The 1842 Windsor District map by surveyor J. Musgrave, containing a reference to "Burial ground of the Blacks". Credit:State Library of NSW Still, the issue remains contentious on a number of fronts, including among members of the Indigenous community. Colin Gale, a resident of the area - who hails from "the oldest documented family in Australia", citing his ancestors' early contact with the colony's first governor Arthur Phillip - is eager for the burial site to be declared not least to ensure its protection from planned housing developments. "This is the only identified historical burial ground in the Sydney Basin," Mr Gale said. "You should put it out there in big capital letters." Phil Khan, a principal of the Kamilaroi-Yankuntjatjara Working Group, also supports the area being "kept as a monument for our people".

Mr Khan said he was wary that without public protection, the land could be disturbed: "It's what the Aboriginal people have had to put up with all over Australia." The Herald sought comment from the Deerubbin Local Land Council, one of the regional Indigenous groups. The map's 'Burial ground of the Blacks" reference on land held by Joseph Pye Esq. Credit:State Library, NSW, with Mary Dallas Consulting Archaeologists Dr Irish said planners face several dilemmas. One is that the area's acidic soils would have aided decomposition, so "there may be nothing more to be found" in terms of human remains even if excavations were carried out, he said.

Another is the vague map reference implies an area several hundred hectares in size. That scale is likely to be too large even assuming the arrival of European settlers had concentrated Indigenous people into that part of the Cumberland Plain. (Joseph Pye Esq., whose land the burial site is located on, was known by historical records to be relatively friendly towards the traditional owners, one official said. That suggests the site may have involved mostly post-colonial burials.) Setting aside a big protection zone may affect residents whose land does not have burial links, Dr Irish said: "I don't think they should be treated as though they literally have bones in their backyards." The Planning spokesman said the government was aware "there is a potential burial site" based on the 1842 map. He added that "despite extensive research, no further details have been found".

Loading Even without the "categorical evidence", "the West Schofields site is still considered culturally significant", the spokesman said. "The best way to protect a site is through non-urban zoning, for example, parkland". Blacktown City Council said it was committed to working with Planning "on preserving potential Aboriginal burial grounds in the North West Growth Area" including in the West Schofields precinct. "We agree entirely that appropriate zonings need to be in place to protect against development on any potential burial sites," a council spokesman said. "We respect the concerns of local Aboriginal groups in identifying specific areas and remain in close liaison with those groups." Residents said they were not aware they may be living on top of a possible burial site.