Engaging the right communities. At the right time.
Social surrounds consultation is the process by which a proponent notifies and engages with the Aboriginal communities whose country is affected by a proposed project — identifying the relevant Native Title Parties, Traditional Owners and cultural knowledge holders, and establishing the relationships and consultation processes that underpin every subsequent step of the heritage programme. Getting social surrounds right at the start of a project is not just a legislative requirement — it is the foundation of a heritage programme that proceeds with the trust and cooperation of the communities involved.
Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, proponents are required to engage with the relevant Native Title Party before commencing heritage surveys and, where applicable, Section 18 applications. Identifying the right communities, making contact through the appropriate channels and establishing a respectful, productive working relationship requires experience, cultural understanding and a track record of genuine engagement. Trace Archaeology brings all of that to every social surrounds consultation we manage.
We manage social surrounds consultation for developers, miners, exploration companies, infrastructure builders and government agencies across WA and the NT. Our process begins with a thorough identification of the relevant Native Title Parties, Aboriginal Corporations and Traditional Owner groups with an interest in the project area — drawing on Native Title determinations, NNTT registration data, DPLH records and our established relationships with Aboriginal communities across WA and the NT.
We manage all initial contact and correspondence with the relevant communities, working through appropriate representatives and protocols to introduce the project, explain the proposed activities and establish the consultation and heritage survey process that the project requires. We facilitate meetings on country where required, coordinate logistics for field surveys and maintain open, transparent communication with all parties throughout the heritage programme.
Our social surrounds consultation is grounded in genuine respect for Aboriginal communities and their rights. We do not treat consultation as a box-ticking exercise — we treat it as the beginning of a working relationship that will define the quality of the heritage outcomes achieved. That approach is why the Aboriginal communities we work with trust us, and why the proponents we represent achieve better outcomes than those who approach consultation as an obligation rather than an opportunity.
Trace Archaeology is a division of Trace Enterprises — Perth's only fully integrated heritage, environmental and planning consultancy.
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Every heritage and environmental project starts with the right conversation.
Whatever your heritage or environmental project needs, Trace Archaeology and Trace Ecology is ready to help. Talk to our team today — no obligation.