Proposed Subdivision Lot 2 Grandfathers Gully Road, Lilli Pilli, NSW Aboriginal Archaeological Assessment A Report to David Brewer 648 The Ridge Road Malua Bay, NSW. July 2005 Julie Dibden New South Wales Archaeology Pty Limited 97 Sugarloaf Cct Palmerston ACT 2913 ph/fax 02 62622241 mob. 0427074901 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SUMMARY......................................................................................................................................................1 1.1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................................1 1.2 THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY....................................................................................................................1 1.3 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED SITES.....................................................................................................................1 1.4 RESULTS.......................................................................................................................................................1 1.5 STATUTORY CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................1 1.6 CONCLUSIONS ..............................................................................................................................................2 1.7 RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................................................2 2. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................4 3. PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY ..................................................................4 4. THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT...............................................................................................................6 4.1 THE PROPOSAL.............................................................................................................................................6 4.2 PREVIOUS LANDUSE.....................................................................................................................................6 4.3 POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL ON ABORIGINAL SITES ....................................................................6 5. STUDY METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................................................................7 5.1 LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................................................................7 5.2 FIELD SURVEY AND METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................7 6. LANDSCAPE CONTEXT..............................................................................................................................8 6.1 TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND VEGETATION .................................................................................8 7. ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT.............................................................................................................10 7.1 SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY...................................................................................................................................10 7.2 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED SITES...................................................................................................................11 7.3 ARCHAEOLOGY – THE LOCAL AREA ...........................................................................................................12 8. SURVEY RESULTS .....................................................................................................................................18 8.1 SURVEY COVERAGE VARIABLES ................................................................................................................18 8.2 RESULTS.....................................................................................................................................................20 8.3 DISCUSSION................................................................................................................................................20 9. STATUTORY INFORMATION .................................................................................................................22 10. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................23 11. REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................24 Proposed Subdivision Lot 2 Grandfathers Gully Road, Lilli Pilli, NSW 1. SUMMARY 1.1 Introduction New South Wales Archaeology was commissioned by David Brewer in May 2005 to undertake an archaeological assessment of a subdivision proposal at Lilli Pilli, NSW. The proposal area encompasses Lot 2 Grandfathers Gully Road, Lilli Pilli. The property measures ca. 10 hectares in size and is triangular in shape, bounded by Grandfathers Gully Road to the west and with adjoining private properties abutting the south and northeast boundaries. It is proposed to subdivide the land into 13 residential lots. 1.2 The Archaeological Study An archaeological investigation for Aboriginal archaeological sites within the proposal area has been conducted by Andrew Pearce, New South Wales Archaeology Pty Ltd, and Robert Jessop representing Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council. Fieldwork was conducted on 15th July 2005. The study has sought to identify and record any Aboriginal archaeological sites which may be present in the proposal area, to assess the archaeological potential of the landform elements present and to formulate management recommendations based on the results of background research, a field survey and site significance assessment. The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (now incorporated in the Department of Environment and Conservation) has prepared a draft document which provides a series of guidelines regarding the assessment and management of Aboriginal cultural heritage in New South Wales. This report has been prepared in accordance with those draft guidelines (NSW NPWS 1997). Additionally the study has been conducted in accordance with the Interim Guidelines for Aboriginal Community Consultation - Requirements for Applicants (DEC 2004). 1.3 Previously Recorded Sites A search of the New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS) has been undertaken (AHIMS #13268). There are no recorded sites listed on AHIMS as present in the study area. However, ten previously recorded sites are listed as being present in the broader local area. 1.4 Results The proposal area was subject to a comprehensive field survey. No Aboriginal objects (as defined under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 as amended) such as stone artefacts or shell midden were recorded. The survey result is assessed to be an accurate reflection of the archaeological status of the area. It is assessed that the proposal area is of low archaeological sensitivity and potential. 1.5 Statutory Context Sections 84 and 90 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (as amended) provide statutory protection for any physical/material evidence of Aboriginal occupation of NSW and places of cultural significance to the Aboriginal community. The implementation of the Aboriginal heritage provisions of the Act is the responsibility of the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation. It is an offence to damage, deface or destroy an ‘Aboriginal object’ irrespective of its nature or significance without the prior consent of the Director-General of the NSW DEC. The Act defines an Aboriginal ‘object’ as ‘Any deposit, object or material evidence (not being a handicraft for sale) relating to indigenous and non-European habitation of the area that comprises New South Wales, being habitation New South Wales Archaeology July 2005 page 1 Proposed Subdivision Lot 2 Grandfathers Gully Road, Lilli Pilli, NSW before or concurrent with the occupation of that area by persons of non-Aboriginal extraction, and includes Aboriginal remains’. 1.6 Conclusions The field survey encompassed the entire proposal area and can therefore be considered to have been comprehensive. The proposal area was found to be generally disturbed as the result of prior clearance, logging, slashing, grading, the construction a house, pool, sheds and associated structures and the creation of sealed and unsealed vehicle tracks. The proposal area is assessed to be of low archaeological sensitivity in accordance with the predictive model of site location applicable to the study area, a consideration of prior disturbance and the results of the study. It is concluded that the proposed activity has very low potential to cause impacts to any Aboriginal archaeological sites of high archaeological significance. 1.7 Recommendations It is recommended that (see Section 10 for a full listing of recommendations): • There are no archaeological constraints to the proposal. No Aboriginal objects have been recorded on the proposal area. Acknowledgements Gratitude is extended to the following people for their assistance in this project: David Brewer, Proponent Robert Jessop, Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council New South Wales Archaeology July