Harvard University found to have damaged aboriginal cultural sites

HARVARD has been found by the NSW Government to be “harming Aboriginal objects”.

Harvard Uni cleared veg

US Ivy League university, Harvard, has been found by the NSW Government to be “harming Aboriginal objects” on the Hay property it is developing.

The developer has also been found to have cleared native vegetation on Newmarket Station, west of Hay, without a permit.

Harvard is developing the 17,400ha property into an irrigated cotton operation through its local arm Rosella Sub TC Pty Ltd.

Hay Local Aboriginal Land Council chief executive officer Ian Woods has accused the university of destroying Aboriginal cultural sites and digging up Aboriginal remains as part of the development.

After a report in The Weekly Times last week, Rosella Sub TC director Sam Mitchell vehemently denied bones had been found by Mr Woods and burial sites had been destroyed at Newmarket.

Both Harvard Management Company and Mr Mitchell claimed “inaccuracies” in The Weekly Times report last week. “No burial sites have been destroyed and no bones have been unearthed on the property,” Mr Mitchell said.

Yesterday, Mr Mitchell admitted the NSW Government’s Office of Environment and Heritage had determined six occupational mounds had been harmed by ploughing but there were “no finding of burial sites or burial mounds”.

Mr Woods said 90 per cent of occupational mounds in his area contained aboriginal burials. A report by OEH archaeologist John Gilding, written in January this year, said at least two of seven Aboriginal cultural heritage sites identified contained “elements of human skeletal remains”.

Mr Gilding photographed exposed skull fragments at one of the sites.

“Typical of the other mounds observed in the area, this (site) contained a combination of lithic artefacts in conjunction of fire modified sediments,” he said.

Mr Woods, who was present during Mr Gilding’s inspection of Newmarket Station in January, claimed the remains were dug up by ground-ripping equipment. He said the largest Aboriginal mound on the property — which was separate to the seven identified by Mr Gilding — had a centre pivot irrigator’s wheels running over it.

“Every time they water the site, the wheels go over the mound,” he said.

The Weekly Times understands another section of Newmarket has dozens of Aboriginal cultural sites.

Newmarket Station is ultimately owned by Harvard University through Rosella Ltd, which is registered in the Cayman Islands.

Mr Mitchell said Rosella was “working closely and co-operating fully with the local Aboriginal land council to ensure that our properties continue to implement best practices”.

But Mr Woods said the Hay LALC decided on Monday it would not take part in further archaeological surveys unless the developers “admit they have done wrong”.

OEH spokeswoman Lucy Morrell said the developer of Newmarket had been issued warning letters for both harming the Aboriginal cultural sites and clearing native vegetation.

Mr Woods accused government authorities of a “cover-up” in handling the issue.

NSW Environment Minister Rob Stokes would not comment on the issue, deferring to the OEH to respond.

Rosella Sub TC began a full archaeological survey on February 12 — more than seven months after work began on the property and about two months after official complaints were lodged with the State Government’s Office of Environment Heritage about desecration of Aboriginal sites.