{"id":"F2021L00538","name":"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection (Wahluu Mount Panorama Site) Declaration 2021","slug":"aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-wahluu-mount-panorama-site-declaration-202","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":440833,"registerId":"F2021L00538-fast-fetch-1775956322620","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection (Wahluu Mount Panorama Site) Declaration 2021","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 20.2\ntitle: s10 Declaration-Wahluu Mount Panorama\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\nAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection (Wahluu Mount Panorama Site) Declaration 2021  _________________________________________________________________\n\nI, SUSSAN LEY, Minister for the Environment, make the following declaration under subsection 10(1) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.\n\nDated 30th April 2021\n\n \n\n \n\nSUSSAN LEY\n\nMinister for the Environment  _________________________________________________________________\n\n\n\n\nContents\n\n[1 Name](#_Toc67576665)\n\n[2 Commencement](#_Toc67576667)\n\n[3 Authority](#_Toc67576669)\n\n[4 Definitions](#_Toc67576671)\n\n \n\n\n\n\nPart 1 - Preliminary matters\n\n1. Name\n\n\nThis instrument is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection (Wahluu Mount Panorama Site) Declaration 2021.\n\n2.             Commencement\n\nThis instrument commences on 5 May 2021.\n\n3.             Authority\n\nThis instrument is made under section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.\n\n4.             Definitions\n\nAct means the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth).\n\nBulk earthworks means the excavation or other movement of large quantities of soil or rock with the intent or effect of changing the level or elevation of an area of land.\n\nClearing of vegetation means the removal by any means of groups of trees, shrubs or other vegetation for the purpose of establishing a cleared area, but does not include targeted maintenance or removal of individual plants.\n\nDeclared area means the area described in Part 2, section 5 of this instrument.\n\n\n\n\nPart 2 - Declaration of an area as a significant Aboriginal area to be preserved and protected from injury or desecration.\n\n5.             Declared area\n\nFor the purposes of subsection 10(1) of the Act, the specified area to which this declaration applies is an area on Wahluu / Mount Panorama in Bathurst in New South Wales, indicated as the “declared area” in the map below.\n\n![](image.002.png)\n\n\n\n\n6.             Declaration\n\n(1)   For the purposes of section 10 of the Act, the declared area is a significant Aboriginal area that is to be preserved and protected from injury and desecration in the manner specified in subsection (2).\n\n(2)   A person must not:\n\n(a)   undertake any clearing of vegetation within the declared area; or\n\n(b)   undertake any bulk earthworks within the declared area; or\n\n(c)    construct any buildings on the declared area or seal any part of the declared area, including with bitumen or concrete; or\n\n(d)   undertake any action that will, or is likely to, directly alter the topography or landform of the declared area.\n\nNote: Under subsection 22(1) of the Act, a person commits an offence if the person engages in conduct that contravenes a provision of a declaration made under Part II of the Act in relation to a significant Aboriginal area.\n\nPenalty: (a) if the person is a natural person - imprisonment for 5 years or 100 penalty units, or both; or\n\n (b) if the person is a body corporate - 500 penalty units.\n\n(3)  For the avoidance of doubt, subsection (2) does not prohibit the following in relation to the declared area:\n\n(a)   enjoyment of a lawful right of access to or use of land within the declared area;\n\n(b)   use of the declared area as a campsite;\n\n(c)    use the declared area otherwise as a public open space; and\n\n(d)   any activities necessary to maintain safety consistent with use as public open space,\n\nso long as the use, access or activities do not involve any of the activities mentioned in subsection (2).\n\n7.             Period of effect\n\nThis instrument has effect for 10 years beginning on the date this instrument commences.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument operates exactly as intended under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984. It is a standard section 10 declaration for a specific site, with prohibitions tailored to the site's protection needs and appropriate exceptions for public access. The scope remains tightly focused on preserving the Wahluu/Mount Panorama site from physical alteration while permitting compatible uses."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (7 sections, approximately 2 pages)","Only 4 defined terms in the interpretation section","Single, clearly mapped geographic area with straightforward prohibitions","Simple structure: preliminary matters, declaration with prohibitions, exceptions, and duration","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the parent Act citation","Plain English definitions provided for technical terms ('bulk earthworks', 'clearing of vegetation')","Single 'avoidance of doubt' clause with uncomplicated carve-outs"],"plain_english_summary":"The Environment Minister has declared part of Mount Panorama (Wahluu) a “significant Aboriginal area,” imposing ten years of federal protection to prevent injury or desecration. Major alterations—clearing, bulk earthworks, building or reshaping the land—are prohibited, while lawful access, camping, public use and safety maintenance may continue so long as they don’t involve those banned activities.\n\nThe order creates criminal penalties (substantial fines and possible jail time), affecting developers, visitors, the Bathurst community and Traditional Owners."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument exercises the declaration power in section 10 of the Act to protect a specified area; it does not amend or broaden the Act itself. Its effect is confined to Wahluu / Mount Panorama for a 10-year period and to the prohibitions and exceptions described in the instrument (ss3,5–7)."},"complexity_factors":["Limited substantive scope: single geographic area with a short list of prohibited activities (s5–6).","Defined technical terms (\"clearing of vegetation\", \"bulk earthworks\") that determine applicability and require factual assessment (s4, s6).","Criminal penalties referenced through the Act, including differing penalties for natural persons and corporations—enforcement depends on Act s22(1) as noted (s6, note).","Geographic precision depends on the instrument's map to identify the declared area—practical application requires spatial interpretation (s5).","Temporal limit: declaration lasts 10 years, so scope is time-bound and may require review or renewal (s7).","Ministerial power source is explicit (made under s10 of the Act), but the instrument itself does not set out administrative enforcement or review procedures (s3)."],"plain_english_summary":"This declaration (commencing 5 May 2021) designates Wahluu / Mount Panorama in Bathurst as a \"significant Aboriginal area\" and, for 10 years, forbids clearing vegetation, bulk earthworks, constructing or sealing surfaces, and actions likely to alter the landform within the mapped declared area (ss5–7).  \n\nBreaches are criminal offences under the Act with specified penalties for individuals and corporations; ordinary lawful public use and safety-related activities are permitted so long as they do not involve the prohibited acts (s6(2)–(3), note)."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-wahluu-mount-panorama-site-declaration-202","history":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-wahluu-mount-panorama-site-declaration-202/history","analysis":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-wahluu-mount-panorama-site-declaration-202/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-wahluu-mount-panorama-site-declaration-202/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-wahluu-mount-panorama-site-declaration-202/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-wahluu-mount-panorama-site-declaration-202/documents"}}