Registered Aboriginal Parties welcomed the return of 1,344 stone artefacts to Wiradjuri County following a yearlong analysis in Sydney.
In accordance with the Heritage NSW Code of Practice and in consultation with 22 Registered Aboriginal Parties, the stone artefacts were entrusted temporarily to archaeologists and specialist to complete the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment for the Project.
A cleansing ceremony for the artefacts was conducted before they were securely stored in the temporary safe keeping place on Wiradjuri Country. Discussions with Registered Aboriginal Parties are ongoing to agree a permanent location for the artefacts that depends on different project outcomes.
The Project created the opportunity to make artefact findings in an unexplored area by applying a formal assessment study to the site.
Artefact discoveries increase our collective and shared understanding of how Wiradjuri people used the area of Lake Lyell and Mt Walker where EnergyAustralia proposes to build the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Project.
Ensuring Wiradjuri cultural heritage is recorded and managed is an important part of the development of the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project.
It is crucial that the local Aboriginal community is involved in investigating, assessing and managing cultural heritage.
22 Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) became actively involved in the assessment process in line with Heritage NSW Code of Practice.
This has included locally based Wiradjuri Traditional Owners, the local Aboriginal land council, and several individuals and organisations more regionally based with an interest in cultural heritage management.