1.5 Cultural values and heritage Aboriginal midden in cliffs near Anglesea VCC 1.5.1 Aboriginal Heritage Context The Victorian coast is very significant to Aboriginal people. Thousands of Aboriginal cultural heritage places are recorded along the coast and we continue to find more. Figure 10, page 85, identifies the known Aboriginal cultural heritage places in Victoria. Lack of general awareness of the significance of Aboriginal cultural heritage to Aboriginal people, and the important relationship between Aboriginal people and the coast and sea country affects the preservation of Aboriginal cultural identity. When Aboriginal people talk about country they include the ocean, their sea country that provides so many resources they still depend upon for their wellbeing, and the submerged lands that bear the footprints of their ancestors. The Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 recognises Aboriginal people as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage. Aboriginal cultural heritage management, native title claims and determinations need to be factored in to all decisions affecting the planning and management of the Victorian coast. Wreck Beach L. Murel 1.5.2 Non-Aboriginal heritage Context Heritage buildings and places - ranging from coastal ports and settlements to shipwrecks, landscapes and buildings - influence the character of Victoria's coast. They demonstrate our historic links to the coast and the sea. Tourism in many places, such as Queenscliff and Port Fairy, is dependent on this maritime history where heritage places are one of the main attractions. They enhance our understanding of the past, aid social cohesion and help communities build strong futures. The Victorian Heritage Strategy recognises that places of cultural significance range from past and present Aboriginal traditions to places created by early and recent settlers.   Policy 1. Identify and protect Aboriginal cultural heritage along the coast, which may include restricting access to certain areas. 2. Recognise Aboriginal people as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge-holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage. 3. Identify, assess, document and protect cultural landscapes, heritage places, archaeological sites and historic shipwrecks on the coast and underwater and on coastal Crown and private land and include them on asset and heritage registers and within local planning schemes. 4. Encourage appropriate re-use of heritage places for community uses and coastal tourism. 5. Ensure that climate change strategies consider Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultural heritage.   Aboriginal dancer at the Tarerer Festival-Killarney. Tarerer Gundu Project Association. Actions a. Review Coastal Action Plans and management plans in consultation with Traditional Owners, Registered Aboriginal Parties and applicants, to respond to the implications of native title claims and the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 along the coast (RCB/CoM & PV, DPCD, DSE). b. Work with Aboriginal communities, through Traditional Owners, Registered Aboriginal Parties or applicants, to integrate traditional knowledge into coastal planning and management (CoM & PV, DPCD, LG). c. Provide land managers and planners with access to heritage programs delivered by Heritage Victoria and advice through local heritage advisor services (DPCD). d. Develop an advisory note for coastal planners, managers and users on managing Aboriginal cultural heritage and activities and developments on the coast (DSE/AAV, VCC, CoM, PV).

10 December 2008