Cultural heritage and First Nations involvement

The Adnyamathanha people

The Flinders Ranges are on the traditional lands of the Adnyamathanha people, whose deep knowledge and understanding of Country reflect thousands of years of connection to this remarkable landscape. 

Adnyamathanha cultural stories explain how the ancient landscapes of the Flinders Ranges were created and continue to guide relationships between people, place and living systems.

Aboriginal cultural sites and their associated stories often originate in the very distant past. They remain vital to the living belief systems, customs and identity of many contemporary Aboriginal people. Across South Australia, many significant areas of traditional Aboriginal land use and occupation have not yet been archaeologically or anthropologically surveyed and may reveal further insights into life prior to colonisation.

First Nations involvement

The South Australian Department for Environment and Water has worked closely with the Adnyamathanha community on the World Heritage nomination since the project’s inception.

Conversations with the co-management boards of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park and Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park have been taking place since 2018. They have participated in the nomination process and advised on site selection for the nominated property.

Traditional Owner consent

A key principle underpinning the World Heritage process is that no bid should progress without the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) of Traditional Owners. The principle of FPIC is derived from the right to self-determination and the right to be free from racial discrimination. It aims to ensure any World Heritage bid only occurs with the consent of Traditional Owners.

A formal Adnyamathanha-led FPIC process commenced with the Cultural Heritage and Native Title Committee (CHANT) in 2023, supported by Australian Government funding. Workshops also included representatives of the co-management boards and wider Adnyamathanha community. Engagement with the community continued over the following two years, both on Country and online. 

In June 2025, at a special Adnyamathanha Common Law holders meeting, a majority of community members confirmed their free, prior and informed consent to the submission of the World Heritage nomination document to UNESCO for assessment.

If the assessment process confirms 'Outstanding Universal Value', final consent will be sought from Adnyamathanha people prior to inscription on the World Heritage List.

The nomination has been enriched by cultural content

Through this process, Adnyamathanha participants elected to include cultural content in the World Heritage nomination. The generous sharing of knowledge by Adnyamathanha Elders, together with the skilled recording of Adnyamathanha writer Jacinta Koolmatrie, has significantly enriched the nomination.

The role of the Adnyamathanha people in the management of Country

The ongoing involvement of Adnyamathanha people in caring for their Country and sharing their culture with visitors would be central to the management of the sites under World Heritage. Collaboration with Adnyamathanha people will continue, as a strengthened framework is developed to support the protection of significant cultural sites across the Flinders Ranges.

The South Australian Government is committed to working in partnership throughout the World Heritage nomination process, to ensure the Flinders Ranges is positioned to deliver opportunities and benefits for all. If it is successfully listed, Adnyamathanha people will continue to play an ongoing role in the management of the Flinders Ranges World Heritage property.