Burra Bee Dee Mission

Item details


Name of item:	Burra Bee Dee Mission
Other name/s:	Forked Mountain
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Aboriginal
Category:	Site complex
Location:	Lat: -31.2352962764 Long: 149.3448125610
Primary address:	Oxley Highway, Coonabarabran, NSW 2357
Parish:	Coonabarabran
County:	Gowen
Local govt. area:	Warrumbungle
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Coonabarabran
Hectares (approx):	628

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	7022		DP	1030458
LOT	255		DP	753378

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Oxley Highway	Coonabarabran	Warrumbungle	Coonabarabran	Gowen	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Coonabarabran Local Aboriginal Land Council	Community Group	20 Oct 05
Department of Trade & Investment, Regional Infrastructure & Services	State Government	20 Oct 05

Statement of significance:


	Burra Bee Dee Mission and Forky Mountain is of State significance as it maintains and continues to show the historical process and activities and is a place of occupancy of Aboriginal people from the district. The site is associated to a significant historical phase of NSW as it was land granted to an Aboriginal woman, Mary Jane Cain in the early 1900's by Queen Victoria and gazetted in 1911 as an Aboriginal Reserve. The area is able to demonstrate the strong associations to past customs and provides an understanding of cultural practices that were undertaken. The site of Burra Bee Dee mission, the cemetery and Forky Mountain is associated to the Gamilaraay people as a significant place as it is the original site of occupation for many Aboriginal people, it is associated to the memory of Mary Jane Cain and it is a place of cultural, spiritual, historical and social values.
	Date significance updated: 30 Mar 04
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Construction years:	1892-1957
Physical description:	The site covers approximately 628 hectares of land which includes the mountain known as Forky Mountain. Throughout the area there is no physical buildings, remains or objects of former dwellings such as housing, school or the church. Cemetery: The only remaining site at Burra Bee Dee Mission is the cemetery which is still currently being used by the local community. School House: In the early 1970s the original school house was removed and is being used for private use.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Certain specific areas within the boundary have high potential for archaeological evidence. These include the main area of the mission and surroundings and at the base of Forky Mountain.
	Date condition updated:16 Jan 04
Further information:	The community would like to preserve the area and enable educational visits and tours to the area to promote Aboriginal heritage. Enhancements such as an interpretation trail around the main area of the mission and possibly a cultural centre to house the memorbilia and artefacts and educational information about life on the mission.


Current use:	School excursions, and continual use of orginial cemetery.
Former use:	Aboriginal occupational site and (later) Mission Site

History

Historical notes:

Burra Bee Dee Mission was founded in 1908. In 1892 Mary Jane Cain, who originally lived on the river bank close to town, used to run goats of which would get away from her and head to Forky Mountain. It was this that eventually made Mary Jane and husband to build a place out at Forked Mountain for her to stay. Mary Jane Cain wrote to Queen Victoria on numerous occasions requesting that the land was to be granted to her. Queen Victoria granted that Burra Bee Dee or part thereof be handed to Mary Jane Cain and Queen Victoria requested that Mary Jane was to manage the property and was required to provide a place for the Dark people to live on. The land there was later reserved for Aboriginal use and in the early 1900 was brought under the control of the Aboriginal Protection Board and became a managed station. Burra Bee Dee Aboriginal Reserve was gazetted on the 21st February, it was made of three reserves in existence one of 400 acres 1892, one of 73 acres from 1906 and one of 100 acres 1911 other major camps in the Coonabarabran area there were not under the Board control included the showgrounds and Gunnedah Hill.

Burra Bee Dee was originally known as Forky Mountain after the hill that dominates the landscape. The mountain was the reason for Mary Jane Cain visited the place to shepherd her goats back to Coonabarabran. The land granted to Cain was officially known as Forky Mountain until the name changed to Burra Bee Dee somewhere around 1911. The significance of the name Burra Bee Dee is an Aboriginal word meaning flying mice. Just as the Mountain is a significant and organising feature of the landscape, it is often a significant and organising feature of the language, the stories of Burra Bee Dee. Forky Mountain was significant to the people of Burra Bee Dee as a birth place, place for burials and a food source.

The first hut on the mission was built by Mary Jane Cain's husband. which was a boarded house with tin and bark and a dirt floor. With the influx of Mary Jane's extended family and other families from around the district, peoples' dwellings ranged from bag houses made of hessian bags, tents, and bark and kerosene - tin shacks. To the two roomed fibro houses built during the peak of the managers days. The shacks were built in clusters and added to went needed. The clusters were known by the women who ran them Granny Cain, Queenie's place and Granny Fuller's. The only houses built in rows facing the road were the five or six fibro houses that the government built in later times.

Not only was Burra Bee Dee mission used by Aboriginal people as a place for dwelling other areas such as Gunnedah Hill and Coonabarabran Showground were also other places of dwelling. Although neither groups in the beginning liked each other they all eventually ended up living at Burra Bee Dee.

In 1924 two women came to Burra Bee Dee as missionaries. They lived and worked with the people for 30 years and were very much an institution in Burra Bee Dee life. Mr Marney, one of the Burra Bee Dee residents, built the church for the missionaries to live in on the mission. The women held sewing classes which every year they held a show. Church was held every Sunday morning with Sunday school in the morning for the children and church of an afternoon.

In 2020 a reproduction artwork from the successful 'Back to Burra Bee Dee Mission' exhibition now has a permanent home in Gunnedah thanks to a donation by the artist. Gunnedah Gomeroi artist, Warwick Keen has donated a digital photographic print on archival rag paper to the Gunnedah Comunity Collection. It is now displayed in the Gunnedah Bicentnnial Creative Arts Gallery. THe exhibition was on show in this gallery in 2015, but has toured to Coonabarabran (in 2014), Armidale, Goulburn and Tamworth, as well as NSW Parliament House, Sydney. Keen worked at the UNSW Art & Design campus in 2014 to create a body of work 'Back to Burra bee Dee', a collection of 17 digitally maniupated photographic prints. He won the 2013 College of Fine Arts Aboriginal Arts Residency Award in the Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize. The work was inspired by Keen's great, great-grandmother, Mary Jane Cain. In the 1890s, she wrote to Queen Victoria's representative in Australia, the Governor of NSW, asking for a parcel of land to be given back to the Aboriginal people of the Coonabarabran area. Her persistence in advocating for the rights of her people caused the Governor to bequeath 600 acres to Mary Jane with the proviso that it be shared and used for the good of the entire Aboriginal community (Namoi Advocate, 23/6/2020).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Other open space-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Cultural: Natural landscapes valued by humans-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Cultural: Conserving and protecting natural features-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Cultural: Plains and plateaux supporting human activities-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	All nations - controlling dispossesed peoples-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	All nations - sites evidencing occupation-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	Aboriginal Culture-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Aboriginal cultures and interactions with other cultures-Activities associated with maintaining, developing, experiencing and remembering Aboriginal cultural identities and practices, past and present.	Gamilaraay Nation - living on missions-
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Migration-Activities and processes associated with the resettling of people from one place to another (international, interstate, intrastate) and the impacts of such movements	Emigrating from one district to another within NSW-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Unseen but Present-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes of institutions - productive and ornamental-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Events-Activities and processes that mark the consequences of natural and cultural occurences	Developing local landmarks-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Residential-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Building settlements, towns and cities-National Theme 4
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Living on the land-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Housing ordinary families-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Timber and iron vernacular-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Adapted heritage building or structure-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Victorian era residence-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Federation era residence-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Crude huts-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Housing (regional towns)-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Administering and alienating Crown lands-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Communal forms of land occupancy and management-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Living on the fringes without formal occupancy-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	Working on pastoral stations-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	Working independently on the land-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	Working with hand tools and implements-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	Working with animals-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	Working on the land-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	Working with plants-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	State government-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - administration of land-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - facilitating pastoralism-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - public land administration-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - conserving cultural and natural heritage-
7. Governing-Governing	Welfare-Activities and process associated with the provision of social services by the state or philanthropic organisations	Providing mission reserves-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Developing cultural institutions and ways of life-National Theme 8
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Capturing iconic landscapes in art-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Landscaping - 20th century interwar-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Landscaping - 20th century post WW2-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Landscaping - Federation period-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Landscaping - Federation period-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Building in response to natural landscape features.-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Building and using prefabricated structures-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Architectural styles and periods - Victorian (late)-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Vernacular structures and building techniques-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Making and using vernacular furnishings and decorations-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1850-1900-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1900-1950-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1950-2000-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in a bushland setting-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Valuing women's contributions-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Physical evidence of creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses, through domestic artefacts scatters, ar-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living on the urban fringe-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in make-shift accommodation-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in an ethnic settlement-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in a rural homestead-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in, adapting and renovating homes for changing conditions-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in, adapting and renovating homes for changing conditions-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Outdoor relief-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Outdoor concerts and performances-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Visiting heritage places-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Activities associated with relaxation and recreation-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Developing collections of items-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Common-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Going hunting and shooting-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Gathering at landmark places to socialise-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Going fishing-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Going bushwalking-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Camping-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Leisure-Includes tourism, resorts.
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Religion-Activities associated with particular systems of faith and worship	Aboriginal Spirituality-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Religion-Activities associated with particular systems of faith and worship	Burials and associated religious rituals and places-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Social institutions-Activities and organisational arrangements for the provision of social activities	Community organisations-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Social institutions-Activities and organisational arrangements for the provision of social activities	Belonging to a commune-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Social institutions-Activities and organisational arrangements for the provision of social activities	Community enterprise-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Social institutions-Activities and organisational arrangements for the provision of social activities	Places of formal community gatherings-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Social institutions-Activities and organisational arrangements for the provision of social activities	Places of informal community gatherings-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Social institutions-Activities and organisational arrangements for the provision of social activities	Developing local clubs and meeting places-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Birth and Death-Activities associated with the initial stages of human life and the bearing of children, and with the final stages of human life and disposal of the dead.	Operating and maintaining cemeteries and burial grounds-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with Mary Jane Cain, Gomeroi Aboriginal activist-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Burra Bee Dee Mission and Forky Mountain shows evidence of the activity that was undertaken by the local Aboriginal people. Founded by Mary Jane Cain in 1892, and formerly known as Forky Mountain, Burra Bee Dee Mission became a home to many Aboriginal people across the district. Originally granted to Mary Jane Cain in the early 1900's by Queen Victoria, the area was gazetted in 1911 as an Aboriginal Reserve and the named changed to Burra Bee Dee Mission. The area is of State significances as it is able to demonstrate strong associations to past customs and provides an understanding of a historical phase of the Gamilaraay people and cultural practices that were undertaken. The Gamilaraay people continue to visit the site to undertake cultural practices and maintain the original cemetery which is still used today. The relationship to that of Forky Mountain also has not only a spiritual connection to the Gamiliaraay people but a connection to land as Forky Mountain played a significant role in the occupation sites within the Mission.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	Burra Bee Dee came about the efforts of one Aboriginal woman, Mary Jane Cain. Due to a flock of wandering goats, Mary Jane Cain and her family made Forky Mountain their home in the late 1800's. Through the efforts and persistence of Mary Jane Cain, Burra Bee Dee was formalised in 1911 and became a place of occupation and food for the local Aboriginal people and Aboriginal people from around the district. Burra Bee Dee became an important centre for the local Gamilaraay people and a significant place of occupation. The site of Burra Bee Dee mission, the cemetery and Forky Mountain is associated to the Gamilaraay people as a significant place as it is the original site of occupation for many Aboriginal people, it is associated to the memory of Mary Jane Cain and it is a place of cultural, spiritual, historical and social values.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	Burra Bee Dee and Forky Mountain has a strong and special association for the Gamilaraay people for its social, culutral and spiritual values. The area is well known for its linkages with dreaming stories and Forky Mountain is often a significant and organising feature of the language and the stories. Forky Mountain was a special place for being 'born under the mountain' and being buried at the 'foot of the mountain and it was a special place of the 'Sun Dance', a ritual that occurred every Easter Sunday, where many would climb to the tip of the mountain to watch the sun dance. Burra Bee Dee and Forky Mountain is a place of importance and belonging to the Gamilaraay people.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	The base of Forky Mountain has the potential to yield new archaeological information and provide evidence of past human cultural activities. Further documentation of oral histories of elders and collection of memorbila and interpretation of the area will further enhance the documentation that is already provided.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	Burra Bee Dee and Forky Mountain is highly siginficant to the Gamilaraay people to their cultural heritage values. The area is outstanding as it is able to demonstrate the principal characteristics of the Gamilaraay people. Being the site of the original settlement at the base of Forky Mountain and then later the gazette 'Mission' site, the area has the attributes to demonstrate the way of life and customs of the Gamilaraay people. Although there are no physical buildings remaining, the origianl cemetery is all that remains and is maintain and used by the local Aboriginal community.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Produce a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act - Site Specific Exemptions	SCHEDULE "C" 1.In accordance with section 57(2) of the Heritage Act recommends the Minister grant the following exemption from section 57(1): (i) Survey works by the Department of Lands in accordance with the Surveying Act 2002 where these works are undertaken with: (a) initial consultation with the Coonabarabran Elders group to determine appropriate representative/s; (b) the on-site assistance of the nominated representative/s from the Aboriginal community. This assistance shall include providing advice to the Department of Lands on undertaking the works to conserve the Aboriginal significance of the site, and monitoring the works to identify any potential sites, artefacts or features of Aboriginal significance discovered following commencement of works; and ( c) the agreement of the nominated representative/s from the Aboriginal community for works affecting potential sites, artefacts or features of Aboriginal significance that have been identified by the nominated representative prior to or following commencement of works. (ii) Activities and works undertaken by the Aboriginal community for traditional practices, such as use of the site as a meeting place, use and maintenance of the cemetery, and other culturally appropriate activities or works that enhance the Aboriginal significance and understanding of the item.	Jun 7 2004
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) OF THE HERITAGE ACT 1977 Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977. I, the Hon James Griffin MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage, pursuant to subsection 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales do by this Order, effective at the time of publication in the New South Wales Government Gazette: 1. revoke the order made on 9 November 2020 and published in the Government Gazette Number 318 of 13 November 2020; and 2. grant the exemptions from subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 that are described in the attached Schedule. The Hon James Griffin MP Minister for Environment and Heritage Signed this 2nd day of June 2022. To view the standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 click on the link below.	Jun 17 2022

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		01688	04 Jun 04	94	3480

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written			(not given)
Other	Adell Hyslop	2003	Regional Visit
Oral History	Coonabarabran Aboriginal Elders Group	2004	Regional Community Meeting - 18 February
Written	Margaret Somerville	1994	The Sun Dancin, People and Place in Coonabarabran
Written	unattributed, Namoi Valley Independent	2020	Gunnedah Gomeroi artist's work Burra Bee Dee now displayed in town	View detail

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5054965

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