Teacher brainstorm on the development of classroom activities

Investigating Heritage

What forms of dispossession were carried out against Aboriginal people? How was the policy of protection implemented?

Parramatta Park and Willandra Lakes provide a starting point for investigations focusing on Aboriginal perspectives and approaches to managing environmental and heritage issues.

• Examine the images and text information relating to Willandra Lakes and Parramatta Park. What can the landforms, artefacts and structures tell us about the past? Look for evidence of Aboriginal occupation, pastoralism, agriculture and environmental use.
• Now look at the other materials relating to these places. Are there any indications of changes in land use? What attitudes and values to land and use of land come through in these materials?
• Look at the ways land management has contributed to changes in the environment. Can you draw any conclusions about the links between land management and environmental change? To what extent are changes related to wider socio-economic and political developments?
  History M5.18
• Consider the collaborative approaches — between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people — to environmental and heritage management in the Willandra Lakes region and at Parramatta Park. What can these approaches tell us about collaboration between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians in managing Australia’s heritage and environment?
  History M5.1
• Reflect on the elements of the past preserved in these places. How do we identify what is worth preserving?

Investigating Heritage and Citizenship

• Access the Environment Australia website to read about the World Heritage places in Australia. How does World Heritage criteria apply to each of these places?
• Choose a country and investigate its World Heritage listed places (link to UNESCO site).
• Identify the key perspectives of Aboriginal peoples towards the management of Willandra Lakes and/or Parramatta Park.
• Reflect on the cultural values of indigenous people in relation to heritage and environmental issues.
• Examine World Heritage criteria and the ICOMOS Burra Charter. To what extent do these policies and guidelines reflect the cultural values and practices of Aboriginal Australians?
• Identify a current environmental issue involving Aboriginal people. This could be a local issue or one that is receiving coverage in the state/national media. What are the perspectives and main arguments of key participants?
• Invite a local Land Council member to your school to respond to some of your observations and questions about Aboriginal approaches to heritage and the environment. How do they view the issue you have identified for investigation? Are there past issues that could assist your understanding of the present debate
  Values and Attitudes — develops appreciation of the cultural, linguistic and spiritual heritages of themselves and others
  
• Organise a simulated community consultation. (Link to the eco-ranger program being developed by NPWS for the strategy).
• What does the consultation process reveal about the issue?
• Check your conclusions against the list of main arguments developed in collaboration with the Land Council representative.
• Reflect on the role of consultative practices in heritage and environmental management. What impact might these ways of working have on preserving the past? Does the consultative process help us to better understand why some of the past is lost and some is preserved?

On-going action

Develop a class charter for managing your school environment.

Use this charter as the basis for a movable collection that is displayed in various areas of the school.

Raise questions and invite students and members of the school community to respond to the environmental and heritage issues presented.

Record student and community input for further development of the charter.