Virtual Reality course for Aboriginal cultural heritage
A new course being developed by Local Land Services allows farmers to “see” Aboriginal cultural heritage sites in the landscape using Virtual Reality goggles and understand Due Diligence in relation to sites.
Capacity building - LEP 23-014 SEL 06
The issue
The issue: Many farms have evidence of past Indigenous cultural heritage practices on the land, but not all sites have been recorded in the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System currently administered by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Additionally, it can be difficult to recognise and understand the evidence and to know what the law says about protecting it.
The solution
Local Land Services staff in Dubbo have developed a Virtual Reality course that allows landholders to experience a range of Aboriginal heritage as if they are actually seeing it in the landscape. Hovells Creek Landcare Group recently trialled this training with LLS Aboriginal Support Officer Rodney Freeman. Participants wear VR goggles and work their way through examples of different site types such as scarred trees, grinding grooves and possum and shelter trees, guided by LLS Aboriginal staff talking directly to them on camera. The course starts with an explanation of farmers’ obligation to do Due Diligence before certain operations to avoid damaging the heritage and moves on to ask participants to try and recognise different sites in the landscape.
The impact
By the end of the two hours, participants not only build the skills to recognise sites, but understand the importance to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike of looking after this heritage. They are also helped to understand their obligations and learn what help is available to protect sites. The use of VR makes the learning easy and fun and places the sites in the landscape context. The course was a pilot but the aim is to roll it out more widely in the near future.
Key facts
- LLS has developed a new VR course for recognising Aboriginal heritage
- It also includes understanding of Due Diligence in relation to sites
- It is an easy and fun way to learn