State Heritage Convention

Ms Irene Stainton
Chairperson, Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee
"An indigenous perspective"

The State Government's Task Force on Aboriginal Social Justice found that for non-Aboriginal people, Aboriginal culture and heritage issues offered a bridge to reconciliation with Aboriginal people. Here in Western Australia the Department of Indigenous Affairs is responsible for the administration of the Aboriginal heritage legislation.

The Western Australian legislation was introduced in 1972 to protect and preserve all Aboriginal heritage. This includes all places and objects that are important to Aboriginal people because of connections to our culture. The Act recognises Aboriginal peoples' strong relationships to the land, which go back many thousands of years. It says what kind of places and objects might be important and restricts what can be done to them. When anyone wants to use some land for a development, maybe a new mine, a factory, tourist centre, bridge or even a museum, they must find out if there is an Aboriginal heritage site on the land.

If the land does contain sites or objects, which development is likely to disturb, the developer must get permission from the State Minister for Indigenous Affairs for the development to proceed. Under the Act it is an offence for anyone to excavate, damage, destroy, conceal or in any way alter an Aboriginal site, or any object, without the Minister's permission. The Minister is advised on heritage matters by the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee which is made up of Aboriginal men and women representing different parts of the State, as well as specialists in the field of anthropology and archaeology, a historian, the Chairperson of the Aboriginal Lands Trust, and representatives from the Department of Indigenous Affairs, Western Australian Museum, and the Department of Land Administration. Whilst there are a number of legislative requirements that must be addressed, there has been a real shift in how we do business today, in approaching projects in a holistic way.

In fact, Mr Ken Colbung, who is a long standing member and past Chairperson of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, stated in a recent interview that when he first became involved in the operations of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, specialists/ anthropologists/archaeologists and universities used to debate about who should and should not belong to each group and which Aboriginal groups, the academics should work with. Although these debates still occur, it is the Aboriginal communities who determine which group of professionals they wish to work with.

In today's environment, due in part, to greater understanding and respect of the importance of the diversities of Aboriginal culture, and the acknowledgement of the value of consultation, we collectively are achieving better results in heritage management.

It is fair to say, that museums and other institutions are committed to ensuring that exhibitions and stories are presented accurately and in a non-threatening way, which enables visits to galleries to be a learning experience. An excellent example is the Western Australian Museum's Aboriginal Gallery "Katta Djinoong" which means "To See and Understand Us".

Another example is the establishment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples War Memorial in Kings Park. This is an excellent illustration of a contemporary recording of events from an era where the major contributions made by Aboriginal people, may not have been recognised appropriately.

Finally, the proposed development of the East Perth Power Station has the potential to, through early planning and consultation, represent an outstanding approach to holistic heritage management. While the Power Station itself is important to European people, the area and locality of the power station is also of significance to Aboriginal people.

The area is accessioned on the Department of Indigenous Affairs - Aboriginal Sites Register. The site (S02160) has been classified as an ethnographically recorded camp and meeting place. On the banks of the Swan River near the Power Station a 'fringe camp' is recorded where many itinerant Aboriginal visitors to Perth camped, under the protection of the Bunbury railway bridge. The use of this site was witnessed as recently as 1985. The site has euphemistically been termed the 'Star Hotel'. The fact that this site is recognised is not surprising considering that East Perth is a traditional gathering place. At the time of first settlement by Europeans, the river foreshore, in the vicinity of the Power Station formed portion of the 'Flats', a place where there was good hunting and fishing and edible roots could be readily found. Additional Aboriginal significance is added to the area, as the Swan River (S02548) is also a registered site at the Department of Indigenous Affairs. The river is a named place, which is associated with the 'Waugul' myth. Due the above, all approval processes required under the Aboriginal Heritage Act will need to be adhered to, including early planning and consultation, particularly with Aboriginal people.

In conclusion and on a personal level, having grown up in East Perth, the area holds special significance to me. The river provided my family with sustenance as well as an area in which to swim and play. I was also privileged to have experienced the welcoming chatter of the people seeking shelter, and camping under the Bunbury Bridge, which to my family was known as the "Bunna Bridge".