Archae Aus

Archae-aus have been involved since the beginning of exploration work at Fortescue Metals Group’s Solomon exploration project, conducting detailed archaeological surveys and site recording programmes in close consultation with our client the Eastern Gurama Native Title holders and FMG.

Our heritage professionals were able to complete numerous surveys in a very area, operating without the benefit of a fixed camp. This enabled our client to progress exploration work without the expense and delay of camp construction. This project is marked to become an operational mine in the near future with assessment of proposed rail lines and infrastructure ongoing.

Archae-aus has a long term working relationship with Pilbara Iron and the Innawonga traditional owners. Since 1997, our personnel in association with the Innawonga traditional owners have been conducting detailed cultural heritage assessments for the company’s mining and exploration operations around Paraburdoo.

During that time, Archae-aus has conducted assessments for the Eastern Ranges mine, as well as the expansion of the Channar Mine and exploration areas at the Western Ranges. As a result, over 180 km² and 380 archaeological sites have been identified. To date, Archae-aus and the Innawonga traditional owners have excavated over 20 rock shelters, where the oldest site occupied by Indigenous people occurred around 20,000 years ago.

Archae-aus have been deeply involved in all aspects of heritage work at the Nullagine Iron Ore Project. Our heritage consultants liaise with BC Iron staff to devise programs of work designed to meet the project needs. Archae-aus has assisted in developing a Cultural Heritage Management Plan for the project, composing applications under the act as well as conducting an ongoing programme of field surveys and site recording.

We have been involved in cultural heritage project management for this pipeline that runs from the existing Tubridgi gas pipeline to the Dampier to Perth Natural Gas Pipeline. Archae-aus personnel have been working in the Onslow area since the 1990s working closely with the Thalanyji.

As part of this project we have conducted heritage assessments, consulted with the Thalanyji regarding possible site impacts, assisted with section 18 applications, developed a cultural heritage management plan and a delivered to the Thalanyji a detailed cultural heritage construction monitor and assistant training programme.

Archae-aus first became involved in the management of heritage for the Gorgon Project in 2003. We were contracted to conduct a detailed desktop study of Indigenous, historical and maritime heritage as part of ChevronTexaco’s Environmental Impact Assessment application.

This integrated project, the first of its kind in WA, involved anthropologists and Indigenous, historical and maritime archaeologists. The project also included the preparation of a comprehensive cultural heritage management plan. Field assessment with members of the Buurabalayji Thalanyji Aboriginal Corporation has been ongoing as the Gorgon project now enters the construction phase.

We have been conducting Indigenous and European heritage assessments for Alcoa since the late 1990s. In particular, we have assisted Alcoa to develop best practice approaches to cultural heritage management in collaboration with Curtin University. As a result of this partnership, Archae-aus has developed a GIS predictive model for Indigenous archaeological site location at Alcoa’s operations in the Darling Range.

Owing to the dense nature of the vegetation in this part of the south-west, more traditional archaeological survey techniques were determined to be costly in terms of time and effort. In contrast, a predictive model-based approach to the survey of large areas of land is very targeted.

This project continues today in the form of ongoing field testing and refining of the predictive model at Alcoa’s Huntley and Willowdale Operation areas. As part of this project we are also involved with the training of Bibbilmun’s traditional owners.

Archae-aus has been involved since the establishment of both the Cloudbreak and Christmas Creek operations, offering continual onsite support through our heritage managers/archaeologists who work closely with the Nyiyaparli traditional owners. Archae-aus is integral in the ongoing heritage work at these projects, helping to devise induction programs as well as conducting heritage surveys, site recording, site salvage and excavations.