Commonwealth legislation

Proclamation - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 - Western Australia

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This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.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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What this does: This Proclamation extends the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 to cover waters off the coast of Western Australia.

Why it matters: The Act protects historic shipwrecks and their artifacts from damage, interference, or looting. While the Act became law when it received Royal Assent, it only automatically applies to Commonwealth territories (like federal lands). For it to cover State waters—such as those off the Western Australian coast—the Governor-General must make a formal declaration. This document is that declaration.

Who it affects: Anyone diving, fishing, or conducting activities in WA coastal waters where historic shipwrecks exist. It makes it an offense to damage, interfere with, or remove items from protected shipwrecks without a permit.

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Proclamation - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 - Western Australia

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 Western Australia.

(L.S.) GIVEN under my Hand and the Great Seal of Australia on 3 September 1977.

By His Excellency’s Command,

PETER DURACK

Minister of State for Veterans’ Affairs 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 - Western Australia