First Heritage Surveys Completed at Ashburton Salt Site

K+S Salt Australia has continued to build on its commitment to local Traditional Owners, with the completion of the first in a series of Cultural Heritage surveys on the Ashburton Salt project site near Onslow.

The Cultural Heritage surveys are being carried out in stages due to the size of the area to be covered and will use a helicopter to reach some otherwise inaccessible areas.
The surveys are being conducted by Thalanyji People, supported by Buurabalayji Thalanyji Aboriginal Corporation (BTAC) in collaboration with archaeologists and an anthropologist from Archae-Aus.

K+S Salt Australia Managing Director Gerrit Gödecke said working with the area’s Traditional Owners to complete the surveys was an important step in developing a project supported by the Thalanyji People.

“We have worked closely with the Thalanyji, via BTAC, for many years now and we have been grateful for their willingness to engage and share their knowledge of country,” he said.
“The first of these important surveys comes less than six months after a native title agreement was reached between K+S Salt Australia and BTAC, which provides pathways for employment, training and contracting for Thalanyji People, along with provisions to support cultural heritage and land management.”

Aboriginal sites form a significant part of the cultural heritage of Western Australia, and can include places associated with cultural traditions or archaeological sites, which typically are home to important artefacts or physical features.

The first of the Cultural Heritage surveys by K+S Salt Australia come as the public comment period for the $850 million Ashburton Salt project’s environmental plans enters its final weeks.