Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System

Register as a first-time user or log in to AHIMS.

To perform a basic search you can use:

• 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 to zoom in to the area using a street address locator.

Refer to the AHIMS Web Services Quick reference guide [PDF 820KB] for more tips on how to enter basic search criteria.

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.

To perform an extensive search you can use:

• 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. Find more information on fee waivers at Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System – automated service.