Prioritising cultural heritage at Kinma Valley
Bringing a new masterplanned community to life is a carefully-considered process that involves many expert teams over many years, if not decades.
From developers to urban designers, architects, landscapers, environmental consultants and builders, hundreds of individuals combine their collective knowledge and expertise to ensure communities are designed to suit the needs of residents now and into the future.
For Kinma Valley, one of the most important groups involved in the co-creation of the masterplan has been the First Nation Traditional Owners of the land, the Kabi Kabi people.
One of the many ways the Kabi Kabi people have been actively involved in the Kinma Valley community is by conducting Cultural Heritage Inductions on-site for all staff and contractors that are involved in the creation of our future community.
The inductions are run by a representative of the Kabi Kabi Peoples Aboriginal Corporation.
By incorporating Cultural Heritage Inductions in the onboarding and site induction process for Kinma Valley, we can continue to recognise and prioritise the importance of preserving First Nations culture, create a community that promotes cultural tourism and make residents proud to call Kinma Valley home.
What is a Cultural Heritage Induction?
As part of the Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP), the recognised official agreement between Lendlease and the Traditional Owners, the inductions ensure everyone on the team knows how land use activities can be managed to avoid or minimise harm to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s heritage.
Why is incorporating a Cultural Heritage Induction important?
Incorporating a Cultural Heritage Induction is paramount to make sure the creation of Kinma Valley respectfully acknowledges and protects any Indigenous Cultural Heritage, including:
- Places and built structures
- Landscapes and ecological communities
- Documentary records and works of art and non-material culture such as religious beliefs and folklore ideas
- Memories and skills
- Practices
Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage is officially defined as anything that is a significant Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander area in Queensland, a significant Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander object, and/or anything that is significant evidence of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander occupation of an area of Queensland.*
What is involved in the Cultural Heritage Induction at Kinma Valley?
Everyone working on-site at Kinma Valley receives a Cultural Heritage Induction by a representative of the Kabi Kabi Peoples Aboriginal Corporation which covers a range of important topics, including:
- Information about how to identify items of cultural significance
- What steps to take if something of cultural significance is found on-site
- The history of the site and its significance for First Nations history
Lendlease acknowledges the First Nations People of the region and their continuing connection to and care of the land, waters and community of that region. We also pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
*Queensland Government, 2021.