• Change text size
• Skip to content

About us

Annual reports

• About us
• Contact us

Outcome 1 - Environment (continued)

Natural, Indigenous and historic heritage

The Department of the Environment and Water Resources identifies, protects and conserves Australia's natural and cultural heritage, including Indigenous and historic heritage.

Main responsibilities for this output

Identify and assess places for possible inclusion on the World Heritage List, National Heritage List, and Commonwealth Heritage List Advise on conservation and management of heritage places with Indigenous, natural or historic values under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Administer the Commonwealth's obligations under the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984, Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 and Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976

Heritage Division

Objectives

Natural, Indigenous and historic heritage

• Identify, protect, conserve and celebrate Australia's natural, Indigenous and historic heritage places that are of national and world significance
• Identify, protect and conserve heritage places that are Commonwealth owned or leased
• Contribute to protection of natural and cultural heritage in the South-East Asia—Pacific region
• Increase knowledge and enjoyment of Australia's maritime heritage while protecting shipwrecks and associated relics
• Prevent Australia's cultural heritage from being significantly diminished due to the export of heritage objects

Results 2006—07

World, national and Commonwealth heritage

Australia's world, national and Commonwealth heritage places may be of natural, Indigenous or historic significance or any combination of these. Heritage places are important to Australia's sense of national identity and shared values. Protecting them benefits future generations as well as the present community.

The Australian Government's main legislation for protecting heritage places is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The Act protects the heritage values of places that are included in the following lists:

• World Heritage List: listed places are of global significance recognised under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (usually referred to as the World Heritage Convention)
• National Heritage List: listed places are of outstanding heritage value to the nation
• Commonwealth Heritage List: listed places are of significant heritage value and are owned or leased by the Australian Government.

In late 2006, the Australian Parliament passed the Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendment Act (No.1) 2006 which included significant amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Australia Council Act 2003. The amendments:

• set out the arrangements for the nomination and assessment processes for the National Heritage List and Commonwealth Heritage List. The minister will call for public nominations once every year, and may establish a theme for nominations to the national list. The minister, after advice from the Australian Heritage Council, will finalise a list of priorities for assessment, which will be publicly announced. The council will assess the places on the priority list
• streamline the process for National Heritage and Commonwealth Heritage emergency listing. These processes are available where the minister is satisfied that there is a likely and imminent threat of a significant adverse impact upon the heritage values of a place
• establish the List of Overseas Places of Historic Significance to Australia. The list will enable symbolic recognition of overseas places. The National Heritage List will no longer be open to places outside Australian jurisdiction
• allow World Heritage listed places to be placed in the National Heritage List for their world heritage values without assessment through the standard processes
• freeze the Register of the National Estate and remove its statutory basis after five years. The transition period will allow the Australian Government, states and territories to complete the task of transferring places to state, territory and local heritage registers. The register will be maintained after this period as a non-statutory archive.

The department manages the processes set up by the Act, provides heritage listing advice to the government, and advises property managers on their heritage management plans and strategies. The department supports the Australian Heritage Council in its assessment, advice and public information and awareness activities. The department's heritage activities are largely funded through the Distinctively Australian Programme ($52.1 million from 2003—2007) and the National Heritage Investment Initiative ($10.5 million from 2005—2009).

World heritage listings

Australia has 17 world heritage properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. Nominations are made by national governments and assessed for inclusion on the list by the World Heritage Committee.

On 28 June 2007 the Sydney Opera House was officially inscribed on the World Heritage List as a masterpiece of human creative genius. The Opera House is an extraordinary building in a stunning harbour setting. Since its opening, it has captured the imagination of people all over the world and become an internationally recognised icon of both Sydney and Australia as a whole.

Extensive work was undertaken on a new World Heritage nomination covering Australian Convict Sites. The department, with state and territory officials, has overseen preparation of the nomination, revision of management plans and community consultation. The nomination is scheduled to be submitted in late 2007.

Australian World Heritage Tentative List

The Australian Government has responsibility under the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (2005) to prepare an Australian World Heritage Tentative List. A tentative list is an inventory of properties on its territory which a party considers suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List. At its 2 June 2007 meeting the Environment Protection and Heritage Council agreed to support preparation of a new Australian World Heritage Tentative List for consideration over the next 10 years. This was in light of thematic reports by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) identifying gaps in the World Heritage List, and considering the tentative lists of other parties. The department will work with all states and territories to discuss possible nominations and themes for the list in the latter part of 2007.

A National Heritage Protocol agreed by the Environment Protection and Heritage Council in April 2004 states that, as a general principle, future nominations for the World Heritage List, and by extension submissions to Australia's tentative list, will be drawn from the National Heritage List.

World Heritage 25th anniversary communications strategy

October 2006 marked the 25th anniversary of the inscription of the first three Australian sites in the World Heritage List in 1981. The sites were the Willandra Lakes Region, the Great Barrier Reef, and Kakadu National Park. In 1982, they were joined by the Tasmanian Wilderness and Lord Howe Island.

The department developed a comprehensive strategy to promote the 25th anniversary year, from October 2006 to October 2007. The strategy is designed to:

• celebrate 25 years of World Heritage in Australia
• ensure Australia meets its obligations under the World Heritage Convention (Articles 4 and 5) to present and transmit world heritage values to present and future generations
• increase community understanding of, and support for, Australia's world heritage properties, policies and strategies
• raise media and community awareness of the value of Australia's world heritage properties
• raise awareness of the Australian Government's commitment to ensuring the conservation and preservation of Australia's world heritage properties.

The strategy includes a 25th anniversary calendar, a book on current Australian world heritage sites, newspaper supplements, a travelling photographic exhibition, a postcard series, and anniversary plaques for the 17 sites. The travelling photographic exhibition has already been seen by over 200,000 people as of 30 June 2007 and has been booked up until January 2008. A calendar, postcards and a brochure were produced and distributed.

National and Commonwealth heritage listings

Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, the minister is responsible for including places in the national or Commonwealth heritage lists. In 2006—07 the minister received 58 public nominations for the National Heritage List. The minister added 28 places to the list, including 15 world heritage places (see map), and added one place to the Commonwealth Heritage List.

After the third full year of operation of the national and Commonwealth heritage provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Australia had 59 national heritage places (including places from each state and territory) and 340 places in the Commonwealth list.

Unless operating under the emergency provisions, before listing a place the minister must first consider an assessment of its heritage values by the Australian Heritage Council, an independent body appointed to provide the government with advice on a range of heritage matters.

The council also maintains the Register of the National Estate. The minister must take the register into account when making decisions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Amendments passed in 2006 provided that no additional places be included in the register and introduced a five-year transition period after which the register will no longer have a statutory basis. It will, however, be available as an information source.

Emergency listings

The minister can decide to emergency list a place that may have national or Commonwealth heritage values that are under threat. Emergency listing is a temporary measure as the Australian Heritage Council must follow up emergency listing with a detailed assessment.

Amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 passed in 2006 streamline the process and make it clear that the minister must believe that the threat is both likely and imminent in deciding to emergency list a place.

In 2006—07 the minister received requests to emergency list six places in the National Heritage List. Of these, the minister rejected two because he was not satisfied that national heritage values existed or were under threat, or he considered that other considerations outweighed minimal risk to heritage values. The minister later included one of these places, Dampier Archipelago, in the National Heritage List (on 3 July 2007). The applicants did not proceed with the other four requests.

Details of the reasons for the minister's decisions are available from the heritage notices website at
www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/heritage_ap.pl.

World heritage management

The Australian Government provided $8 million in 2006—07 from the Natural Heritage Trust to assist the states to manage world heritage properties to ensure their protection and promotion is consistent with undertakings under the World Heritage Convention. Activities funded include agreed on-ground priority projects and strategic management support projects including community consultation and coordination.

On 23 November 2006, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council resolved to implement a more strategic and cooperative national approach to world heritage management and to reinvigorate the council's existing role as the national forum for world heritage issues. At its April 2007 meeting the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to abolish nine of the 10 property- or jurisdiction specific world heritage area ministerial councils. The department will consult with world heritage area advisory committees and will develop, under the council's leadership, more streamlined reporting, management planning and funding arrangements for Australia's world heritage areas.

National and Commonwealth heritage management

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 provides for the preparation of a management plan for each place included in the National Heritage List. For places in the national list not wholly owned or controlled by the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth must use its best endeavours to ensure a plan is prepared and implemented in cooperation with the relevant state or territory. For national heritage places wholly within a Commonwealth area, the Act requires the minister to make a written management plan for each place as soon as practicable after listing or when the place comes under Commonwealth control. These management plans must comply with the Regulations under the Act, including consistency with the national heritage management principles.

In 2006—07 the minister approved a priority list for the development of management plans for national heritage places. Funding or part-funding for the development of management plans consistent with the national heritage management principles of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 was provided for five places on this priority list and one place to its priority listing. Management plans are also in preparation for three historic national listed places wholly in Commonwealth ownership. The department provided comments on two management plans for national listed places and several management plans for places in the Commonwealth Heritage List. The department also provided input to several management plans being prepared for the serial nomination of convict sites to the World Heritage List.

The Act also requires each Australian Government agency that owns or controls a place with acknowledged or potential Commonwealth heritage values to prepare a written heritage strategy for managing the place to protect and conserve its values.

Twelve Australian Government agencies have completed their heritage strategies and the department expects a further 14 to complete them during 2007—08. The department has reminded all other Australian Government agencies of their obligations. Agencies with completed strategies have started to undertake identification and assessment programmes and to prepare management plans.

Productivity Commission inquiry

On 6 April 2005 the minister and the Treasurer announced a Productivity Commission inquiry into the policy framework and incentives for the conservation of Australia's historic heritage places. The Productivity Commission tabled the final report of its inquiry in the parliament in July 2006.

The report makes 14 recommendations to improve state, territory, local and (to a lesser extent) Australian Government heritage frameworks by making both costs and benefits explicit, and by improving the clarity and accountability of the heritage listing system, particularly at the local government level. The report's key recommendation is that private owners should be able to appeal heritage listing of their properties on the basis of unreasonable cost.

The report represents the most comprehensive review of the three-tiered heritage framework ever undertaken in Australia. The report demonstrates the great significance of built heritage and the fact that it is clearly valued as a critical part of Australia's social capital.

In preparing the Australian Government's response, the department consulted with other departments with a policy interest in the response, and those that are managers of heritage listed properties. State and territory heritage agencies were also consulted in the early planning stages of the response, in order to work towards a government response that is consistent with the state and territory frameworks.

The Australian Government response to the report was tabled in the House of Representatives on 22 May 2007 and in the Senate on 12 June 2007. The response refers some issues requiring a nationally coordinated approach to the Environment Protection and Heritage Council for further discussion.

Cooperative National Heritage Agenda

In May 2006, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council agreed to develop an integrated national heritage policy agenda for natural, Indigenous and historic heritage. The department's Heritage Division has responsibility under the Environment Protection and Heritage Council's Cooperative National Heritage Agenda for two priority projects, one to develop consistent national heritage assessment criteria and thresholds, and the other to develop a comprehensive national heritage inventory and information portal.

Under the first priority project a publication is being developed with the states and territories to explain the Australian three-tier system of heritage listing, including assessment criteria and thresholds. It is expected that this project will conclude with a presentation to the Environment Protection and Heritage Council later in 2007.

For the latter project the department commissioned a scoping study to upgrade the web-based database—the Australian Heritage Places Inventory. The upgrade will simplify and improve the database so users can readily access information online from statutory heritage inventories across Australia. The scoping study will be assessed by the Environment Protection and Heritage Council.

Indigenous heritage

The department works with other government agencies and the community to protect the cultural heritage of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. This work includes providing advice on proposals referred under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, supporting projects for the identification, conservation or promotion of Indigenous heritage, and providing emergency protection to areas and objects of cultural and traditional significance in Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage protection

Under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 the minister can protect places and objects of traditional significance to Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders from threats of injury or desecration. This is 'last resort' protection that may only be given when there is no effective protection under state or territory laws.

In 2006—07 the department provided advice to the minister on four applications to protect Indigenous heritage places and objects under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984. Two applications were for matters continuing from previous years, and two were for new matters.

One new matter was an application for emergency and longer-term protection for parts of Perth Airport. After considering the application, the minister decided not to make an emergency declaration, and found that the application for longer term protection was not valid. The other new matter related to an application for emergency protection for an area within the Burrup Peninsula, which was subsequently withdrawn by the applicants.

The matters continuing from previous years related to applications for longer-term protection for Marool Camp and Cockburn Sound in Western Australia. After considering the applications, the minister decided not to make a longer-term declaration for Cockburn Sound and is still considering the application for Marool Camp.

The department also continued to monitor compliance with a 20-year declaration (expiring in 2012) under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 for Junction Waterhole in Alice Springs.

Amendments to the Heritage Protection Act

• In 2006 the Australian Parliament passed amendments to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984. The amendments make three specific changes to the Act. They:
• repeal Part IIA of the Act to enable new Victorian legislation for the preservation of Aboriginal cultural heritage in Victoria to come into effect
• clarify the status of declarations made under the Act and when they can be used as legislative instruments under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003
• ensure the export of objects will not be prevented if there is a certificate in force issued under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986.

Part IIA of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 established a scheme for the preservation of Aboriginal cultural heritage in Victoria, the only state to have its Aboriginal cultural heritage protected by Commonwealth legislation. In 2006 Victoria passed its new Aboriginal heritage laws and the Victorian and Australian governments agreed to coordinate the transfer of responsibilities to Victoria. Part IIA was repealed by proclamation on 28 May 2007, and in Victoria the new state legislation was proclaimed on the same day, without any gap in the protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage in Victoria.

Section 12 of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 enables a person who wants to import an Australian protected object for a temporary purpose to apply to the minister for a certificate authorising the object's subsequent export. The provisions allow Australian museums and other cultural institutions to obtain objects under contractual and other loan arrangements for temporary exhibition in Australia. Prior to the amendments, a declaration made under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 was able to override section 12 of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986.

The changes improve access for Australians to overseas-owned Australian cultural materials and also protect the overseas lending institutions' right to have their Australian protected objects returned to them.

Reforms to Commonwealth legislation to protect Indigenous heritage

In late 2006 the minister initiated a consultative process for comprehensive reform of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984. These reforms will establish a national framework providing for the best contemporary standards of protection while maintaining the states' and territories' primary responsibility for the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.

In 2006—07 the department formed a taskforce to progress these reforms and to undertake comprehensive public consultations, targeting Indigenous people, industry and governments affected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage protection laws. A discussion paper outlining options for the reforms is planned to be released for public consultation in 2007—08, with new legislation introduced in 2008—09.

Indigenous Heritage Programme

The department administers the Australian Government's Indigenous Heritage Programme. The programme supports the identification, conservation, and promotion (where appropriate) of the Indigenous heritage values of places important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The programme also helps identify places likely to have outstanding Indigenous heritage value to Australia; that is, places of national heritage significance suitable for inclusion in the National Heritage List.

The department received 122 applications seeking a total of approximately $11 million in funding for the $3.7 million available in 2006—07. The minister approved funding for more than 60 projects, including identification of Indigenous heritage, conservation of Indigenous heritage sites, heritage planning, construction of places for keeping Indigenous heritage items and sharing Australian Indigenous heritage. These diverse projects have been initiated by local communities across the country, and display Australia's commitment to identifying and sharing the nation's rich Indigenous heritage.

Projects funded through the Indigenous Heritage Programme in 2006—07 include:

• $100,000 to connect Koori people with traditional heritage places through identifying and recording Indigenous heritage places and values in Victoria
• $90,000 for high resolution, three dimensional laser scanning of Aboriginal engraving and painting sites along the north-west and west coasts of Tasmania
• $98,850 to develop the Ngarrindjeri environment and heritage management strategy to implement research, planning and interpretation of cultural heritage on Ngarrindjeri Ruwe (lands and islands) in South Australia
• $90,596 for a cultural mapping project to record and film significant Aboriginal cultural sites in the Yindjibarnde traditional country, Western Australia
• $80,150 for the Wilsons River Experience Walk, which will research and link Indigenous history and cultural sites along the banks of the Wilsons River, New South Wales
• $98,800 for cultural mapping and management planning for rock art sites on Jawoyn lands in the Northern Territory
• $87,500 to facilitate teaching traditional Badtjala knowledge and culture for future generations at Maryborough in Queensland.

Indigenous heritage projects are also supported under the Indigenous Heritage Programme through shared responsibility agreements with Indigenous communities. These are agreements for the provision of services to Indigenous communities under the Australian Government's whole-of-government arrangements for Indigenous affairs, and involve both government and community contributions to achieve improved outcomes.

Contributions from the Indigenous Heritage Programme to shared responsibility agreements in 2006—07 included:

• $37,000 for heritage interpretation and tourism at the Wave Hill Walk Off sites at Kalkaringi in the Northern Territory
• $45,000 for heritage management and interpretation of the Combarngo Humpy and an interpretive shelter on the Balonne Riverscape in Surat, Queensland
• $160,000 for the restoration of the historic church at Raukkan (Port McLeay), South Australia
• $40,000 for survey and protection of a significant early mission site on Bruny Island, Tasmania
• $25,000 for natural and cultural resource management by MaMu traditional owners in the Innisfail region, Queensland.

Asia—Pacific Focal Point for World Heritage

The Asia—Pacific Focal Point is a regional network for world heritage managers established to assist countries in the Asia—Pacific region to adopt and implement the World Heritage Convention. Through the network, world heritage managers share information and experience, respond to specific requests, promote best practice in heritage management and identify and secure funding for world heritage activities.

The department provides the secretariat for the Asia—Pacific Focal Point. In 2006—07 the department improved the network's website by upgrading the format, adding a secure page for lodgement of documents, and updating and adding new information, photos, and links (see www.heritage.gov.au/apfp ).

The department also supports activities and projects in the Asia—Pacific region through the network. In 2006—07 the department supported the following four projects:

• the Roi Mata Domain Cultural Manager System Project in Vanuatu. This project included the second stage of the development of a digitised database to strengthen the Roi Mata Domain world heritage nomination
• a workshop at Tongariro National Park, New Zealand to develop a Pacific position paper for the World Heritage Committee and to build capacity within the Pacific to develop world heritage nominations. The workshop was attended by delegates from across the South Pacific
• assistance to Papua New Guinea to undertake community liaison and associated mapping projects as part of the world heritage nomination of the Kuk Early Agricultural Site
• a short-term fellowship for a young karst (limestone cave) professional or scientist from China to further develop their professional capability.

Regional Natural Heritage Programme

The four-year $10 million Regional Natural Heritage Programme began in February 2004. The programme provides grants to non-government organisations and other relevant agencies to protect outstanding biodiversity in hotspot areas of South-East Asia and the Pacific.

There were 78 applications for the fourth and final round of the programme in 2006—07. The minister approved seven ongoing and 14 new projects. Combined grant funding was $2.9 million. The programme concluded on 30 June 2007. Projects funded include:

• $202,950 to the Conservation International Foundation to conserve key biodiversity areas and threatened lowland rainforest species in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range, Luzon Island, Philippines
• $250,000 to the Nature Conservancy of Indonesia to protect the heart of the Coral Triangle and to strengthen marine protected areas in eastern Indonesia
• $273,240 to the World Conservation Union—Birdlife International to strengthen protected area networks and management in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region—Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam
• $59,040 to the Indonesia Programme of the Wildlife Conservation Society to save southern Sumatra's last elephants
• $20,860 to the Wantok Environment Centre for operating Save the Coconut Crab 2006—a community initiative to conserve rapidly declining stocks of coconut crab in Sanma Province, Vanuatu.

Australia's maritime heritage

Australia's coastal and maritime heritage was the 2006 theme selected by the minister to mark the 400th anniversary of the first documented European contact with Australia. This was in 1606 when Willem Janszoon and his crew on the Dutch ship Duyfken mapped 350 kilometres of Australia's coastline on the west side of Cape York.

To commemorate the anniversary, the Australian Government sponsored part of the voyage of the 1606—2006 Duyfken replica built in Fremantle in 1999. During the voyage of the Duyfken from May 2006 to January 2007 the replica stopped in 25 ports and was visited by over 80,000 people. The voyage provided a rare opportunity for Australians to experience life as it would have been on a late 16th century vessel and to learn more about Australia's important maritime heritage.

Historic shipwrecks

The department administers the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 and the Historic Shipwrecks Programme. In 2006—07 the department provided $426,000 to the states, the Northern Territory and Norfolk Island as delegates under the Act, and also to the Australasian Institute of Maritime Archaeology to administer the Act, and for projects to protect, preserve and monitor historic shipwrecks. Projects included:

• locating the sites of three wooden vessels carrying Chinese gold diggers, the Phaeton, Sultana and Koning Willem II, which were lost off the coast of Robe, South Australia, in 1857
• excavating the camp built by survivors of the 1797 shipwreck of the Sydney Cove
• making shipwreck trails accessible on the web and at the Museum of Tropical Queensland
• providing accurate data on the position of shipwrecks which can be used for site management, research, and outreach purposes, and to assist private and commercial parties to meet their obligations under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976.

In 2006—07 the minister declared two important shipwrecks from the Second World War, the SS Iron Knight and an M24 Japanese midget submarine, as historic shipwrecks with protective zones around the two sites. The SS Iron Knight was discovered by a team of specialist divers south of Montague Island in southern New South Wales' coastal waters, and declared a historic shipwreck in August 2006. The SS Iron Knight, an Australian cargo steamer, was en route from Whyalla to Newcastle with a load of iron ore when it was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine in the early hours of 8 February 1943.

The Japanese midget submarine M24 was discovered off the coast of Sydney by a group of amateur divers; a protected zone around it was declared in December 2006. The M24 Japanese midget submarine was involved in the attack on Sydney on the evening of 31 May 1942. It penetrated a boom defence at 10:40 pm and after searching for the main target—the heavy cruiser USS Chicago—launched two torpedos. One exploded against the seawall, sinking the depot ship HMAS Kuttabul and killing 19 Royal Australian Navy and two Royal Navy sailors. It was last reported leaving the harbour at 1:58 am on 1 June 1942 and was not seen again until its discovery in late 2006. The department is working with the Royal Australian Navy, New South Wales Heritage Office, the Embassy of Japan and other stakeholders to ensure that the wreck is managed to conserve it for future generations. The department has provided $54,000 to the New South Wales Government to assist in the purchase of a sonar buoy for ongoing monitoring of the M24.

Cultural heritage

Protection of movable cultural heritage

The department administers the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986. The Act aims to protect Australia's cultural heritage from being significantly diminished by the export of heritage objects and to protect the cultural heritage of other countries by preventing the illegal import of significant objects. The Act supports collecting institutions such as museums through the National Cultural Heritage Account.

This year the National Cultural Heritage Account supported a number of organisations including:

• Powerhouse Museum for two purchases: a c.1856 double bass made by John Devereaux, Australia's first professional maker of stringed, bowed instruments and the Australian Jockey Club's 1950 gold Sydney Cup
• South Australian Museum for the purchase of a rare 19th century Wokali bark shield from the Adelaide Plains
• Museum Victoria for the purchase of two c.1890 drawings by Tommy McRae
• Norfolk Island Museum for the purchase of a c.1900 roll top desk with strong associations with the whaling and communications operations on Norfolk Island.

In December 2006 an illegally imported Asmat skull recovered under the Act was returned to the Indonesian Government. The Asmat people in Papua preserved the skulls of their ancestors and kept them in sacred areas. The skull was painted with ochre, and decorated with a braided head band of feathers, a large ornament similar to 'boar's tusks' and other ornamentation including seeds and beads.

In June 2007 sixteen incised decorated skulls also recovered under the Act were returned to the Government of Malaysia. These skulls were identified as Dyak skulls, decorated with traditional designs of the Iban people. The patterns were carved into the skulls, and covered with a resin. The skulls were handed down from one generation to the next and were regarded as having sacred and spiritual qualities.

Detailed results on the operation of the Act in 2006—07 are in the second volume of this set of annual reports. The report lists objects acquired with assistance from the National Cultural Heritage Account, objects assessed, and heritage objects from other countries that were returned to their countries of origin.

Cultural heritage projects

The department provides funding to third parties to conserve Australia's significant cultural heritage objects and places. This funding is used to restore and conserve historic heritage places, purchase historic and heritage objects, and raise awareness and appreciation of Australia's cultural heritage.

National Heritage Investment Initiative

The initiative is providing $10.5 million over four years (2005—2009) for grants to help restore and conserve Australia's most important historic heritage places. To be eligible for funding, places must be in the National Heritage List or on a state or territory government statutory heritage register. Priority is given to places in the National Heritage List.

In 2006—07 the department received 363 expressions of interest for the second round of funding. Eighteen expressions of interest were short-listed for detailed assessment. From these, the minister approved 12 grants worth a total of $2.7 million. These included six places in the National Heritage List. Four of the approved projects are:

• $298,028 for restoration of the award winning Zig Zag Railway at Lithgow
• $20,000 to prepare a conservation management plan for the Lennox Bridge and Mitchell's Pass sites in New South Wales
• $454,445 for restoration work on a prison building at the national heritage listed Port Arthur Historic Site, Tasmania
• $500,000 for structural stabilisation works to the national heritage listed Echuca Wharf.

Point Nepean Community Trust grant

The Point Nepean Defence Sites and Quarantine Station Area at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay in Victoria were entered in the National Heritage List on 16 June 2006. The Point Nepean Community Trust manages the Quarantine Station on behalf of the Commonwealth.

In June 2006 the Australian Government provided $27 million to the Point Nepean Community Trust to conserve heritage assets at the Quarantine Station, undertake infrastructure and building works, and provide for public access and interpretation works. The trust is also working with the Victorian Government to develop a management plan to protect the heritage values of all of Point Nepean.

Special Purpose Grants for Cathedrals and Churches

Special purpose grant funding of $7.5 million was provided to St Patrick's Cathedral (Bunbury, Western Australia), St Mary's Cathedral (Perth, Western Australia) and Saints Peter and Paul's Old Cathedral (Goulburn, New South Wales). St Patrick's Cathedral received $5 million to help rebuild the cathedral and parish centre which were extensively damaged by a tornado in 2005. St Mary's Cathedral received $1 million to assist with a major restoration and extension project, supplementing a $3 million grant for this purpose approved in 2005—06. Saints Peter and Paul's Old Cathedral received $1.5 million to help restore and conserve elements of this important greenstone cathedral.

National Trust Partnership Programme

This programme supports activities of the National Trust to increase public awareness, understanding and appreciation of Australia's cultural heritage, to enhance and promote its conservation. The department paid $848,000 to Australia's nine National Trusts in 2006—07. Payments supported:

• a coordinated response by the voluntary sector to the Productivity Commission's report on the policy framework and incentives for the conservation of Australia's historic heritage places
• completion of a comprehensive database of endangered places and launch of a new programme, Our heritage @ risk
• leading the International Trust movement to support emerging trusts in Asia
• research into economic issues relating to heritage protection
• raising awareness through publication of the National Trust magazine
• heritage education programmes and conferences on the impact of change in heritage areas.

Sharing Australia's Stories

This programme supports activities that showcase Australia's distinctive national character and identity, especially those which show how local stories have contributed to the great events and themes that have shaped the nation.

The minister allocated funding in the final two years (2005—2007) of the programme, primarily to support telling stories around Australia's coastal and maritime heritage. A key example is the previously described voyage of the Duyfken replica.

Gifts to the Nation

This element of the Sharing Australia's Stories programme provides one-off funding for promoting national heritage stories and places newly added to the National Heritage List. Gifts this year included $60,000 for a schools' essay competition on Captain Cook, $34,000 for a competition to design a monument to Captain Cook at Kurnell Peninsula, and $30,000 for interpretation and signage at Glenrowan.

Other projects include:

• $5,000 to Ku-ring-gai National Park, the Royal National Park and Garawarra State Conservation Area in New South Wales for web-based virtual tours
• $40,000 to upgrade visitor information and road signs at Stirling Range National Park in Western Australia
• $47,500 to update displays in the Warrumbungle National Park visitor centre in New South Wales
• $10,000 for interpretive displays in the new Grampians National Park visitor centre at Gariwerd in Victoria
• $20,000 for a management plan for the Ediacara fossil site in South Australia, which is a joint project between the Australian Government and the property leaseholder.

Gifts were made to two Tasmanian places which form part of the proposed Australian Convict Sites World Heritage nomination: $20,000 to the Woolmers Foundation to update an existing management plan for the Woolmers Estate and $15,000 to Mr and Mrs Richard Archer to prepare an oral history of Brickendon Estate.

Commemoration of Historic Events and Famous Persons

The programme funds projects that commemorate people, events and places of national historic significance such as erecting monuments, plaques and statues; exhibitions; surveys of historic sites; and curatorial work. In 2006—07 the minister approved funding totalling $20,000 for three projects:

• $5,000 to the Maitland City Council for a memorial to Francis Greenway, colonial architect
• $2,030 to the Blue Mountains City Council to upgrade the grave of Sir Henry Parkes, the Father of Federation
• $12,970 to the John McDouall Stuart Society Inc to maintain and restore graves of the members of John McDouall Stuart's party who made the first recorded north-to-south crossing of the Australian continent.

Eugene von Guérard painting

The government provided $0.8 million to help the Geelong Art Gallery buy the Eugene von Guérard painting View of Geelong because of the painting's significant cultural heritage value. This amount is in addition to $0.2 million provided from the National Cultural Heritage Account in 2005—06 to support this acquisition.

Return of Qantas Boeing 707

The government provided $1 million to Qantas Foundation Memorial Limited to help restore, and return to Australia, Qantas Airways' first Boeing 707 aircraft for permanent display and public appreciation at the Qantas Founders Outback Museum in Longreach, Queensland.

On 16 December 2006 the Boeing 707 landed at Sydney international airport, successfully completing the major leg of its historic flight from London to Longreach. It landed at Longreach on 10 June 2007, where it will remain for permanent public display.

Tree of Knowledge

In 2006 the national heritage listed Tree of Knowledge at Barcaldine, Queensland, was poisoned and subsequently died. An investigation conducted in conjunction with the Queensland Police was unable to identify the perpetrator. The department commissioned a heritage impact assessment to explore the range of options available for the preservation and interpretation of the tree, and to assist with referral of the proposal for approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Copies of the report were provided to the Barcaldine Shire Council, the Queensland Heritage Council and the Queensland Government for their consideration.

Kurnell monument competition

The Kurnell Peninsula Headland was included in the National Heritage List on 28 February 2005. In April 2006 the then Minister for the Environment and Heritage announced a design competition for a monument at Kurnell to commemorate the landing of Captain James Cook in April 1770. The construction budget for the monument is $1 million and the prize for the winner is $10,000. The design competition closed in February 2007 with 40 design submissions.

The minister also announced a Captain Cook essay competition for school students. The winners of the 2006 Captain Cook Essay competition were announced on 30 March 2007 (www.environment.gov.au/heritage/publications/essay.html); the 2007 competition closed on 22 June and the winners will be announced later in 2007.

Strengthening Tasmania—Low Head Historic Precinct

The department paid $50,000 to refurbish a building dating from the 1860s in the Low Head Historic Precinct near Launceston, Tasmania.

Results for performance indicators

Performance indicator	2006—07 results
Protected heritage areas
Number of nominations for heritage listing assessed and decisions taken on listing	National Heritage List: 97 assessments have been provided to the minister by the Australian Heritage Council (21 in 2006—07) The minister made 59 decisions to include places in the National Heritage List (28 in 2006—07); 33 decisions not to include places (7 in 2006—07); 2 decisions to emergency list (none in 2006—07); and 29 decisions not to list (1 in 2006—07) Commonwealth Heritage List: 23 assessments have been provided to the minister by the Australian Heritage Council (1 in 2006—07) The minister made 340 decisions to include places in the Commonwealth Heritage List (1 in 2006—07); 15 decisions not to include places (6 in 2006—07); no decisions to emergency list; and 6 decisions not to list (none in 2006—07) List of Overseas Places of Historic Significance to Australia: 5 assessments have been provided to the minister by the Australian Heritage Council
Total numbers of (i) world heritage areas (ii) national heritage places (iii) Commonwealth heritage places and (iv) declarations for protection of Indigenous heritage	(i) 17 (ii) 59 (iii) 340 (iv) 0
Progress in the development of management plans for (i) world heritage areas (ii) national heritage places and (iii) Commonwealth heritage places	(i) Management plan reviews are under way for the Tasmanian Wilderness and the Wet Tropics of Queensland world heritage areas; the Strategic Plan for Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area is close to completion A management plan for the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens World Heritage area is in preparation (ii) Funding was provided for 4 places included in the National Heritage List to assist with the development of a management plan. The places are Richmond Bridge (Tas), the Batavia Shipwreck Site and Survivor Camps Area 1629 — Houtman Abrolhos (WA); Recherche Bay Northeast Peninsula (Tas); Baiames Ngunnhu (Brewarrina Aboriginal Fishtraps) (funded under the Indigenous Heritage Programme); the Hermannsburg Historic Precinct management plan; and the Budj Bim National Heritage Landscapes Comments were provided on draft management plans for 8 national heritage listed places and one place nominated to the National Heritage List (iii) Comments were provided on draft management plans for 26 Commonwealth heritage listed places. None of these were submitted for advice from the minister and Australian Heritage Council
Progress in the development of heritage strategies by Commonwealth agencies	3 heritage strategies (National Library of Australia, Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General and Parks Australia) were completed and satisfied the Commonwealth heritage management principles. The Australian Heritage Council provided advice on 2 further heritage strategies (Australian National University and Australian Customs Service) The department commented on 4 heritage strategies (Australian Broadcasting Commission, Australian Film Commission, Department of Parliamentary Services and National Gallery of Australia) Discussions were held with 3 Australian Government agencies (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, High Court of Australia and Office of Australian War Graves) on the preparation of their heritage strategies
National Heritage Investment Initiative
Extent to which conservation of places of outstanding heritage value to the nation is improved, particularly places on the National Heritage list	Round 1 grants ($3.6 million approved in 2005—06) restored and conserved the heritage values of 18 heritage places, 3 of which are on the National Heritage List: Newman College and the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, and Fremantle Prison in Western Australia Grants totalling $2.7 million were approved under round 2 to restore and conserve a further 12 places, 6 of which are on the National Heritage list: Hermannsburg Historic Precinct, Northern Territory; Port Arthur, Tasmania; Royal Exhibition Building, Rippon Lea and Echuca Wharf, Victoria; and North Head Quarantine Station, New South Wales
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
Number of projects funded	14
Indigenous Heritage Programme
Extent to which support for Indigenous people increases the awareness and improves management of Indigenous Heritage nationally	More than 60 projects were funded under the Indigenous Heritage programme to support Indigenous people in identifying, conserving and promoting their heritage, including the Mungo Festival 'Hands across the desert and welcome ceremony' to celebrate the 25thanniversary of World Heritage in Australia, and the 2ndNational Indigenous Land and Sea Management Conference to be held at Cardwell Queensland in October 2007
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
Number of projects funded	62 projects were funded under the programme through the competitive grants process, and as part of shared responsibility agreements
Regional Natural Heritage Programme
Extent to which conservation of biodiversity hotspots in South-East Asia and the Pacific region is enhanced	Over the 4 rounds of the programme 51 projects have been funded to assist countries in the Asia—Pacific region manage sites with high biodiversity values, with a focus on areas that are under threat (biodiversity hotspots)
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
Number of projects funded	21
Duyfken voyage—additional funding
Sponsorship of the Duyfken voyage from Western Australia to the east coast	$495,000
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
All required payments made	Yes
HMAS Sydney II—search
Contribution to the implementation and completion of sonar search	$1.3 million
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	No payments were made as the contract is still to be signed by recipients
All required payments made	No payments were made
Protected heritage objects
Number of assessments of protected objects completed and decisions on protection	The minister and his delegate made 107 decisions about 4,593 objects on temporary and permanent export permit applications
National Trusts Partnership Programme
Extent to which National Trust activities support the new national heritage system	The National Trust participated in the National Cultural Heritage Forum and contributed to the development of an integrated national heritage policy. Research on the submissions to the Productivity Commission assisted the voluntary sector to provide a nationally coordinated response to the report
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
Number of projects funded	9
National Cultural Heritage Account
Extent to which the preservation of heritage objects is increased by assisting their acquisition by Australian collecting institutions	The account paid $484,870 to assist Australian collecting institutions to acquire 8 heritage objects. These include sketchbooks by Arthur Streeton for the Australian War Memorial, a 1930 biplane for the Powerhouse Museum, and two 19th century drawings by Tommy Mcrae for Museum Victoria
Number of objects acquired	8
Strengthening Tasmania — Low Head Precinct Project
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
Commemoration of Historic Events and Famous Persons
Extent to which the commemoration of people, events and places of national historical significance is improved	The minister approved funding for a memorial to Francis Greenway, colonial architect; to upgrade the grave of Sir Henry Parkes, and to restore graves of the members of John McDouall Stuart's party who made the first recorded north-to-south crossing of the Australian continent
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
Number of projects funded	3
Churches and cathedrals
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
Number of projects funded	7 existing projects approved in 2003—04 and 2005—06 continued. Projects were funded for: St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne; Church of St Mary Star of the Sea, Melbourne; St Mary's Cathedral, Perth; St George's Cathedral, Perth; St John's Cathedral, Brisbane; Basilica of St Patrick, Fremantle; and St Mary's Cathedral, Perth
St Patrick's Cathedral, Bunbury; Saints Peter and Paul's Old Cathedral, Goulburn
Extent to which heritage values are restored and conserved	New works had not commenced as at 30 June 2007
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
Number of projects funded	2. Advance payments were made consistent with the funding agreements
Return of Qantas 707 jet
Restoration and return to Australia of the first Qantas 707 for display and public appreciation	The aircraft was restored and returned to Longreach, Queensland, for permanent public display
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
All required payments made	Yes
Eugene von Guérard painting
Assist in the purchase of Eugene von Guérard painting View of Geelong for public display in the Geelong Art Gallery	$0.8 million contribution was paid. The painting was purchased and is on display
Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%
All required payments made	Yes
Output 1.4—Conservation of natural, Indigenous and historic heritage
Policy advisor role: The minister is satisfied with the timeliness and accuracy of briefs and draft ministerial correspondence provided by the department	Minister was satisfied with timeliness and quality of briefs. The department has experienced challenges in responding to the unprecedented volume of correspondence now being received, but procedural adjustments and new systems have improved timeliness
Provider role 1: Percentage of payments that are consistent with the terms and conditions of funding (Target: 100%)	100%. All payments have been made in accordance with the funding agreements
Regulator role 2: Percentage of statutory timeframes triggered that are met (Target: >90%)	A report on the compliance with statutory timeframes triggered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is provided in the second volume of this set of annual reports
Price	Refer to the resources table below
Notes: 1 Applies only to the administration of grants programmes funded entirely from departmental funding for this output. Any grants programmes within this output that are wholly or partially funded through administered appropriations are separately reported. 2 Applies to areas that administer legislation, for example reporting timeframes triggered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Resources

Elements of pricing	Budget prices $'000	Actual expenses $'000
Departmental outputs
Conservation of natural, Indigenous and historic heritage
Total Output 1.4	23,452	24,004
Administered items
Regional Natural Heritage Programme	3,005	3,005
Indigenous Heritage Programme	3,739	3,724
National Cultural Heritage Account	350	475
Protecting Australia's Biodiversity Hotspots (Daintree Conservation Initiative)	1,685	1,685
Strengthening Tasmania — Low Head Precinct	50	50
National Heritage Investment Initiative	3,450	3,450
Churches and cathedrals	8,000	8,000
Point Nepean Community Trust	3,846	4,260
Duyfken voyage	245	245
Return of Qantas Boeing 707 Jet	1,000	1,000
National Trusts Partnership Programme	858	858
Eugene von Guérard painting	800	800
Write-down of assets, corporate and historic hotels	0	16
Total (Administered)	27,028	27,568

• Next
• Contents
• Previous

• Environment home
  • Atmosphere
  • Biodiversity
  • Coasts and oceans
  • Heritage
  • Indigenous Australians Caring for Country
  • Land management
  • Parks and reserves
  • Human settlements
  • Water resources
  • EPBC Act
  • Arts and culture 

• About us

• Accountability and reporting
  • Annual reports
  • Budget statements
  • Contract listings
  • Environmental performance
  • File lists
  • Grants listing
• Business with us
  • Grants and funding
  • Permits, licences and approvals
  • Rebates
  • Tax concessions
  • Tenders
• Councils & committees
• Departmental structure
• Employment
• Legislation
• Library
• Maps and databases
• Media Centre
  • Calendar of events
  • Images database
• Publications
• Site A-Z
• What's new