BLIGH GOVERNMENT OFFERS $100,000 TO PRESERVE QUEENSLAND’S CULTURAL HERITAGE
The Bligh Government is offering funding of up to $15,000 for projects to protect and preserve Indigenous cultural heritage in Queensland. Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said funding under the Cultural Heritage Grants Program is available to any person or organisation seeking to protect and preserve Indigenous cultural heritage sites and objects.
(Media-Newswire.com) - The Bligh Government is offering funding of up to $15,000 for projects to protect and preserve Indigenous cultural heritage in Queensland.
Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said funding under the Cultural Heritage Grants Program is available to any person or organisation seeking to protect and preserve Indigenous cultural heritage sites and objects.
"Cultural Heritage relates to significant Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island objects and places, or archaeological or historic evidence of indigenous occupation of an area," Mr Wallace said.
"These can be rock shelters, carved or scarred trees, engravings, paintings, shell middens, fish traps, grinding grooves, earth and stone arrangements and other artefacts.
The Cultural Heritage Grants Program allows for funding to be made available to any person to protect and preserve cultural heritage sites and objects.
"Funding under the Cultural Heritage Grants Program can be up to $15,000," the Minister said.
Separate funding is also available to cultural heritage bodies under the Cultural Heritage Bodies Grants Program to assist them with equipment costs.
Under the Cultural Heritage Bodies Grant Program, funding of up to $10,000 is available to registered groups which act as the first point of contact between a land user lawfully seeking to address cultural heritage issues and the appropriate traditional owners.
"Under this program, grant funding can be used to purchase equipment required to assist in the assessment and management of cultural heritage such as mapping programs, GPS and/or computers," Mr Wallace said.
In all, $100,000 is being made available for Indigenous cultural heritage bodies and individual projects.
Minister Wallace said the Bligh Government was committed to the ongoing protection of Queensland’s vibrant history.
"A key initiative of the Bligh Government’s Toward Q2: Tomorrow’s Queensland is protecting our lifestyle and environment. This grants program will go along way towards protecting and enhancing Queensland’s proud Indigenous heritage."
Last financial year the Department of Natural Resources and Water’s Cultural Heritage Coordination Unit processed $100,000 in grant money to seven cultural heritage bodies to help them manage cultural heritage.
This included funding for two traditional owner groups to help them plan the most appropriate method of preserving and protecting sites near Roma and Cloncurry.
Grant applications are made by way of an approved form and will be assessed by a panel of three officers.
Forms are available on the department’s website, www.nrw.qld.gov.au, by following the ‘Cultural Heritage’ link and then ‘Funding’. They can also be obtained from the Cultural Heritage Coordination Unit, Department of Natural Resources and Water, phone ( 07 ) 3238 3839.
Queensland has 22 registered cultural heritage bodies and 23,000 sites registered on the Department of Natural Resources and Water’s cultural heritage database.
Media contact: Minister Wallace’s office, 3896 3688.
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