AN INITIATIVE between Santos and the Narrabri Aboriginal community has led to the validation of about 50 cultural heritage sites in the region.
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The company partnered with the Narrabri Local Aboriginal Land Council (NLALC) to gather the “most comprehensive and accurate Aboriginal cultural data set the region has ever had”.
A Santos spokesman said a study of all the Aboriginal cultural heritage information in the region was commissioned by Santos as part of its Environmental Impact Statement for the Narrabri Gas Project.
“This included information held exclusively by the land council, other historical studies, including oral histories, as well as information from the NSW government’s records,” the spokesman said.
“The study led to the validation of around 50 cultural heritage sites and for GPS information to be recorded to accurately pinpoint the location of those sites.
“It also allowed for any inaccuracies in the information, some of it many decades old, to be investigated.”
Santos handed all the study information back to NLALC and provided a computer and software system so the information could be accessed by the Aboriginal community.
Santos environmental officer Joshua Gilroy said Santos had a deep respect for Aboriginal communities and their rich and diverse histories.
“Santos agrees that Aboriginal people should own and manage their cultural information, and Aboriginal people should make decisions about who can access the information,” Mr Gilroy said.
“This new partnership will help to ensure that all cultural heritage sites will not only be protected through the development of the Narrabri Gas Project, but also into the future through the land council.”
NLALC chief executive Lynn Trindall welcomed the initiative.
“This represents a significant contribution by Santos and, if measured in time and resources, work on the ground, research and verification of sites, would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Ms Trindall said.
“This gives the land council a unique and very comprehensive data resource.
“The system now has all our land and recorded Aboriginal sites within the land council boundaries – it will be a marvellous tool.”
