First Nations Cultural – why does Heritage matter?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People are the custodians of an unbroken cultural legacy spanning many millennia. The rich stories of the people, the culture and connection to country make Australia unique. First Nation’s heritage tells the story of our past, present and future.

Every day in Australia cultural heritage is being damaged, displaced or disturbed. The destruction of the 46,000-year-old Juukan Caves horrified the world, but was not an isolated occurrence nor illegal.

Today we are this generation’s custodians for our unique and significant Cultural Heritage we inherited from our ancient ancestors. Let us stay on this journey together to protect and pass it on for our future generations.

The laws to protect First Nations Cultural Heritage in Australia are broken – urgent co-designed reforms are needed now, to deliver and maintain a new national narrative on the importance of Cultural Heritage protection.