ELWA Masterclass: Working in WA's Cultural Heritage Sector

Overview of Working in WA’s Cultural Heritage Sector:

Working in Western Australia’s cultural heritage sector involves navigating a distinctive and evolving environment, where demand for heritage surveys is driven primarily by mining and exploration, with construction and civil works also generating significant activity. Historically, project proponents often arranged surveys and appointed consultants, creating ethical concerns about the ownership and management of cultural information, appropriate authority to speak for Country, and the independence of heritage advice. The sector is now increasingly moving towards Traditional Owner-led planning and delivery, with surveys commonly coordinated by Prescribed Bodies Corporate or their appointed service providers, including external consultancies, PBC-owned organisations and Native Title Representative Bodies, although capacity constraints and competing priorities can influence how this work is managed.

Skills participants will learn:

• Understanding and explaining the role of Native Title Representative Bodies in the post-determination space

• Understanding and describing the role of heritage teams within Aboriginal corporations

• Applying legislation and agreement-making processes to cultural heritage protection

• Understanding and applying the day-to-day skills and responsibilities of a Heritage Officer

• Identifying different types of heritage surveys in WA and determining their purpose

• Understanding the roles of archaeologists and anthropologists as heritage consultants in the field

• Conducting compliance checks and desktop research to support heritage management

• Developing and reviewing report recommendations based on field scenarios and cultural heritage information

Anys Price

Anys holds a Master of Science degree in forensic archaeology from the University of Bradford, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in archaeology from the University of Liverpool. Anys began her archaeological career in 2006 with the National Museums Liverpool (NML) here she assisted and supervised on several site excavations, including the Nevis Heritage Project, a collaborative venture with the University of Southampton to discover more about the slave trade in the West Indies. Anys moved to Perth in 2012 and has worked on numerous heritage surveys and excavation projects in the Pilbara, Midwest and Perth metro area. Anys has worked at Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation for seven years, as Heritage Officer, Archaeologist and now Heritage Manager.

Ariane (Ari) Maggio

Ari is an archaeologist and physical anthropologist who has completed a BA (Honours) in Archaeology, BSc, GDipForSci, MForSc (by Research) and PhD at University of Western Australia (UWA). Ari previously taught archaeology and forensic science at UWA and worked as a project archaeologist, laboratory assistant and project officer. She has participated in bioarchaeological excavations of cemeteries in Greece, Poland and Italy. In WA, Ari has also worked on excavations and heritage surveys in the Pilbara, Midwest and South-west. Ari has been with YMAC since mid-2023, starting as an Archaeologist, and now as a Senior Archaeologist.

Connor J. Sweetwood

Connor is an archaeologist, technical writer, and GIS specialist with over a decade of experience across multiple disciplines, cultures, and countries. He’s worked as a private archaeological consultant in Hawai’i, designed a cartographic system for the academic journal Antiquity in the UK, and joined the National Park Service as an archaeologist in Death Valley National Park. He holds a master’s degree in archaeology from Durham University in the United Kingdom, and an undergraduate degree in anthropology and archaeology from the University of Colorado. Now, Connor works as a Heritage Officer with Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, advising on heritage matters for multiple native title organizations throughout the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions.