Palais Royale Archaeological Excavation (2009)

This work is conducted in memory and respectfully honours the First Australian People,
the Aboriginal People of this land.

In 2009 an archaeological excavation was conducted on the site of the former Palais Royale in Newcastle West, a known site of Aboriginal heritage importance. 

A final report published in 2011 (located here: https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2011/05/20/aboriginal-archaeological-report-for-former-palais-site-released/ Direct Link: https://hunterlivinghistories.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/report_final_13may2011.pdf ) documented over 5,500 artefacts uncovered, providing physical evidence of three waves of Aboriginal human occupation across 6,700 years on the site of two ancient dunes including:

• 1st wave between 6,716 – 6,502 years BP (BP=before present)
• 2nd wave ca. 3,500 years BP
• 3rd wave between 2,480  – 1,933 years BP

In 2011, the four Aboriginal parties involved with the Archaeological Excavation decided to deposit the boxes of artefacts with the University of Newcastle's Special Collections under a OEH Care and Control Agreement. The artefacts arrived on the 31 October 2012 and taken into the care of the University of Newcastle's Special Collections.

In September 2016 two 3D and Virtual Reality innovation pilot projects involving the artefacts were proposed as part of the establishment of a GLAMx Digitisation lab, a work integrated learning initiative (WIL) with the Special Collections in the Auchmuty Library.

In 2017 the Auchmuty Library set up the GLAMx lab with WIL co-ordinator, the Innovation Team, with funding from FEDUA, successfully sourced digitisation equipment,  and initial trials digitising artefacts into 3D, and farming them through our recollect Living Histories @ UON platform to an immersive virtual reality simulation of the dig was successfully created.

This is known as the Deep Time Project.

Artefacts that have digitised so far are available here:
https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/search?ntids=WyIzOCJd

So, for the record, the Palais Royale Archaeological Dig in 2009 has had some significant repercussions across New South Wales and Australia.
We are proud that the May 2011 news story and published reports from the former Palais site on the then Coal River Working Party site here:

https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2011/05/20/aboriginal-archaeological-report-for-former-palais-site-released/ 

helped to trigger enough community uproar for a review of the Act in June 2011 here:

https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2011/06/23/nsw-upper-house-takes-action-for-the-sake-of-our-aboriginal-heritage/ 

After a trip to Parliament House to view the documents, our recommendations on Aboriginal Heritage reforms were published in August 2011 here:

https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2011/08/02/aboriginal-heritage-recommendations/ 

Since then, we’ve held the position, that having triggered the re-think, it is now up to the Aboriginal communities across New South Wales to create their own standalone Legislation and Act. That as a process is still underway and currently touring through communities for input and feedback.

With regards to the artefacts. The Deep Time Project was developed as a pilot to scan the objects into 3D, and then display them in a virtual reality environment in their “original order” or placement in the dig, as part of a work integrated learning initiative. 

Our thinking is that we need to challenge the definition of an “evidential record” as defined by the National Archives of Australia, and State Archives bodies around Australia. See our paper here:

https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2018/10/08/rock-art-archive/

At present all definitions are European centric, and we cannot see Aboriginal heritage as even being on the same page legally anywhere. I would greatly appreciate your advice as legal counsel on these matters.