Arlparra sacred site allegedly damaged by NT Department of Infrastructure Planning and Logistics
A Central Australian community’s residents have alleged they were ‘distressed’ to find their sacred trees torn down and destroyed by the NT government.
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The NT government is accused of destroying sacred trees to widen a road, “distressing” custodians of a remote Central Australian community.
The Department of Infrastructure Planning and Logistics has been accused of illegally tearing down sacred ghost gum trees as part of civil works at Arlparra, an Indigenous community 280km northeast of Alice Springs.
The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority brought proceedings against DIPL in Darwin Local Court on Monday, alleging it breached the NT Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act by carrying out works on a sacred site in 2021.
In court documents obtained by this publication, AAPA alleged DIPL ignored sacred site boundaries, did not apply for an AAPA certificate for the civil worksand had torn down three protected trees.
“The ghost gum trees that were removed are highly sacred trees to the local custodians,” AAPA chief executive Benedict Scambary alleged.
“When the removal was discovered, the custodians suffered significant distress.”
Dr Scambary alleged DIPL drew up civil works plans “in-house” that breachedsacred site restricted areas near Arlparra School.
He alleged DIPL didnot apply for an AAPA authority certificate.
However, Dr Scambary said DIPL did get sacred site clearance from the Central Land Council on the condition that works did not enter therestricted areas or damage “mature trees and shrubs”.
He alleged DIPL were specifically told not to damage the sacred ghost gums, with photographsof the trees provided for reference.
Yet when Arlparra residents saw the civil work, Dr Scambary said they were “distressed” to see the hallowed trees knocked down and removed.
Dr Scambary alleged that while the works were contracted out to Asplum, an Alice Springs based civil works business, DIPL was “vicariously liable” for the project .
He also said earlier projects meant DIPL should have been aware the community of 1200 people lived next to the sacred site.
Judge Therese Austin adjourned the matter to March 13.
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