Caring for Country — The Otways and You - Parks Victoria

Strategies for cultural values conservationcommunities as they relate to identity,spirituality and social and economic wellbeingand responsibilities. There are over 100archaeological sites registered on the VictorianAboriginal Heritage Register within the parks,including shell middens, burial sites, scar treesand scatter sites, and this is likely to be a smallpercentage of the cultural sites that actuallyexist. Archaeological sites, particularly shellmiddens, are prevalent along the coast.Cultural sites are often located adjacent torivers, streams and the coast, and these naturalsystems are considered an integral part ofCountry. Rivers and streams are a plentifulsource of eels, which in the past were caughtby Aboriginal people using elaborate trapsconstructed from stones and long wovenbaskets (Dawson 1881; Pascoe 2003).All Aboriginal places, objects and humanremains are protected under the Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act1984 (Cwlth) and Aboriginal Heritage Act2006 (Vic.). The discovery of an Aboriginalplace, object or human remains must bereported to the Department of Planning andCommunity Development (Aboriginal AffairsVictoria) who keep the Victorian AboriginalHeritage Register. Cultural HeritageManagement Plans for conservation ofAboriginal places and objects are developedwith the relevant Registered Aboriginal Party(or, if there is no Party, with the Department ofPlanning and Community Development). It isan offence to damage, interfere with orendanger an Aboriginal place, object or humanremains except in accordance with a CulturalHeritage Management Plan.Aboriginal archaeological sites can be easilydamaged by activities such as illegal artefactcollection, off-road vehicle use, theconstruction of fire lines, roads, tracks andvisitor facilities, and erosion associated withthose facilities and activities. Damage is oftengradual and may be exacerbated by the erosionof sensitive coastal sites and natural impacts.The preservation of non-physical aspects ofculture such as caring for Country, visitingspecial places, conducting ceremonies,teaching and resource harvesting dependslargely on providing and maintainingopportunities to undertake cultural practices inthe parks.Park managers respect Aboriginal people’songoing custodianship, knowledge, interests,rights and aspirations for Country, and seek tonurture and revitalise relationships betweenAboriginal people and Country (section 9.2).Parks Victoria has developed an IndigenousPartnerships Strategy and Action Plan (ParksVictoria 2005b), applicable to management ofthe Great Otway National Park, whichidentifies programs (with correspondingstrategies and actions) for developing:• Relations and partnerships with indigenouscommunities• Cross-cultural awareness and learningexchanges• Indigenous employment and training• Managing indigenous cultural heritage andenvironmental values• Tourism information, interpretation andeducation• Indigenous business enterprises• Native title• Internal co-ordination.Parks Victoria will lead the management ofAboriginal Cultural Heritage across bothparks. Parks Victoria has guidelines relating toworking with Indigenous communities andprotecting cultural sites from managementactivities and a process for assessing allpermits to be issued for the national park thatincludes indigenous cultural heritage values.DSE has developed an IndigenousPartnerships Framework (DSE 2007e),applicable to management of the Otway ForestPark which identifies principles, key strategicinitiatives, outcomes and actions for:• Indigenous cultural awareness program• Indigenous community partnerships• Capacity building in indigenouscommunities• Cultural heritage, land and watermanagement• Indigenous employment• Indigenous economic development• Communication32 Great Otway National Park and Otway Forest Park Management Plan