Yankee Hat – Safeguarding Indigenous Heritage at a Sacred Site

Yankee Hat is a historically significant Indigenous site in the Canberra region, known for its ancient rock art and its role as a meeting place for the Ngamaji people for over 25,000 years. The site potentially holds undiscovered cultural artifacts and burial sites that needed to be protected during a proposed development of a walkway.

Scope

Veris was engaged by NOHC to conduct a GPR survey of the Yankee Hat site to identify potential burial sites and cultural artifacts. The team used GPR to scan the ground for any signs of buried remains or objects, ensuring that the proposed walkway would not disturb any Indigenous heritage. The methodology focused on non-invasive investigation to preserve the site’s integrity.

Outcomes

The GPR survey identified multiple areas of interest, allowing NOHC to perform targeted test pits to locate and protect cultural artifacts. The data collected ensured that the proposed walkway could be installed with minimal impact on the site’s Indigenous heritage. This project demonstrates Veris’ ability to apply cutting-edge technology to protect cultural heritage while enabling the continuation of important development projects.