Introduction

This report is a desktop study of the Aboriginal cultural heritage values in the City of Monash and has been commissioned by Monash Council. The western boundary of the City of Monash is 13km east of Melbourne. This study reviews the Aboriginal cultural heritage background of the City of Monash and, supplemented by a brief site inspection, produces predictive statements regarding areas of Aboriginal cultural heritage potential and a strategy for future management of these cultural values.

The significance of Aboriginal items, sites and places that comprise the cultural heritage record vary considerably, and can be measured, primarily upon their historical, scientific, social, educational, economic and aesthetic values. But the integrity and significance of cultural heritage items, sites and/or places can be jeopardised by natural (for example, erosion) and human (for example, development) activities. In the case of human activities, a range of State and Federal legislation exists to assure preservation of elements and features of our cultural heritage (Statutory Requirements). This preliminary report fulfils social and legislative obligations relating to known and potential cultural heritage sites and places within the proposed road duplication.

In this report, a detailed environmental description and historic background is presented in the following sections:  Background Information, Aboriginal Background and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage. The importance of understanding the past and present environment is two-fold. Firstly, it is the pre-European settlement that was the evolving context for Aboriginal land use in the region. Secondly, identifying changes to the environment that occurred after European settlement provides an understanding of the types of Aboriginal sites that may have survived these changes, and their potential location.

Previous Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Investigations presents a summary of previous investigations in the City of Monash, as well as relevant regional and local investigations. This information is synthesised to generate a site prediction model for Monash.

This investigation has been undertaken in accordance with the Aboriginal Affairs Victoria Guidelines for Conducting and Reporting upon Archaeological Surveys in Victoria (AAV 1997), the conservation principles of The Burra Charter (Australia ICOMOS) and current cultural heritage best practice.