New South Wales Archaeology Pty Ltd ACN 106044366 __________________________________________________________ Liverpool Range Wind Farm Stage 1 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report Date: 10 March 2014 Author: Dr Julie Dibden Proponent: Epuron Pty Ltd Local Government Area: Liverpool Plains, Warrumbungle, Upper Hunter Shire Councils and Mid-Western Regional Council www.nswarchaeology.com.au TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ 1 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 4 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA – BACKGROUND INFORMATION .............................. 8 2.1 THE PHYSICAL SETTING OR LANDSCAPE ........................................................................ 8 2.2 HISTORY OF PEOPLES LIVING ON THE LAND ................................................................ 15 2.3 MATERIAL EVIDENCE ................................................................................................... 25 2.3.1 Previous Archaeological Research ............................................................................ 27 2.3.2 Predictive Model of Aboriginal Site Distribution....................................................... 36 2.3.3 Field Inspection – Methodology ................................................................................ 41 2.3.4 Field Inspection – Results ........................................................................................ 44 SURVEY COVERAGE ........................................................................................................... 44 ABORIGINAL OBJECT RECORDINGS .................................................................................... 86 3. CONSULTATION PROCESS ........................................................................................... 97 4. SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION ............................ 100 5. CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUES AND STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE .............. 101 5.1 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE .................................................................................... 101 6. THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY ......................................................................................... 103 6.1 PROPOSED IMPACTS .................................................................................................... 103 6.2 TYPE OF HARM ........................................................................................................... 105 7. AVOIDING AND/OR MINIMISING HARM .................................................................. 106 7.1 MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES ............................................................ 106 8. STATUTORY INFORMATION ...................................................................................... 108 9. RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................. 109 10. REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 110 GLOSSARY ......................................................................................................................... 117 APPENDIX 1 OEH AHIMS RESULTS .............................................................................. 118 APPENDIX 2 EUROPEAN HERITAGE REGISTER LISTINGS ..................................... 125 APPENDIX 3 EUROPEAN HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND RESULTS .......................... 130 APPENDIX 4 LANDFORM UNIT AND HERITAGE SITE MAPPING ........................... 148 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1 The location of the proposed Wind Farm (source: Epuron Pty Ltd). ........................... 6 Figure 2 The location of the proposed transmission line options (source: Epuron Pty Ltd). ...... 7 Figure 3 Sketch map showing location of LU6/L1. ................................................................. 87 Figure 4 Sketch map showing location of LU10/L1. ............................................................... 88 Figure 5 Sketch map showing location of LU30/L1. ............................................................... 89 Figure 6 Sketch map showing location of TL LU2/L1. ........................................................... 90 Figure 7 Sketch map showing location of TL LU2/L3. ........................................................... 92 Figure 8 Sketch map showing location of AHIMS 36-3-105. ................................................... 94 Figure 9 Sketch map showing location of TL LU1/L1. ........................................................... 95 TABLE OF PLATES Plate 1 Typical cleared ridge on which turbines are proposed: Landform Unit 12. .................... 9 Plate 2 The upper reaches of the Coolaburragundy River valley taken from near Pandoras Pass on the Warrumbungle Range. ................................................................................................ 10 Plate 3 Turee Creek valley; photo taken from Landform Unit 16 looking south. ..................... 11 Plate 4 Plateau like ridge crest: Landform Unit 6 looking south. ........................................... 11 Plate 5 Narrow ridge crest: Landform Unit 22 looking south. ................................................. 12 Plate 6 Looking west towards Landform Unit 18. .................................................................. 12 Plate 7 Note steep slopes from crest of Landform Unit 17. ..................................................... 13 Plate 8 Typical rocky ridge crest (south end of Landform Unit 1) on which wind turbine generators are proposed. ........................................................................................................ 13 Plate 9 Landform Unit 26 illustrating the typically rocky nature of ridge crests. .................... 14 Plate 10 Kurrajong trees are common and often found on rocky knolls such as this located in Landform Unit 12. ................................................................................................................ 18 Plate 11 Landform Unit 6 looking 155°; note example of piles of pushed up timber frequently encountered illustrating disturbance to ground surfaces. ........................................................ 44 Plate 12 An example of recently graded fence line depicting disturbance and types of ground exposure encountered; Landform Unit 22 looking south. ........................................................ 45 Plate 13 Dam in Landform Unit 7 exemplifying both disturbance and good ground exposure and archaeological visibility. ................................................................................................. 45 Plate 14 Piles of graded cobbles in Landform Unit 23 looking west. ....................................... 46 Plate 15 Landform Unit 1 at northern end looking 210°. ........................................................ 49 Plate 16 Landform Unit 2 looking 190° in the western section. ............................................... 50 Plate 17 Landform Unit 3 in middle distance; photo taken from SU1 looking 120°. ................ 50 Plate 18 Landform Unit 4 in middle distance; photo taken from LU5 looking 120°................. 51 Plate 19 Landform Unit 5 looking 180°. ................................................................................. 52 Plate 20 Landform Unit 6 looking 200°. Note exposure in sheep tracks. ................................. 53 Plate 21 Landform Unit 7. ..................................................................................................... 54 Plate 22 Landform Unit 8 looking 240°. ................................................................................. 54 Plate 23 Landform Unit 9; note abundant cobbles. ................................................................ 55 Plate 24 Landform Unit 10 looking 260°. ............................................................................... 56 Plate 25 Landform Unit 11 looking 330°. ............................................................................... 56 Plate 26 Landform Unit 12. ................................................................................................... 57 Plate 27 Landform Unit 13 in middle distance looking 300°. .................................................. 58 Plate 28 Landform Unit 15 looking south. ............................................................................. 59 Plate 29 Landform Unit 16 looking 230°; note rocky outcrop. ................................................ 60 Plate 30 Landform Unit 17 looking 260°. Note the Oakey trig in the background. .................. 61 Plate 31 Landform Unit 18 looking south. ............................................................................. 62 Plate 32 Landform Unit 19 looking 200°. ............................................................................... 62 Plate 33 Landform Unit 22 looking 240° from near north end. ............................................... 63 Plate 34 Landform Unit 23 looking 290°. ............................................................................... 64 Plate 35 Landform Unit 24 looking west. ............................................................................... 65 Plate 36 Landform Unit 26 looking south. ............................................................................. 66 Plate 37 Landform Unit 27 looking 190°. ..............................................................................