When you partner with Artefact, you’ll receive timely and accurate advice on how to integrate archaeology and heritage considerations into your project plans.

Artefact includes specialists across key fields of archaeology and heritage. More importantly, with 30 staff we can assemble a skilled in-house team targeted to your specific requirements

HISTORICAL HERITAGE

As highly experienced project leaders, Artefact has been lead consultant on many major projects. Our planning and management systems ensure that projects are completed in a timely, professional manner, working in partnership with our clients.

MEET THE TEAM

Our proudest achievement is our team. We value their skills and talents, and we trust that you will too.

At Artefact we recruit staff who are passionate about the past, skilled in their disciplines and professional in their approach. We all understand the need to balance our rich local heritage with plans that shape the State’s future. These attributes contribute to a great team culture internally – and to exceptional advice and service for you. We support each other to make sure that our clients come first, which is why we have an industry-wide reputation for being responsive, innovative and authoritative.

SANDRA WALLACE, MANAGING DIRECTOR

Artefact was established in 2010 by Dr Sandra Wallace, who remains the company’s Managing Director.

SEE EXAMPLES

What ever your heritage project we are here to assist. Country or city, desktop or fieldwork, we’ve covered most of New South Wales and ACT. Our advice and services are customised to offer the best guidance on how you can proceed, whatever your project type. We consult right across the scale from neighbourhood architectural practices to multinational developers. But don't take our word for it! Check out our testimonials from our clients.

WHERE WE WORK

Our focus is across New South Wales and ACT.

Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessments now required for most DAs in Woollahra

Artefact's team of professionals can help provide Due Diligence reports and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Reports (ACHARs) to complete your DA. We have carried out recent projects in the Woollahra LGA including Rose Bay, Watsons Bay, Double Bay and Bellevue Hill.

Reports are prepared by our qualified Aboriginal Heritage Consultants who have close working relationship with the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council who team with us on these assessments as required by Council.

LEARN MORE

BACKGROUND

In July 2019 Woollahra Municipal Council endorsed the Woollahra Aboriginal Heritage Study which included a strategy to manage Aboriginal heritage during the development process. As a result, the Woollahra DA Guide was updated to include Attachment 10: Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment. Attachment 10 is required for:

All applications, amended plans or Section 4.55 applications that are located in:

Areas partly or wholly classified as an area of Aboriginal heritage sensitivity
Areas partly or wholly classified as an area of potential Aboriginal heritage sensitivity
Areas in proximity of registered Aboriginal sites

The following projects may therefore now require an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment:

New Dwelling House
Swimming Pools
Alterations and Additions
New Dual Occupancy
New Multi/dwelling housing / attached dwelling
New Residential flat buildings
Mixed use (commercial and residential)
Commercial
Boarding house
Seniors living
Childcare centre
Change of Use
Modification Application
And S.8.2 Review application

There are two main types of Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment:

The ‘Due Diligence’ report determines whether an Aboriginal object will be harmed by an activity, whether further investigation is needed, and whether the application requires an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit. A Due Diligence assessment will involve a site visit, usually with a representative of the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council, a register search to identify Aboriginal sites within the property or nearby, and an assessment of Aboriginal heritage values for the property. The Due Diligence report is the first step in the process and is often all that is needed to support a DA.

The ‘Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report (ACHAR)’ is a more in-depth investigation and assessment, which recommends actions to be taken before, during and after an activity to manage and protect any Aboriginal objects and declared Aboriginal Places. An ACHAR is required if Aboriginal heritage values are to be impacted and would support an application for an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit.

Attachment 10: Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment also specified that these reports should be prepared ‘by suitably qualified Aboriginal heritage consultants’, and so if you think you will need a Due Diligence or ACHAR for your project then Artefact are here to assist.

How we can help

We Can Help

Artefact offers ‘best practice’ cultural heritage management advice and has over 12 years experience in cultural heritage management. We have strong relationships with local Aboriginal community groups to ensure that we can facilitate an outstanding heritage outcome.

We are known for our pragmatic approach to heritage management and our customer service focus.

Artefact has completed Due Diligences and ACHARs as well as other Aboriginal heritage assessments throughout Sydney and NSW. Our clients include architects, development and construction companies, LGAs, State Agencies and private individuals.

Our team of heritage professionals skilled in this area are:

Dr Sandra Wallace (Managing Director)

Josh Symons (Technical Director)

Ryan Tadeucci (Aboriginal Heritage Team Leader)

Kelly Barton (Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Officer)

Michael Lever (Heritage Consultant)

Please contact us to discuss your next architecture project to see how we can assist you with the Aboriginal heritage assessments.