The team at Cooper Heritage Management combine their specialist knowledge and skills in Australian archaeology, cultural heritage management, Australian history, geology, and geomorphology to provide advice and deliver projects for clients across a range of industries and sectors.
We provide specialist advice and services
These include, but are not limited to, residential and commercial development, resource extraction, infrastructure and construction, and natural resource management.
Commercial and collaborative projects
Some of our past clients include Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water (GWMWater), VicRoads, Parks Victoria, National Trust of Australia (Victoria), Department of Education and Training, Horsham Rural City Council, Buloke Shire, Yarriambiack Shire, Hindmarsh Shire, Wimmera Catchment Management Authority, Horsham Holy Trinity Lutheran School, Motavu Pty Ltd, K & J Baker Cartage, CHS Group, and various private and commercial developers.
We have also worked on several innovative large-scale projects in collaboration with Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) and Traditional Owner groups.
We provide a wide range of archaeological and cultural heritage services including, but not limited to:
The Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 specifies that Cultural Heritage Management Plans (CHMPs) are required for high impact activities when planned in an area/s of cultural heritage sensitivity, as defined by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 2018. An approved CHMP is required for works within these areas before any planning permits, licences or work authorities can be issued.
A CHMP is a written report prepared by a qualified Heritage Advisor, containing the results of an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed activity on Aboriginal cultural heritage. This includes measures to be taken before, during and after the activity to manage and protect any Aboriginal cultural heritage that might be present within the Activity Area.
Archaeological site recording involves a process of research, liaison with knowledge holders (for example, Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs)/Traditional Owners, in the case of Aboriginal places) and site visitation to record a place’s location and extent. These sites and places are the legacies of past generations and might be tangible (visible) or intangible (invisible).
Archaeological site recording and registration involves mapping, cataloguing and submitting mandatory information to the relevant heritage body for inclusion in their database (for example, Aboriginal Victoria, Heritage Victoria). This information may be used to inform the conditions of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan or the measures to be taken for the management and protection of cultural heritage material.
The purpose of a Cultural Heritage Assessment (CHA) is to identify whether Aboriginal cultural heritage values are present within a proposed development area and inform on legislative obligations concerning future development.
A CHA involves a Background (Desktop) Assessment, a targeted field survey and a Cultural Heritage Values Assessment. CHAs do not form comprehensive archaeological investigations of the proposed development area due to the limited scope of assessment; however, they do provide recommendations based on the findings of the assessment and advice with regarding the statutory and non-statutory requirements under the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (i.e. whether a mandatory Cultural Heritage Management Plan is required).
A salvage excavation may be required when it is not possible to avoid harm to the cultural heritage present within an area of investigation or development. Salvages involve the collection of archaeological material and all of the information associated with it, often combining manual and mechanical excavation techniques. Ethical and culturally-sensitive conduct is central to Cooper Heritage Management’s philosophy, and our team is skilled in working closely with Traditional Owners and community stakeholders to record, catalogue and preserve salvaged materials.
The preparation of a Preliminary Aboriginal Heritage Test (PAHT) is voluntary and often used to determine whether an approved Cultural Heritage Management Plan is required for a proposed activity under the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 2018.
Section 36 of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 establishes several provisions where a permit may be issued to undertake certain activities. Some of these circumstances include to rehabilitate land at an Aboriginal place; to carry out an activity that is likely to harm Aboriginal cultural heritage; sell an Aboriginal object, and to remove an Aboriginal object from Victoria.
Any person may apply for a permit using the approved form found on the Aboriginal Victoria website and paying the respective fee. However, necessary consultation, heritage investigation and impact assessment are required as part of the permit application, and this will often require the assistance of a qualified Heritage Advisor.