Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc

Enhancing Cultural Heritage Protection

Two-day workshop teaching Cultural Site identification, AHIMS use, and traditional stone tool-making skills.

Community Participation - LEP23_036_LLC9_6

The issue

Due to the impacts of colonisation, traditional knowledge about identifying and protecting Aboriginal Cultural Sites has not always been passed down through generations. As a result, many community members and local stakeholders lacked the practical skills and legal understanding needed to accurately identify, record, and protect these sites. Unfamiliarity with relevant legislation and limited experience using the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS) app often led to under-reporting and mismanagement of significant places. Difficulty distinguishing between stone types and artefacts, such as core and flake byproducts, further complicated documentation. This knowledge gap highlighted the urgent need for hands-on, culturally informed training. 

The solution

To address these challenges, a two-day workshop was organised by Murrumbidgee Landcare Incorporated’s Local Landcare Coordinator, Jessie McPherson, and led by Shane Herrington, Cultural Heritage Officer, from NSW Environment and Heritage. The first day focused on theory, covering key Legislation, practical guidance on using the AHIMS app, and hands-on identification of different stone types and tool technologies. On the second day, participants went out on Country, registering significant Cultural Sites into AHIMS and practised making stone tools to learn the difference between core and flake byproducts of traditional tool making. This practical, Culturally informed approach ensured participants gained the knowledge and confidence to protect Aboriginal Heritage Sites. 

The impact

The workshop had a significant and positive impact on participants and the wider community. Attendees left with a much stronger understanding of relevant Legislation, practical skills in using the AHIMS app, and the ability to accurately identify and record cultural sites. The hands-on experience out on Country, combined with Shane Herrington’s cultural knowledge, fostered greater respect for Aboriginal Heritage and empowered participants to take an active role in Cultural Site protection. As a result, more sites are now being properly registered and safeguarded, strengthening cultural continuity and ensuring that important places are preserved for future generations. 

Author: Jessie McPherson

Key facts

  • Key facts
  • The key facts of your case study, to highlight in a side box. Please enter each fact on a new line.
  • 18 First Nations community members completed two days of Cultural Site Identification in Narrandera, NSW.
  • 5 Sites and Artefacts were registered on day two of the workshop.
  • Multiple participants partook in the traditional tool-making portion of the workshop.

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