Electrical Infrastructure

Power transmission lines across rural farmland for ACHM cultural heritage and project assessment context

Delivering Cultural Heritage Services Across Australia's Electricity Network

Australian Cultural Heritage Management has delivered heritage services for a broad range of electricity infrastructure projects across Australia, for network owners, generators, resources companies and delivery contractors including BHP, Rio Tinto, Ventia, SP AusNet, ElectraNet and Alinta Energy.

Our experience covers new high voltage transmission lines, network upgrades and duplications, route realignments, and the relocation of electricity assets associated with major transport, urban development and infrastructure projects. We have also supported distribution network upgrades, substation developments and grid connection works for renewable energy projects, working from early feasibility and route selection through to construction and commissioning.

ACHM’s multidisciplinary team provides heritage support across the full asset lifecycle, including due diligence assessments, Cultural Heritage Management Plans, historic heritage assessments, GIS based constraints mapping, stakeholder and Traditional Owner engagement, and construction monitoring. Projects have included 66kV powerlines between Somerton and Craigieburn and between Keilor East and Tullamarine, the powerline upgrade between Leongatha and Korumburra, the Rio Tinto Hope Downs 1 to Hope Downs 4 220kV powerline, Reeves Plain power station, Bairnsdale power station upgrades, and the BHP Ministers North 132kV powerline relocation.

That depth of experience is what allows us to manage regulatory risk, maintain project momentum and deliver compliant, practical outcomes on complex powerline, upgrade and relocation projects, in any Australian jurisdiction.

Client

Clients include BHP, Rio Tinto, Ventia, SP AusNet, ElectraNet and Alinta Energy

Location

National

Sectors

Minerals & Energy
Infrastructure
Public Sector
Renewables

Services

Project Snapshot

power line between Somerton and Craigieburn
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power line between Keilor East and Tullamarine
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powerline for Rio Tinto Hope Downs 1 to Hope Downs 4
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powerline relocation for BHP Ministers North
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Results Delivered

Delivering Cultural Heritage Management for Transmission Line, Substation and Grid Connection Projects

Australian Cultural Heritage Management has delivered heritage services for a broad range of electricity infrastructure projects nationally, for clients including BHP, Rio Tinto, Ventia, SP AusNet, ElectraNet and Alinta Energy. Our team supports transmission lines, network upgrades, substation developments and grid connection works from route selection through to construction and commissioning, protecting energisation dates while managing regulatory risk across multiple jurisdictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do transmission line projects require a Cultural Heritage Management Plan?

It depends on the jurisdiction and the land the corridor crosses. In Victoria, a mandatory CHMP applies where a high impact activity occurs within an area of cultural heritage sensitivity, while other states apply different frameworks, so a corridor crossing state borders may need several instruments addressed under one project. Australian Cultural Heritage Management manages this across jurisdictions for national energy clients including BHP, Rio Tinto, SP AusNet and ElectraNet.

Ideally at route selection, while alignment options remain open and constraints identified can be avoided at minimal cost. Once easements are acquired and towers are designed, the same constraint can mean salvage excavation or costly redesign. Australian Cultural Heritage Management supports clients from early feasibility and route selection through to construction and commissioning across the electricity network.

GIS-based constraints mapping combines heritage registers, sensitivity mapping and survey results into a single spatial layer, allowing route and siting decisions to be made against documented heritage risk rather than despite it. Australian Cultural Heritage Management provides constraints mapping as part of our heritage support for transmission, substation and grid connection projects nationally. Find out more about our GIS and mapping services.

Frequently, yes. Approvals commonly require archaeological monitoring of ground disturbance in sensitive areas, giving a project an immediate, compliant response if previously unrecorded material is exposed during works. Australian Cultural Heritage Management has provided construction monitoring for electricity infrastructure projects including transmission upgrades, substation developments and powerline relocations for clients such as BHP and Rio Tinto.

Dalby Solar Farm

Establishing Cultural Heritage Duty of Care and Heritage Approvals for a Western Downs Renewable Energy Project

FRV Services Australia Pty Ltd is the Australian arm of a global renewable energy developer with a portfolio of utility scale solar and storage projects. Its Australian pipeline spans regional Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, where projects are typically sited on cleared agricultural land close to existing network infrastructure.

Solar developments occupy large footprints, and the land parcels that suit them best are often those with a long history of agricultural use. That history matters. Under Queensland’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003, the level of duty of care obligation attaching to an activity depends heavily on the extent of previous disturbance, which is a question of evidence rather than assumption.

Australian Cultural Heritage Management was engaged by FRV to undertake a comprehensive desktop cultural heritage assessment for the proposed Dalby Solar Farm. The assessment reviewed all relevant Aboriginal and historic cultural heritage datasets, legislative requirements, past land use, environmental characteristics and the broader archaeological context of the Western Downs region.

The study area was found to have undergone extensive agricultural and pastoral disturbance, qualifying it as a Category 4 activity under the Duty of Care Guidelines. FRV was given a documented basis for its obligations and a clear compliance pathway to carry into project planning.

Client

FRV Services Australia Pty Ltd

Location

Dalby, Queensland

Sectors

Renewables
Infrastructure

Services

Results Delivered

Delivering Cultural Heritage Assessment for a Queensland Solar Farm

Australian Cultural Heritage Management undertook a comprehensive desktop cultural heritage assessment for FRV’s proposed Dalby Solar Farm, reviewing Aboriginal and historic heritage datasets, legislative requirements and the archaeological context of the Western Downs region. The assessment confirmed the site as a Category 4 activity under Queensland’s Duty of Care Guidelines, giving FRV a documented compliance position to carry into project planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the duty of care categories under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003?

The Duty of Care Guidelines set out five categories of activity, ranging from low impact activities on already disturbed land through to activities requiring an agreement with the Aboriginal Party. The category that applies depends on the nature of the activity and, critically, on the extent of previous ground disturbance. For the Dalby Solar Farm, Australian Cultural Heritage Management’s assessment confirmed the site as a Category 4 activity, reflecting its extensive agricultural and pastoral history.

Yes. Previous agricultural or pastoral use reduces the level of assessment likely to be required, but it does not remove the duty of care under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003, and that reduction must be demonstrated through evidence rather than assumed. Australian Cultural Heritage Management’s desktop assessment for the Dalby Solar Farm reviewed the land use history of the Western Downs region to establish the correct category of activity for FRV.

A desktop cultural heritage assessment for a renewable energy project reviews Aboriginal and historic heritage registers, legislative requirements, land use and tenure history, and the broader archaeological context of the region, producing a documented risk position for the site. For the Dalby Solar Farm, this review established the project’s Category 4 status and gave FRV a clear compliance pathway to carry into planning. Find out more about our services for renewable energy projects.

Ideally at site selection or feasibility, before land is secured or financial close is reached. Heritage constraints identified early can be designed around at minimal cost, while the same constraint discovered later can delay grid connection or force redesign. Australian Cultural Heritage Management undertook the Dalby Solar Farm assessment at this early stage, giving FRV certainty well ahead of construction.

Banjima Cultural Heritage Management

Banjima cultural heritage practitioner carving a wooden object by hand in a shaded work area

Delivering Long-Term Cultural Heritage Excellence Across a Significant Aboriginal Landscape in Australia's Economic Engineroom: the Pilbara region of Western Australia

The Banjima People are the Traditional Owners of Country in the central Pilbara of Western Australia, maintaining enduring cultural connections to an ancient landscape and the places within it. Their native title lands cover more than 1 million hectares, and Banjima identity is expressed through Law, kinship, ceremony, and the Banjima language, which remains an important living link to Country.

Today, many Banjima people live across Western Australia, including Perth and Pilbara centres such as Roebourne, Onslow and Port Hedland, while continuing to return to, speak for, and care for Banjima Country. The Banjima people are represented by the Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC), which supports community priorities, cultural governance, and programs that strengthen a self-determined future for Banjima families and future generations.

Since 2005, Australian Cultural Heritage Management (ACHM) has served as the Banjima people’s trusted cultural heritage partner, supporting informed decision-making, long-term stewardship and the protection of cultural values across this vast and complex terrain.

Over two decades, our team has completed archaeological and ethnographic surveys across 110,000 and 385,000 hectares respectively, recording more than 3,000 archaeological and 100 ethnographic sites. Exploratory and salvage excavations at significant rock shelters have uncovered evidence of Aboriginal occupation extending back more than 47,000 years. Services have spanned archaeological and ethnographic assessment, cultural values mapping, Social Surroundings assessments, ILUA negotiations, GIS heritage database management and mine closure planning.

Working closely with the Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC) and Banjima Elders, ACHM co-designs engagement frameworks, cultural protocols and on-Country decision-making pathways that ensure Banjima identity, knowledge and values remain central to all activities on Country, today and for future generations.”

Client

Banjima people

Location

Pilbara, Western Australia

Sectors

Energy and Mining
Representative Bodies
Renewables

Services

Project Snapshot

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ethnographic sites recorded and managed
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hectares archaeologically surveyed
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Client Testimonial

Ed Armstrong

Chief Executive Officer | Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC)

ACHM are engaged extensively across Banjima Country, and they provide exceptional expertise, professionalism, customer service and a genuine passion for preserving and promoting cultural heritage.

ACHM goes beyond mere consultancy through consistently delivering professional services, solutions and best practice in everything they do.

Results Delivered

Ensuring Cultural Heritage Certainty for Traditional Owners on Banjima Country

For over two decades, Australian Cultural Heritage Management has served as the Banjima people’s trusted heritage partner, building the deep relationships, cultural knowledge and technical rigour needed to protect one of the Pilbara’s most significant Aboriginal landscapes alongside active resource development. Our sustained program of survey, recording and stewardship has given the Banjima people a defensible, evidence-based foundation for all heritage decisions on Country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is required under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 before mining activity can commence on Aboriginal heritage sites in Western Australia?

Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA), a proponent must obtain a Section 18 consent from the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs before disturbing or harming a registered Aboriginal site. This process requires the proponent to submit an application detailing the proposed activity and its impact, which is assessed against the cultural heritage significance of the site. Engaging qualified Aboriginal heritage consultants to conduct thorough surveys, ethnographic assessments and site documentation before making a Section 18 application is critical to demonstrating due diligence and achieving a defensible outcome. Australian Cultural Heritage Management has extensive experience managing this process for mining clients across the Pilbara and beyond.

An ethnographic assessment documents the cultural values, traditions, and connections that Traditional Owner groups hold for a given landscape or site. Unlike an archaeological survey, which records physical material evidence, ethnographic assessments capture the living, intangible dimensions of Aboriginal heritage through engagement with knowledge holders and Elders. In Western Australia, ethnographic assessments are a routine component of heritage surveys for mining and resource projects, particularly where the landscape has high cultural sensitivity. For the Banjima heritage program, Australian Cultural Heritage Management has conducted ethnographic surveys across 385,000 hectares of Pilbara Country as part of our ongoing heritage advisory services.

Cultural values mapping is the process of recording and spatially referencing the cultural, spiritual and historical values that Traditional Owners attach to a landscape, including sacred sites, story places, dreaming tracks and areas of particular ecological or ceremonial significance. In a mining context, cultural values mapping helps project teams understand which areas require avoidance or special management before any ground disturbance occurs. It is also a critical input into heritage management plans and Section 18 applications. Australian Cultural Heritage Management integrates cultural values mapping with GIS spatial analysis to produce defensible, regulator-ready heritage datasets for mining clients across Australia. Learn more about our cultural values mapping services.

Heritage management for Traditional Owner groups extends well beyond archaeological survey to encompass the full lifecycle of a project and the ongoing stewardship of Country. This includes ethnographic fieldwork, the preparation and implementation of heritage management plans, negotiation and implementation of Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs), mine closure planning, heritage database management, regular on-Country inspections and the building of community capacity for heritage governance. Since 2005, Australian Cultural Heritage Management has served as the Banjima people’s principal heritage partner, delivering all of these services as part of a long-term, collaborative relationship. 

Mine closure heritage assessment involves evaluating the condition and management status of all Aboriginal cultural heritage on a mining tenure as part of the broader mine closure planning process. It identifies any outstanding obligations, including sites that were subject to Section 18 consents, sites requiring rehabilitation, and commitments made under heritage agreements, and documents what has been achieved. For Traditional Owner groups, mine closure also presents an opportunity to reaffirm connections to Country through custodial handback processes. Australian Cultural Heritage Management provides mine closure heritage assessment services and can help proponents meet regulatory requirements while delivering culturally meaningful outcomes for Traditional Owners. Learn more about our culturally informed mine closure planning services.

Renewable Energy Projects

ACHM’s renewables portfolio reflects our long‑standing role in supporting Australia’s transition to clean energy. We provide cultural heritage and approvals support across a wide range of large‑scale renewable energy developments, helping projects progress in a culturally responsible and technically robust way.

We have worked closely with Venn Energy on the Cooba Solar Farm in central Victoria—a major project comprising 500 MW of solar generation and a 300 MW battery energy storage system (BESS). Our role included cultural heritage risk identification, regulatory advice, Traditional Owner engagement, and the coordination of heritage assessments throughout the planning and approvals process.

ACHM has also contributed to Rio Tinto’s renewable energy transition, delivering baseline flora and fauna surveys on Banjima Country. These surveys were designed to inform future renewable infrastructure development, ensuring environmental, cultural heritage, and technical requirements were addressed early to support subsequent approvals.

More recently, we supported Fortescue in the planning of the North Star Junction West Solar Farm, a proposed 600 MW solar facility with future battery capability. Our team facilitated cultural heritage surveys, logistics, and Traditional Owner engagement to support culturally informed project design and minimise potential impacts.

Beyond these major projects, ACHM has supported the development of solar farms and BESS projects across regional Australia, including Ouyen, Cobram, Swan Hill, Finley, Glenrowan, Dalby, Sandigo, Kiamal, Mooroopna, Lake Kerang, Lake Fyans, The Basin, Wunghu, and Whyalla. We have also provided heritage advisory services for wind farm developments throughout southern Australia, including Mt Gellibrand, Yaloak, Keyneton, Cootamundra, Hexham, Hornsdale, Ben More, and Kiata.

Together, these projects demonstrate ACHM’s ability to guide renewable energy proponents through complex approvals processes—balancing cultural heritage responsibilities with practical, timely project delivery.

FMG North Star Junction Solar Farm

ACHM were commisioned to undertake a large number of archaeological and ethnographic surveys for the Fortescue North Star Junction Solar Farm on behalf of the Kariyarra People.

 
The North Star Junction Solar Farm is a 100‑megawatt solar  facility developed by Fortescue, located approximately 145 kilometres south of Port Hedland. It forms a central component of the company’s renewable energy network.
 
The project incorporates nearly 200,000 solar panels to maximise daily energy yield, and it supports nearby operations such as the Iron Bridge magnetite mine by supplying clean, reliable power.

Kiamal Solar Farm

The Kiamal Solar Farm near Ouyen in north‑west Victoria is one of the state’s largest renewable energy projects, featuring more than 715,000 solar panels and delivering up to 350 MW of clean energy as part of Australia’s transition toward a sustainable future.

Developed by TotalEnergies Renewables Australia, the project includes advanced infrastructure such as a synchronous condenser to support grid stability and is located on over 500 hectares of land acknowledged as the Country of the First Peoples of the Millewa‑Mallee.

ACHM completed the Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) for the Kiamal Solar Farm, providing the critical heritage assessments, fieldwork, and Traditional Owner collaboration required for the project’s approval and construction. Our work ensured compliance with Victorian Aboriginal cultural heritage legislation and supported culturally informed decision‑making throughout development.

Through respectful engagement and thorough heritage assessment, ACHM helped enable one of Victoria’s most significant renewable energy initiatives to proceed responsibly and sustainably.

Sandigo Solar Farm

Rows of solar panels mounted above green farmland with sunlight reflecting across the panels
ACHM completed an archaeological assessment and associated ACHAR as a component of the EIS for the 600ha Esco Pacific Sandigo Solar Farm in December 2017.

Yaloak Windfarm

ACHM partnered with Pacific Hydro over several years to support the development of the Yaloak Wind Farm through comprehensive cultural heritage management.

Across the project area, ACHM identified 76 discrete Aboriginal archaeological sites, reflecting the cultural richness and long-term occupation of the landscape.

Working collaboratively with Pacific Hydro, ACHM played a key role in shaping project design to avoid or minimise impacts on these places of significance. Following a series of layout refinements and heritage‑led design recommendations, 74 of the identified sites were successfully managed in situ, ensuring their preservation within the evolving renewable energy landscape.

Only two sites required salvage, undertaken through careful archaeological methodology and consultation processes.

ACHM’s work on the Yaloak Wind Farm demonstrates how renewable energy development and cultural heritage values can sypathetically co-exist.

Through early engagement, detailed field assessment, and practical redesign advice, ACHM helped Pacific Hydro advance a major clean energy project while safeguarding the integrity of Aboriginal cultural heritage across the Parwan Valley.

Mount Gellibrand Wind Farm

Wind turbines at Mount Gellibrand Wind Farm across grazing farmland with cows in the foreground

ACHM delivered extensive cultural heritage services for Acciona Energy at the 132 MW Mount Gellibrand Wind Farm, supporting project planning, assessments, and compliance.

Our work has included the preparation and implementation of multiple Cultural Heritage Management Plans (CHMPs) for the wind farm and its ancillary areas, 3D scanning of a stone arrangement, extensive archaeological salvages, heritage inductions and on-going management activities.

Beyond assessment, planning and compliance, ACHM has provided ongoing advisory and operational heritage support.

This has included resolving legacy coverage gaps, undertaking additional surveys where required, advising on compliance matters such as fencing audits, and coordinating the culturally appropriate repatriation of salvaged artefacts in consultation with Traditional Owners.

ACHM’s long-standing relationship with Acciona is built on technical accuracy, regulatory clarity, and a commitment to safeguarding cultural values while enabling efficient project delivery.