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PIRSA's Role in Protecting Geological Monuments

The following discussion is confined to Minerals Resources Group responsibilities. For the function of PIRSA’s Petroleum Group, please contact the group or visit the PIRSA Petroleum Channel.

Under the Mining Act 1971, fossicking is defined as gathering of minerals for recreation and without intention to sell or utilise the minerals for commercial or industrial purposes. Fossicking is permitted without regulation as long as land or water are not disturbed by machinery or explosives, and that the areas concerned (including geological monument sites) are not otherwise protected as detailed in the section Protecting Geological Monuments. Prospectors and commercial operators must have a Miner’s Right and hold an appropriate mining tenement under the Mining Act (such as a mineral claim or mining lease). The regulations were written for minerals and precious stones (other than opals), but not for fossils, the collecting of which is frequently the subject of concern. The Mining Act is currently being revised. The Mining Act requires the Minister to consider the protection of objects and features of scientific interest (including geological monuments) which may be affected by exploration and mining activities when determining the conditions to be attached to any leases or licences granted for this work.

The Pinnacles, Arkaroola.
When a company conducts mineral exploration under an Exploration Licence, and seeks approval for use of equipment which disturbs the land (excavations, drilling etc.), geological monuments are one of a number of factors considered during the assessment and setting of approval conditions by PIRSA for such activity. This may include liaison with the PIRSA custodian and/or the Geological Society where activities are proposed in the vicinity of a geological monument.

Proposals for mining or quarrying (under a variety of leases/claims/licences) are sent to PIRSA’s Regulation and Rehabilitation Branch for comment and advice. Again, one of the factors considered in the approval process is whether any geological monuments may be affected by the activity.

When local government (i.e. Councils) conduct regional planning projects, the Development Act stipulates that consultation will take place with stakeholders before development can proceed. The resulting Development Plans are examined by a number of Government bodies, one of which is PIRSA. Information on the concept of geological monuments is included in the advice provided by PIRSA’s Land Access Branch.

When detailed information on geological monuments is required, staff of the Land Access Branch and Regulation and Rehabilitation Branch can consult PIRSA’s database directly or through the custodian, Wayne Cowley (Geological Survey Branch). The GIS (Geographic Information System) locations, recently completed and now available to external users through SARIG, will be of great assistance in efficiently integrating consideration of geological monuments in mineral development and other planning and advice. Importantly, the SARIG map server shows the boundaries arising from a joint Geological Society-PIRSA project, which aimed to document or create GIS locations which reflected the intent of the original proposer, even if no specific location was given with the nomination, which was frequently the case.

A 1:2 000 000 scale print-on-demand map showing the locations of geological monuments in South Australia has just been released and is available for purchase. For geological sites on Fleurieu Peninsula, the brochure "Pathways to the Past", is available from our Customer Services Centre, level 7, 101 Grenfell Street, or from the South Australian Museum.

PIRSA supports a representative on the Geological Heritage Subcommittee (presently Wayne Cowley), and the above databases are provided and maintained both as a service to the Geological Society and to streamline PIRSA’s administrative processes which involve geological monuments.

PIRSA can also consult with the Geological Heritage Subcommittee during any of the above assessment processes.