Woollahra Municipal Council Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment

>>>

Woollahra Council Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment

When required as part of the Development Application (DA) process

In some circumstances, a Development Application in the Woollahra Municipal Council LGA will require an Aboriginal Heritage Assessment as part of a request for more information, a condition of consent or a request of a similar nature. This is because the council has determined your DA to be in an area with Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity or Potential Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity. Typically, this process is given a deadline which will need to be met.

You will be required to engage an Aboriginal heritage consultant to conduct an assessment of the proposal area and determine if there are known Aboriginal objects or sites, in or near the proposal area. The heritage consultant will be required to engage the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALALC) to assist with the assessment.

Need an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment?

Click here if you are looking for an Aboriginal Heritage Due Diligence Assessment.

When is an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment (AHIA) required in Woollahra?

When is an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment (AHIA) required in Woollahra?
The first step to ascertain if an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment is required is consulting the Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity mapping available on the Council’s website under MAPS.

The following circumstances may apply to land:
1) The area is partly or wholly located within an area of Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity. An Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment is required. Refer to Council DA Guide requirements outlined below.

2) The area is partly or wholly located within an area of Potential Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity. Applicants are required to prepare an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment in certain circumstances, as per the following figure.

3) The area is completely outside an area of Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity. Applicants are not required to prepare an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment but standard DA conditions may still apply.

Areas In the Woollahra LGA that Typically Require an Aboriginal Heritage Assessment

The following areas typically require an Aboriginal Heritage Due Diligence Assessment or an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment when applying for a DA. Please note, that any part of the Woollahra LGA can require an assessment. This is a guide to some of the places found near an Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity Zone.

Woollahra Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity Map

The Woollahra Municipal Council has conducted an Aboriginal Heritage Study, endorsed by the Council on 26 July 2021. This study serves as a crucial resource and management strategy for managing Aboriginal heritage during development processes. A part of this study includes Aboriginal cultural heritage sensitivity mapping, which helps in identifying properties within areas of Aboriginal heritage sensitivity. This map is available to assist developers and the public in recognizing and protecting Aboriginal heritage sites​​.

For more detailed information and to access the Aboriginal Heritage sensitivity map, you can visit it here Woollahra Municipal Council Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity Map.

**The map above is a screenshot from a live updated map and should not be used for decision making purposes**. Find the live me here: Woollahra Municipal Council Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity Map

Bellevue Hill – This suburb is built on sand-covered hills, dunes and sandstone ridgelines. All are known to have had Aboriginal occupation.

Cooper Park – The streets surrounding Cooper Park usually require an Aboriginal heritage assessment of some sort. This is due to the sandstone formations found in the area and the known Aboriginal heritage sites in the park.

Redleaf – Streets surrounding this area are very close to an Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity Zone.

Rose Bay – This is particularly the case around the Royal Sydney Golf Course.

Rushcutters Bay Park – The streets surrounding this park are near an Aboriginal Heritage Sensitivity Zone.

Waterfront Locations – Typically, waterfront locations were built on, or around the sandstone formations that may have been used by Aboriginal people.

Watsons Bay & South Head – This area has many sandstone platforms and overhangs used by Aboriginal people.

if the Council does not require an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment does this protect you Legally?

No. Please note that if the Council does not require an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment for a particular development proposal, this does not remove the legal protections provided by the NPW Act for ‘unknowing’ harm to Aboriginal objects. Causing unknowing harm to an Aboriginal heritage object, without first completing a Due Diligence Assessment, can attract a fine of up to $220,000.

Woollahra Municipal Council Recommends all applicants undertake Aboriginal heritage Due Diligence.

It is recommended that all applicants undertake Aboriginal heritage Due Diligence in accordance with the Heritage NSW Code of Practice. This does not need to be presented to the Council as part of a development application but will provide proponents with a defence to the offence of unknowing harm if Aboriginal objects are unexpectedly found during construction works.

Talking Walls specialises in Woollahra Municipal Council Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessments

Talking Walls is based in Surry Hills, only 2 km from the Woollahra LGA. This is important because the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney has a very unique landscape and Aboriginal history when compared to other parts of Sydney. In this area, your heritage consultant needs to have experience working with sandy soil landscapes, sandstone valleys, and local ecological habitats. Without this experience, you risk facing significant delays to your DA, or worse, heavy fines if the assessment has not been conducted properly.

Our goal is to ensure all parties involved achieve a suitable outcome from the assessment process. Our purpose is to help you get your DA approved by making sure all the Council’s requirements are met, the LALALC are confident their heritage is protected and we can offer practical solutions when they are required.

Contact Us for an Assessment

Contact us to discuss the Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment concerning your property in the Woollahra Municipal Council LGA.