NRS-21777 | Heritage and archaeological reports [Roads and Maritime Services]

Full description

This series contains archaeological survey and heritage reports and assessments commissioned by the agency relating to land for proposed construction work. It covers infrastructure assets intended for acquisition, development or upgrade in the transport infrastructure network. Included are reports on conservation maintenance of assets that have been identified as having archaeological or heritage significance.

The National Parks and Wildlife (Amendment) Act 1969 established an Aboriginal Relics Advisory Committee. (1) It also empowered the Director of the National Parks and Wildlife Service to dedicate unoccupied Crown lands as Aboriginal areas and that such land would be bestowed so as to preserve, protect and prevent damage to relics. (2) The National Parks and Wildlife Service was required to carry out work and activities that would preserve, protect and prevent damage to Aboriginal relics. (3) This series was set up in response to the new requirements outlined in the Act so that work on roads took into account these obligations.

The Department of Main Roads established an Environmental Study Group in 1973 to examine Reviews of Environmental Factors from councils, head office and divisional offices, to assess proposed road projects’ potential effect on the environment. Field inspections, Environmental Impact Statements, vegetation, fauna and archaeological/Aboriginal relic surveys were carried out as part of the assessment process. (4) The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 was the overarching legislation for this series from 1 January 1975. (5)

The Heritage Act 1977 later established requirements for conservation of the environmental heritage of NSW, including any place, building, work, relic, moveable object or precinct of State or local heritage significance. (6)

Endnotes
1. National Parks and Wildlife (Amendment) Act 1969 (Act No.78, 1969), Part 4A, s.33A (1)
2. Ibid. s.33B (1)
3. Ibid. s.33B (3)
4. Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1979
5. National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (Act No.80 1974)
6. Heritage Act 1977 (Act No.136, 1977)