The Destruction and Revival of Indigenous Heritage in Australia

Abstract

The chapter canvasses the deterioration and destruction of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage since British colonisation. While much of the history of Indigenous heritage in Australia is associated with decline and destruction, and although much has been lost, the chapter records that over the past four decades, since the 1967 federal referendum, there has been a resurgence and revival that heritage, due to the efforts of individuals and groups in demanding change, both through political fora and in the courts. That rejuvenation has been promoted by international laws and declarations and through Australian federal, state and territory legislative initiatives and policy. However, legislative mechanisms for dealing with the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage remain inconsistent in their robustness across the Australian legal landscape.