonglo River and Canberra Avenue in the east, along Jerrabomberra Creek towards the south, and to the west of the Monaro Highway in the south of the study area. Historic sites appear to be scattered across the study area with concentrations occurring along Woolshed Creek in the north; at the junction of Fairbairn Avenue, Majura Road and Pialligo Avenue to the west; to the northwest of Fairbairn Pine Forest; and to the west of the Monaro Highway in the south of the study area. Natural areas encompass large tracts of land in the Majura Valley, Jerrabomberra, Pialligo, and Symonston. Geological and geomorphological sites occur on Woolshed Creek, Northcott Drive and Fyshwick, and a single palaeontological site is in the south of the study area. Heritage Significance Indigenous sites comprise 11 highly (or moderate to high) significant places, 146 with lesser significance and 37 where the significance is unassessed or unknown. Historic sites comprise 19 listed on various heritage registers, 21 with high (or moderate to high) significance, 55 with lesser significance, 18 with no significance and 14 where the significance is unassessed or unknown. All of the seven natural areas are either listed on or nominated to a heritage register. Of the four geological/geomorphological sites one is listed on a heritage register, two have high or moderate to high heritage significance and the fourth has local significance. The heritage significance of the single palaeontological site in the south of the study area is considered to be high. Recommendations It is recommended that development planning within the Eastern Broadacre study area for: Indigenous sites • Should highlight those sites that have been identified as having either high or moderate to high heritage significance as being areas that are to be protected and where development should be avoided; DRAFT • Should emphasise the need to develop management strategies (including mitigation measures as necessary), in consultation with the ACT Registered Aboriginal Organisations, for those sites that have been identified as having moderate, low to moderate, low, and very low heritage significance; • Should note the requirement for an assessment, in consultation with the ACT Registered Aboriginal Organisations, of those sites for which the heritage significance is either unassessed or unknown; and • Should identify the need for a comprehensive field survey program to be undertaken, in consultation with the ACT Registered Aboriginal Organisations, within those sections of the Eastern Broadacre Planning area that have not previously been surveyed. Historic sites • Should highlight those sites that have been heritage listed as being areas that are to be protected and where development should be avoided; • Should emphasise the need to develop management strategies (if not already available) for those sites that have been identified as having high, moderate to high, moderate, low to moderate and low heritage significance; • Should note the requirement for an assessment of those sites that are potentially significant or for which the heritage significance is either unassessed or unknown; and • Should identify the need for a comprehensive field survey program to be undertaken within those sections of the Eastern Broadacre Planning area that have not previously been surveyed. Natural areas • Should highlight those sites that have been heritage listed as being areas that are to be protected and where development should be avoided; and • Should identify the need for a comprehensive field survey program to be undertaken within those sections of the Eastern Broadacre Planning area that have not previously been surveyed. Geological and geomorphological sites • Should highlight the site that has been heritage listed as being an area that is to be protected and where development should be avoided; • Should emphasise the need to develop management strategies (if not already available) for those sites that have been identified as having high, moderate to high, and local heritage significance; and • Should identify the need for a comprehensive field survey program to be undertaken within those sections of the Eastern Broadacre Planning area that have not previously been surveyed. Palaeontological site • Should highlight the site as an area that is to be protected and where development should be avoided. ~ o0o ~ DRAFT TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 REPORT OUTLINE........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 STUDY METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 PROJECT PERSONNEL .................................................................................................................... 1 2. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT......................................................................................................... 3 2.1 THE MAJURA VALLEY ..................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 THE JERRABOMBERRA VALLEY ....................................................................................................... 3 2.3 SOIL-LANDSCAPE UNITS WITHIN THE STUDY AREA ............................................................................ 3 2.4 EXISTING LAND USE DISTURBANCE ................................................................................................. 4 3. ABORIGINAL CONTEXT ................................................................................................................. 6 3.1 ETHNOHISTORY.............................................................................................................................. 6 3.2 REGIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY OVERVIEW ............................................................................................. 6 3.3 ACT DISTRICT OF MAJURA ............................................................................................................. 7 3.4 ACT DISTRICT OF JERRABOMBERRA ............................................................................................. 11 3.5 RECORDED ABORIGINAL SITES ..................................................................................................... 13 3.6 PREDICTIVE ABORIGINAL ARCHAEOLOGY STATEMENT.................................................................... 13 4. HISTORICAL CONTEXT ................................................................................................................ 14 4.1 OUTLINE OF EUROPEAN NINETEENTH-CENTURY LAND SETTLEMENT................................................. 14 4.2 ACT DISTRICT OF MAJURA ........................................................................................................... 14 4.3 ACT DISTRICT OF JERRABOMBERRA ............................................................................................. 15 4.4 PREVIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE STUDIES ..................................................................................... 16 4.5 LISTED HERITAGE ITEMS............................................................................................................... 18 4.6 PREDICTIVE HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY STATEMENT .................................................................... 19 5. STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS ........................................................................................................20 5.1 ACT HERITAGE ACT 2004............................................................................................................ 20 5.2 ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT ACT (NO 1) 2003 ................................... 22 5.3 ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION & BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ACT 1999.......................................