This page provides a simplified version of the assessment process. Each step contains the relevant information, forms and documents.
Use the
Aboriginal Heritage Property Search website or the Before You Dig Australia website to determine if your project activity may impact Aboriginal relics.
There are three possible responses from the Aboriginal Heritage Property Search website or the Before You Dig Australia website:
No registered Aboriginal relics or apparent risk of impacting Aboriginal relics has been found
| Please save a copy of the search record and proceed with your project activity. No further action is requried.
Important, please note: Obtaining a Search Record does not exempt a person from their responsibilities under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975. If at any stage during your activity there is an unanticipated discovery of Aboriginal heritage, it must be reported to Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania and the process outlined in the Unanticipated Discovery Plan followed.
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There may be registered Aboriginal relics or a risk of impacting Aboriginal relics
| Complete an Aboriginal Heritage Desktop Review form and submit to aboriginal@heritage.tas.gov.au.
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The search was not able to be processed automatically
| Complete an Aboriginal Heritage Desktop Review form and submit to aboriginal@heritage.tas.gov.au.  Aboriginal Heritage Desktop Review (DOCX 99Kb)
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Step 2. Submit an Aboriginal Heritage Desktop Review request
If you submitted an Aboriginal Heritage Desktop Review form as result of one of the outcomes from Step 1, Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania staff will review the application and advise one of the following:
No further assessment
| Please save a copy of the Record of Advice and proceed with your activity. No further action is required. Important, please note: Obtaining a Record of Advice does not exempt a person from their responsibilities under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975. If at any stage during your activity there is an unanticipated discovery of Aboriginal heritage, it must be reported to Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania and the process outlined in the Unanticipated Discovery Plan followed.
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An Aboriginal Heritage Assessment is recommended
| See Step 3 for further information.
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Step 3. Undertake an Aboriginal Heritage Assessment
An assessment is recommended where it is likely that Aboriginal heritage will be impacted. Through an on-ground field assessment, an Aboriginal heritage consultant will determine whether the proposed project, activity or related infrastructure will impact on Aboriginal heritage. Aboriginal heritage consultants produce an Aboriginal Heritage Assessment Report, which provides avoidance and mitigation advice to help you in meeting your responsibilities under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975.
To find an Aboriginal heritage consultants see our list of
consulting archaeologists and
consulting Aboriginal Heritage Officers.
The consultants will use the Search Request Form to request information from Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania regarding previous heritage assessments and registered Aboriginal heritage sites that fall within the project area. The consultants will record any new heritage sites using the Aboriginal Heritage Site Recording Form prior to submitting an Aboriginal Heritage Assessment Report:
Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania will review the assessment report generated by the Aboriginal heritage consultants and advise one of two outcomes from this report:
There are no impacts to Aboriginal heritage, or impacts have been avoided. No permit is required
| Please save a copy of the Record of Advice and proceed with your activity. No further action is required. Important, please note: Obtaining a Record of Advice does not exempt a person from their responsibilities under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975. If at any stage during your activity there is an unanticipated discovery of Aboriginal heritage, it must be reported to Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania and the process outlined in the Unanticipated Discovery Plan followed.
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Aboriginal heritage will be impacted, a permit is required to proceed
| If impacts to Aboriginal heritage cannot be avoided, you must apply for a permit under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975 prior to works proceeding. Submit a Permit Application to aboriginal@heritage.tas.gov.au.
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Step 5. Permit Application
Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania and the Aboriginal Heritage Council will consider your permit application. The Director of National Parks and Wildlife will make a recommendation to the Minister, who will then make a determination.
There are two possible outcomes from this process:
The permit is granted by the Minister
| Your activity may proceed under the conditions set out in the permit. Important, please note: If at any stage during your activity there is an unanticipated discovery of Aboriginal heritage, which is not covered by the permit terms, it must be reported to Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania and the process outlined in the Unanticipated Discovery Plan followed.
Aboriginal Heritage Site Reporting Form (DOCX 98Kb)
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The permit is not granted
| Please contact Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania to discuss options.
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Flowchart of Assessment Process