Protecting Aboriginal heritage at Lake Mackenzie

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We are inviting the Tasmanian Aboriginal community, the traditional custodians of lutruwita / Tasmania, to help us protect Aboriginal heritage and ecological values at Lake Mackenzie, in the north west of the Central Plateau of Tasmania.

Hydro Tasmania has been working with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community to improve management of Aboriginal heritage at Lake Mackenzie since 2017. Our work has focused on one particular heritage place at the remote site and involves three main stages:


Understanding Aboriginal heritage values
Monitoring changes to the site
Planning rehabilitation at the site


The Tasmanian Central Plateau has a rich Aboriginal history and heritage spanning thousands of years. Lake Mackenzie was created in 1972 and combines three smaller former lakes/wet areas which are surrounded by traditional living places.


Laser scanning and aerial mapping are being used to measure erosion at one particular site. Mapping the site at regular intervals can show where the erosion is most active and how fast it is happening.The results of the monitoring surveys provide information that will be used in planning future rehabilitation works to help conserve heritage values.

Three visits by members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community have been coordinated so far. The first visit in 2017 was run by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre. The second visit in 2020 involved members of the Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation and Trainee Aboriginal Rangers from the Parks and Wildlife Service's Working on Country program. A third visit was held in March 2021 and included staff from the Aboriginal Education team from the Department of Education.


We plan to carry out further erosion monitoring and to start planning rehabilitation works over February & March 2022 and are seeking expressions of interest from members of the broader Tasmanian Aboriginal community who would like to get involved. The short video below was made during the most recent site visit in March 2021 to help share the story and give a brief introduction to this special place. Links to other project resources can be found in the side pane.

If you would like more information on the Lake Mackenzie project, wish to get involved, or just want to share your thoughts on how Hydro Tasmania can better manage Aboriginal heritage, please send us a message or contact a member of the project team.





We are inviting the Tasmanian Aboriginal community, the traditional custodians of lutruwita / Tasmania, to help us protect Aboriginal heritage and ecological values at Lake Mackenzie, in the north west of the Central Plateau of Tasmania.

Hydro Tasmania has been working with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community to improve management of Aboriginal heritage at Lake Mackenzie since 2017. Our work has focused on one particular heritage place at the remote site and involves three main stages:


Understanding Aboriginal heritage values
Monitoring changes to the site
Planning rehabilitation at the site


The Tasmanian Central Plateau has a rich Aboriginal history and heritage spanning thousands of years. Lake Mackenzie was created in 1972 and combines three smaller former lakes/wet areas which are surrounded by traditional living places.


Laser scanning and aerial mapping are being used to measure erosion at one particular site. Mapping the site at regular intervals can show where the erosion is most active and how fast it is happening.The results of the monitoring surveys provide information that will be used in planning future rehabilitation works to help conserve heritage values.

Three visits by members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community have been coordinated so far. The first visit in 2017 was run by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre. The second visit in 2020 involved members of the Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation and Trainee Aboriginal Rangers from the Parks and Wildlife Service's Working on Country program. A third visit was held in March 2021 and included staff from the Aboriginal Education team from the Department of Education.


We plan to carry out further erosion monitoring and to start planning rehabilitation works over February & March 2022 and are seeking expressions of interest from members of the broader Tasmanian Aboriginal community who would like to get involved. The short video below was made during the most recent site visit in March 2021 to help share the story and give a brief introduction to this special place. Links to other project resources can be found in the side pane.

If you would like more information on the Lake Mackenzie project, wish to get involved, or just want to share your thoughts on how Hydro Tasmania can better manage Aboriginal heritage, please send us a message or contact a member of the project team.




Be part of the Lake Mackenzie project

We want to create opportunities for community to be involved in protecting Aboriginal heritage and ecological values at Lake Mackenzie. 

Would you like to be involved in protecting Aboriginal heritage at Lake Mackenzie?

What values do you think we should be managing at Lake Mackenzie?

How can we better manage Aboriginal heritage at Lake Mackenzie?

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Page last updated: 14 October 2021, 14:30