Anketell Heritage Project has commenced

Anthropos Australis (WA) Pty Ltd, on instructions from and in collaboration with the Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation (NAC), commenced the heritage survey for the Anketell Project, in the west Pilbara, on the 17^th of February 2014. 
This heritage survey forms a part of the outcome of several years of native title negotiations between the Department of State Development (DSD) representing the Government and the NAC, assisted by a team of negotiators including Nicholas Green who provided “best practice” heritage advice for the duration of the negotiations.  The negotiations concluded in late 2013 with the drafting of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA), which to be signed by the Premier of Western Australia and the Ngarluma native title holders.  The ILUA allows for the provision of a heritage survey, funded by the Government, with Anthropos Australis (WA) Pty Ltd being agreed by all parties to be the heritage service provider.  The heritage survey of the future port, access corridor and industrial areas, is being undertaken by our professional staff with the NAC’s heritage staff, and is expected to continue until June 2014.

The Survey Team

The Survey Team, co-managed by Ian Scott (Manager-Heritage Services) and Richard Walker (Heritage Manager-NAC) includes Camille Tanner (Project Leader), Tiwa Olowoyo, Kirsty Potts and Shannon Smith working with four Ngarluma Elders, four Ngarluma walkers (working with the archaeologists) plus Adeline Simmonds (Heritage Liaison Officer-NAC).

The Survey Team has a physically challenging but significant task ahead of them, to survey 43 km² of coastal country within the Ngarluma Determination Area.  The Survey Area is located between the North West Coastal Highway and the coast but does not include Cleaverville, Mount Anketell or Dixon Island.  The Survey Team is using a hybrid recording methodology agreed to by the Government, to record the many Aboriginal Heritage Locations including quarries, artefact scatters, shell middens, rock shelters and engravings being located during the course of the survey.

Since the early 1980s, there have been a variety of heritage related surveys conducted in the area, but this is the first time that such a large area of land has been systematically examined for evidence of Ngarluma heritage with the full involvement and under the control of the Ngarluma native title holders. 

We are very grateful for the support and trust provided to us by the Ngarluma people, the NAC and the Government, in being the Project Manager for this significant survey, which we hope, will result in a better understanding of the cultural heritage values of the Ngarluma people enabling the protection of their sites into the future.

Infrastructure Corridor

Infrastructure Corridor

Crystalline Quartz