Aboriginal people and cultural life

Towards an Aboriginal land management framework

Aboriginal people have lived in NSW for more than 40,000 years. There's evidence of this everywhere, in rock art, stone artefacts and other sites across the state.

But if you thought Aboriginal heritage was just about rock art, think again. Aboriginal culture is much bigger than this, and it's a living, ongoing thing. It's deeply linked to our entire environment - plants, animals and landscapes.

The land and waterways are associated with dreaming stories and cultural learning that is still passed on today. It is this cultural learning that links Aboriginal people with who they are and where they belong.

So to protect Aboriginal heritage, we can't just look after sites in parks or artefacts in museums. Aboriginal people need to be able to access land to renew their cultural learning. And they have to be involved and consulted in the conservation of our natural environment.

Aboriginal people and biodiversity
Find out how Aboriginal heritage is inseparable from the natural environment - from individual plants and animals to whole ecosystems.

Aboriginal land management for biodiversity
Aboriginal landowners have a chance to create jobs and business opportunities while they manage Country for conservation. It’s all possible under Land Alive, an Environmental Trust-funded project under the BioBanking Scheme run by DECCW.

Aboriginal women's heritage
Download reports about the experiences and heritage of Aboriginal women in NSW.

DECCW Aboriginal Languages Policy 2009
This policy forms part of the NSW Government Aboriginal Languages Strategic Plan and guides DECCW staff and consultants employed by DECCW in the use of Aboriginal languages.

Places of significance
These range from small ceremonial sites to enormous mountains. In fact, everything in the landscape can have special meaning for Aboriginal people.

Rock art
What's the difference between drawings, paintings and engravings? How were they created? Where would you find them? Find out here.

Traces of past lifestyles
Find out about the stone tools, rock shelters, scarred trees and Aboriginal occupation sites scattered across NSW.

Cemeteries
Read about the lonely burial sites that have been forgotten by the wider community, but are unforgettable for Aboriginal people.

Repatriation
NPWS has a large collection of Aboriginal skeletal remains and cultural material. We're trying to return these to the communities they belong to. Find out more.

Protecting Aboriginal heritage
Aboriginal heritage is legally protected in NSW. Find out about NPWS conservation projects.

Aboriginal co-management of parks
Under a co-management arrangement, the government and local Aboriginal people share responsibility for a park's management. See how these arrangements work, and find out which parks in NSW are co-managed.