Commonwealth legislation

Proclamation - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 - Queensland

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Collection

legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

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This proclamation "switches on" federal historic shipwreck protection laws for Queensland's coastal waters.

What it does: The Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 protects shipwrecks of historic significance and their associated artifacts from damage, looting, or unauthorized disturbance. However, the Act only applies to waters adjacent to a State once a Proclamation is made. This document does exactly that for Queensland, meaning:

Historic shipwrecks in Queensland waters are now protected under Commonwealth law
Anyone wanting to disturb, excavate, or remove artifacts from these wrecks must obtain a federal permit
Penalties apply for damaging or interfering with protected sites

Why it matters: Without this proclamation, historic shipwrecks off the Queensland coast (including significant sites on the Great Barrier Reef) would lack protection under the national heritage regime. This ensures nationally significant maritime heritage is preserved regardless of whether it lies in state or federal waters.

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Proclamation - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 - Queensland

PROCLAMATION

Commonwealth of Australia

JOHN R. KERR

Governor-General

By His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia

WHEREAS it is provided by section 2 of the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 that that Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent but shall not apply in relation to waters (including waters above the continental shelf) adjacent to the coast of a State until a Proclamation has been made declaring that that Act applies in relation to waters adjacent to the coast of that State:

NOW THEREFORE I, Sir John Robert Kerr, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby declare that the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 applies in relation to waters adjacent to the coast of the State of Queensland.

(L.S.) GIVEN under my Hand and the Great Seal of Australia on 18 November 1977

By His Excellency’s Command,

ROBERT COTTON

Minister of State for Industry and Commerce

for and on behalf of the Minister of State for Administrative Services

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 Proclamation - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 - Queensland