CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EXCAVATION DIRECTORS
Excavation Directors are people who have professional training and extensive fieldwork experience in
the investigation of relics within historical archaeological sites. Excavation Directors have usually
completed tertiary training in archaeology, prehistory or a closely related field. Excavation Directors
may be consultant historical archaeologists undertaking paid professional work associated with site
redevelopment projects; university employed archaeologists and/or others undertaking research
investigations of historic sites.
PURPOSE
The purpose of these criteria is to highlight the composition of skills required when selecting an
Excavation Director, to be nominated as part of an application under relevant sections of the NSW
Heritage Act, 1977. Those sections include: section 140 and section 60 applications; section 65A, and
section 144 variations to existing approvals and also Integrated Development Applications (IDAs)
lodged under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979 (the EPA Act).
QUALIFICATIONS
Excavation Directors need to have pertinent qualifications and professional fieldwork experience. They
must also provide sound justification for the proposed archaeological work which is likely to impact on
‘relics’, within the meaning of the Heritage Act, 1977. Any qualified historical or maritime
archaeologists with demonstrated historic sites experience wishing to act as an Excavation Director
must submit a current written statement to the Heritage Council addressing his/her ability to meet the
basic criteria set out in the following table. This applies equally to both Primary Excavation Director
and Secondary Excavation Directors (see below). Such documents must be lodged to support
applications to undertake controlled activities under the Heritage Act 1977, as well as for IDAs, where
excavation would or is likely to result in a relic being moved, damaged, destroyed, exposed or altered.
EPA ACT APPROVALS
The Criteria for the Assessment of Excavation Directors will also assist in establishing commitments
for projects determined under the EPA Act, 1979, including Part 3A, Part 4 and Part 5 matters.
MENTORING
The Assessment Criteria can set a standard for archaeological consultancies for the recruitment of
staff and for in-house training and mentoring of less experienced personnel. Combined with Mentoring
from more experienced practitioners, the Criteria have been designed to provide a pathway for
individuals who may wish to become future Excavation Directors for Heritage Act permits.
BENEFITS
Selection of a suitably qualified and experienced historical archaeological Excavation Director will
usually provide benefits to a project and improvements in cost effectiveness due to early consideration
of the opportunities and options to amend development plans, and the capacity to devise other
appropriate mitigation strategies if significant features are discovered or expected.
PROCESS
Usually a single individual will be nominated as the Excavation Director for an archaeology permit. In
cases where more than one Excavation Director is nominated or required due to project
circumstances, then the terms Primary and Secondary Director will be relevant. These are defined in
Section C of the Criteria. When only one Director is nominated, that individual is the Primary Director.
Additional submission requirements outlined following, will be required of Primary Excavation Directors
or Secondary Excavation Directors nominated for the first time and also for Excavation Directors who
wish to be nominated for the first time to investigate archaeological sites assessed as having State,
heritage significance, when his/her previous experience has only dealt with sites of Local significance.
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