Conservation > Land conservation > Park management > Aboriginal partnerships  > Aboriginal culture & heritage sites

Aboriginal culture and heritage sites

Cultural awareness: Respect for traditional and contemporary Indigenous culture to develop partnerships between Indigenous people and parks and wildlife managers.

Aboriginal culture in South Australia is rich and diverse. It consists of people from the Cooper Creek, Lake Eyre basin and the Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara Lands, supporting and representing a number of language groups, including the Arabunna, Dieri, Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara - a living culture which remains active today.

The Nullarbor region has archaeological evidence of Aboriginal occupation and artwork, which is culturally significant to the Yalata, Maralinga - Tjarutja, Mirning and Wirangu Communities. The coastal and Murray River regions also support a number of Aboriginal communities.

Remnants of the mysterious Karta of Kangaroo Island can be discovered at Murray Lagoon - this culture is now extinct. However the Ancestral stories connected with mainland Aboriginal people, including the Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri, remain intact.

All Aboriginal sites in South Australia's national parks are protected by law.

Aboriginal heritage sites within parks are managed by DENR in consultation with the Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division (AARD) of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Traditional Owners, Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal Heritage Committees.

Site management includes fencing to exclude feral animals and to protect sites and revegetation programs. Interpretive signs are provided, where appropriate, to educate visitors about the significance of Aboriginal culture. We are keen to extend interpretive programs to include cultural experiences for visitors with Aboriginal Rangers.