CULTURAL
.RESULTS
unchanged
medium
confidence
CULTURAL HEALTH..
.RESULTS
Very good (0.85-1.00)
Good (0.65-0.84)
Satisfactory (0.5-0.64)
Poor (0.25-0.49)
Very Poor (0.00-0.24)
No data available
RESULTS
The overall score for the Cultural Health of Gladstone Harbour for 2023 was 0.61, corresponding to a satisfactory grade (C). The Cultural Health component score is comprised of two indicator groups, Sense of Place which captures community views on place identity and place attachment and Indigenous Cultural Heritage which assesses the physical condition of cultural heritage sites and management strategies to protect these sites. There was no new assessment of Cultural Health in the 2023 report card and results have carried over from previous assessments.
The Sense of Place indicator group was assessed through a Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview survey of 200 people that was conducted in June 2022.
The overall scores for Indigenous Cultural Heritage were carried over from 2018, noting that there was little variation over the last three years it was assessed ranging from 0.53 to 0.55 (2016–2018).
Sense of Place Results
Indigenous Cultural Heritage Results
Results by Zone
WHAT WAS MEASURED?
SENSE OF PLACE
The ‘sense of place’ indicator group comprised six indicators; place attachment, continuity, pride in the region, well-being, appreciation of the harbour and values.
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL HERTIAGE
The overall Indigenous cultural heritage indicator group is based on two indicators, physical condition and management strategies and consists of nine measures namely intactness of sites features, extent of current disturbance, management of threats, recording, cultural management, stakeholders, monitoring, access and cultural resources.
SENSE OF PLACE
The following graph compares the Sense of Place scores reported for 2023 (2022 data - top line)
to those from the previous assessment in 2019 (bottom line).
All indicator scores were similar to the previous assessment in 2019. The highest indicator score was appreciation of the harbour (0.84). The lowest indicator score was place attachment (0.61).
Overall, the score for Sense of Place has showed little variation over the eight years. This suggests that the community’s expectations of Gladstone Harbour are mostly being met.
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE
The overall harbour score for Indigenous Cultural Heritage was 0.54, corresponding to a satisfactory grade (C). The overall Indigenous Cultural Heritage score is based on the scores received across four Indigenous Cultural Heritage zones for two indicators 1) Physical condition and 2) Management strategies.
Physical condition indicator scores were based on three measures. In 2018 the first intactness of sites features scored above average across all four zones (0.67–0.95) and was graded good (B) or very good (A). The second, extent of current disturbance, received satisfactory (C) for three zones (scores: 0.59–0.64) and a poor grade (D) in Gladstone Central (0.44). The third measure, management of threats, scored between 0.11 and 0.50, corresponding to a range of grades from very poor (E) to satisfactory (C). The lower scores reflect the ongoing natural (e.g. erosion, inundation) and anthropogenic (e.g. off-road vehicle use, development) disturbances at the monitoring sites.
Within the Management strategies indicators, cultural management and cultural resources measures received very low scores across all zones (0.10–0.20) resulting in very poor scores (E). The poor scores reflect the lack of cultural management plans, lack of cultural management activities and minimal availability of physical and digital interpretive elements in the monitoring zones. In contrast, recording and monitoring measures received above average scores (0.70 – 1.00) and good (B) or very good (A) grades for all zones. Overall, the good grades for monitoring measure indicate that a high proportion of existing monitoring stations have been revisited.
The stakeholder engagement scores (0.40–0.60) varied and grades ranged from poor (D) to satisfactory (C), highlighting the need for improved engagement activities with all key stakeholders relevant for site and zone management.
The access measure for the Facing Island received a very good grade (A), with the high score (0.90) reflecting that all sites within the zone are easily accessible for heritage management activities. In comparison, the other three zones received satisfactory grades (C) and lower scores (0.60) reflecting that these sites are less accessible.
THE NARROWS
INDIGENOUS HERITAGE
Very good (0.85-1.00)
Poor (0.25-0.49)
Good (0.65-0.84)
Satisfactory (0.5-0.64)
Very Poor (0.00-0.24)
No data available
The Narrows is the largest zone extending from Deception Creek to the Calliope River and covering approximately 430 km2 of both the mainland and parts of Curtis Island. The cultural locus site is a 2 km long quarry site which was used by Traditional Owners to quarry silcrete to manufacture stone tools. The Traditional Owners and Elders also identified a stone arrangement at Mt Larcom which resembles a crocodile and is linked with ‘Gu-ra-bi’ dreaming. A number of stone arrangements were found in the north of The Narrows. A close examination of the material suggested the area was disturbed in the past by fire, water activity, cattle and trampling.
The Narrows received satisfactory grades (C) for Physical condition (0.58) and Management strategies (0.50). The scores and grades for The Narrows were based on six sites documented in 2016, three sites documented in 2017 and one site documented in 2018.
FACING ISLAND
INDIGENOUS HERITAGE
Very good (0.85-1.00)
Good (0.65-0.84)
Satisfactory (0.5-0.64)
Poor (0.25-0.49)
Very Poor (0.00-0.24)
No data available
Facing Island is located approximately 7 km east of the Gladstone Central Business District. The island covers approximately 57 km2 and has many long sandy beaches. The cultural locus site for the Facing Island is a large shell midden. A number of stone tools and shell scatters are located in the south-eastern part of the Facing Island.
The Facing Island zone received satisfactory grades (C) for Physical condition (0.56) and Management strategies (0.55). A total of seven sites have been identified in annual field surveys since 2016 and six sites within this zone were re-surveyed in 2018.
GLADSTONE CENTRAL
INDIGENOUS HERITAGE
Very good (0.85-1.00)
Good (0.65-0.84)
Satisfactory (0.5-0.64)
Poor (0.25-0.49)
Very Poor (0.00-0.24)
No data available
The Gladstone Central zone covers approximately 173 km2 area around the Gladstone CBD. This zone was initially chosen for monitoring as it has a large number of sites which were of cultural significance to Traditional Owners and Elders for fishing, hunting, boating, traditional meetings and ceremonies. This zone was further extended in 2017 including sites near Boyne and Calliope Rivers. Barney Point was identified as the cultural locus site in 2017 as Traditional Owners and Elders saw this site as being a positive place of significant cultural and social meaning and more representative of the area than the Police Creek site that was previously chosen as a cultural locus site.
The Gladstone Central zone received satisfactory results for Physical condition (0.60) and Management strategies (0.53). This zone was resurveyed in 2018. A total of six sites have been identified for annual surveys within this zone since 2016 of which five were revisited for the 2018 report card. There were no site surveys in 2021.
WILD CATTLE CREEK
INDIGENOUS HERITAGE
Very good (0.85-1.00)
Good (0.65-0.84)
Satisfactory (0.5-0.64)
Poor (0.25-0.49)
Very Poor (0.00-0.24)
No data available
The Wild Cattle Creek zone covers approximately 92 km2 running south along the shore from the mouth of the Boyne River, near Tannum Sands, for about 23 km. This zone includes the Wild Cattle Island National Park which is important for endangered migratory birds and nesting sea turtles. The southern part of this zone consists of Hummock Hill Island. In 2017 additional sites from Hummock Hill Island were surveyed and baseline data were added to the database. The cultural locus site for the Wild Cattle Creek is an artefact scatter/shell midden and quarry site at the Hummock Hill Island. Traditionally, access to these islands would have been through tidal mudflats and small creek crossings.
The Wild Cattle Creek zone received satisfactory grades (C) for Physical condition (0.50) and a poor grade (D) for Management strategies (0.48). A total of 16 sites were identified through annual surveys within this zone since 2016. The 2018 score and the grade for the Wild Cattle Creek is based on 11 sites documented in 2016 and five sites documented in 2017.