Cultural heritage
We recognise the cultural, spiritual, and physical connections that the palawa community have with land, water, plants, and animals.
We are committed to working closely with the palawa community to ensure we better understand their priorities and concerns, minimise our impacts and responsibly manage cultural heritage within our land holdings.
The smelter’s freehold title at Bell Bay comprises approximately 1,800 hectares. The eastern boundary of Bell Bay Aluminium’s owned land adjoins the State Forest in the Tippogoree Hills, while the Tamar River Estuary forms the western boundary. Much of this land is used to provide an environmental buffer zone around the smelter’s operation which occupies 180 of the 1,800 hectares.
In 2006 and 2007 a baseline cultural heritage assessment was completed of all Bell Bay Aluminium owned land. All identified cultural heritage sites from that assessment and subsequent cultural heritage surveys such as those undertaken by George Town Council for the George Town Mountain Bike Trails, mainly artefact scatters and isolated artefacts, are entered on the Tasmanian Aboriginal Site Index (TASI). Each site has legislative protection under the Tasmanian Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975.
To identify and understand cultural heritage, and to ensure that our operations are run with respect for connection to Country, we work according to our Cultural Heritage Management System Plan. The smelter also partners on cultural awareness training with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania.
In 2023 the smelter will undertake a desktop cultural heritage baseline assessment which will consider historic, natural, Indigenous and industrial heritage.