Heritage

Western Australia’s new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 represents a significant step towards achieving equity in the relationship between Aboriginal people, industry and government.

Laws to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage have been updated and came into effect on 1 July 2023.< /p>

The new Act replaced outdated laws with a system that:

• better aligns with Native Title legislation;
• focuses on agreement making between Aboriginal people and land users; and
• gives Aboriginal people a say about activities that may harm their cultural heritage.

Where there is no risk of harm to Aboriginal cultural heritage, there is no need for approval.

It is important to become familiar with the new system and how it may impact you before making plans or starting new works. The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage has produced a series of fact sheets and guidelines designed to assist property owners which can be viewed on the WA.gov.au website. 

Who can I contact if I have questions?

If you have any questions, you can contact the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage by email: Aboriginalheritage@dplh.wa.gov.au