Search the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS) which holds over 100,000 records and information about Aboriginal Places, objects and other significant sites.
AHIMS is being upgraded to enable the instant delivery of site cards and reports, and automated payments. This upgrade will go live in late 2023. Manual invoicing will be discontinued after this date. This upgrade does not change the way Aboriginal cultural heritage information is accessed and managed in AHIMS.
The AHIMS contains information for over 100,000 recorded Aboriginal sites and over 14,000 archaeological and cultural heritage assessment reports.
Click on this button to access the AHIMS. The link to this database will open in a new tab.
Refer to the frequently asked questions below for how to search and request information from AHIMS about:
Aboriginal Places declared by the Minister for Environment and Heritage that have special significance to Aboriginal people
other significant Aboriginal sites and objects.
All of these are collectively referred to as Aboriginal ‘sites’ in the database.
AHIMS offers services including:
requesting copies of archaeological reports and site cards
requesting sensitive information under an Aboriginal heritage information license agreement.
Search Aboriginal sites for due diligence
Before carrying out any on-ground work or activity thought must be given to how it might affect Aboriginal sites. For some activities, the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 requires the exercise of due diligence to see if Aboriginal sites might be harmed by activities. Checking the AHIMS is part of this due diligence.
A basic search will assess if any relevant items have been recorded in the search area. These could be:
Aboriginal objects (as defined under the National Parks and Wildlife Act)
a declared Aboriginal Place (as defined under the National Parks and Wildlife Act) that may or may not contain Aboriginal objects
a group of Aboriginal objects (such as a collection, scattering or deposit)
an area of land containing Aboriginal objects
a potential archaeological deposit (an area where previous investigation shows that Aboriginal objects are likely to be present)
an Aboriginal site that has been partially or fully destroyed under the conditions of a past consent.
Next step:
If the results of your basic search show there are no Aboriginal sites in the area of proposed activity, consider whether Aboriginal objects are likely to be in the area by looking at the landscape features and by doing additional research and assessments.
If the results show there is an Aboriginal site in the area of proposed activity, you will need to do an extensive search to look for more information about the Aboriginal site/s.
a single lot and DP reference for a parcel of land
easting and northing coordinates of the area of the proposed activity (minimum and maximum coordinates are needed to form a rectangular search area)
longitude and Latitude coordinates of the area of the proposed activity.
map viewer that allows you to zoom in to the area of interest using a street address locator
shapefile polygon to upload any boundary (in shapefile format) for the area you want to search.
If you have already performed a basic search in AHIMS you will not need to re-enter the search coordinates as the system will re-use them.
You can also use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) boundaries of the area of proposed activity for an extensive search.
Next step:
Extensive search results are provided as a report in PDF format. The report will contain more information about the Aboriginal site/s, such as site features, site location and the name of the site. Extensive search reports are made available within 10 working days.
An Aboriginal Heritage Information Licence Agreement (AHILA) is used to ask for information about large areas or information that is deemed sensitive. For example:
multiple recorded Aboriginal sites across a local government area or particular region
sensitive Aboriginal sites
recorded Aboriginal sites located near a major development project (such as road or other infrastructure network).
An AHILA is a signed agreement between Heritage NSW (the Department) and the applicant. The agreement covers the terms for releasing the information and the applicant’s obligations when using it.
Most AHILAs are completed within 4 to 8 weeks. This gives Aboriginal organisations enough time to provide endorsement or comments on the release of information.
A site card is the original document that was completed when an Aboriginal site was recorded in the field. Copies of these documents are stored in PDF format and they can be requested when additional information about a site might be necessary. Site cards might include photographs, maps, detailed descriptions of site contents and management recommendations. The level of detail in each site card varies historically and according to the effort put by the original recorder.
The site cards go back to the 1970s when the original register was established by the Australian Museum. Since then, the format and presentation of site cards have changed at times including the type of information recorded.
Archaeological reports are also known as Aboriginal cultural heritage reports. They are usually submitted as part of the due diligence process or cultural heritage studies done by archaeologists or heritage professionals.
The reports can include background information, methodology, detailed analysis, conclusions and recommendations regarding the Aboriginal cultural heritage in a particular area. Copies of these documents are stored in PDF format and can be requested when additional information about a site might be necessary.
The table outlines available services and fees. Aboriginal individuals, Aboriginal community organisations and some government agencies are eligible for fee waivers. Refer to the list underneath this table for eligibility.
AHIMS service
What the user receives
Fee (GST exempt)
Report or site card
PDF document/s via email, usually after an AHIMS database search.
$0.40 per page (minimum charge $20 if not associated with a search service)
Archive visit
Access to AHIMS archive
Free
Archive visit – photocopy or PDF
Photocopy or PDF document/s
$0.40 per page (minimum charge $20 if not associated with a search service)
Search – basic
Cover letter
Free
Search – extensive
PDF or Excel report, and cover letter
$60
Search – GIS
PDF report
$60
Express search surcharge
Service provided in 2 working days
$50
Data request – Aboriginal heritage information licence agreement (AHILA)
Use of, or access to, data for up to 2 years
$210
Data request – resupply of data from AHILA
Resupply of data based on current AHILA (includes the new search)
$60
Other – processing surcharge
Specialist services that cannot be processed under normal service conditions.
$90 per hour
Users who are eligible for fee waivers of AHIMS services include:
Aboriginal Affairs NSW
Aboriginal community persons or organisations
Biosecurity NSW
Department of Planning and Environment
Department of Premier and Cabinet
Department of Primary Industries
Environment Protection Authority
Fisheries NSW
Forestry Corporation of NSW
Local Land Services
NSW Agriculture
NSW Food Authority
Office of the Registrar
Office of Water
Property NSW
Rural Fire Service.
How to record Aboriginal sites found in NSW
If a new Aboriginal site is found in NSW it should be recorded in the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS).
There are three ways to record Aboriginal sites:
Mobile phone app (Heritage NSW preferred method)
Download the free AHIMS site recording mobile app. The app was developed to make site recording easy, consistent, and more accurate.
When using the mobile app to record site information a site card will automatically be generated with the site details entered. You will be identified as a ‘recorder’ in AHIMS.
view any site cards created by you when using the mobile app, before they are uploaded to AHIMS
import extensive searches from AHIMS which can be viewed via the mobile app and used in the field
submit an Aboriginal site impact recording form for a site impacted as part of archaeological investigation and authorised impacts under an Aboriginal heritage impact permit.
PDF form
If you can’t access the mobile app or quarantine station to record a site, use the Aboriginal site recording form.
This form is only for sites already recorded in Aboriginal heritage information management system.
Condition reporting includes:
identifying whether Aboriginal cultural heritage has been lost or harmed, to what degree it has been harmed and whether it is still at immediate, short or long-term risk
identifying immediate, short and long-term actions that can be taken to protect and manage the Aboriginal cultural heritage recorded during these surveys.
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