“[We bought it] to have it protected, to ensure that it does not get destroyed,” Conny said. “That would have been so heartbreaking.” As soon as the land was theirs, the Harrises asked for the carvings and the shelter to be added to the list of protected Aboriginal places. Now, more than two years after the application went through, the NSW government has recognised the area’s “exceptional significance”, declaring it protected in a ceremony on Thursday. The Cromer Heights rock carvings were declared protected on Thursday. From left: Conny Harris, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Harwin, Anthony Harris and land council CEO Nathan Moran. Credit:James Brickwood Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Don Harwin travelled to the site with heritage officers, members of the Aboriginal community and the Harrises themselves. The local federal member Jason Falinski was also present. “[In] the land of the Eora nation so much dislocation and dispossession took place over the almost 230 years since the occupation of this country by the Europeans began,” Mr Harwin said in his speech. “The incredible thing we’ve got here is private landowners voluntarily seeking listing because they care so much about the country.”

Nathan Moran, the CEO of the Metropolitan Land Council and an Aboriginal man, joined in thanking the Harrises. “Without their support in purchasing this site we feel we may not have been here today,” Mr Moran said. “It’s about as good as it gets, barring us getting it ourself. This area is sacrosanctly important – culturally, environmentally, humanly for us as the keepers of the area.” Mr Moran said more private owners needed to volunteer their land for protection. The rock shelter is part of the Cromer Heights site which contains many Aboriginal rock carvings. Credit:James Brickwood “Hopefully today will be a precedent that many more follow. [Because] the majority of our sites are not on land owned or controlled by us. They are on state [land], they are in private ownership.”

The artefacts have been declared an Aboriginal Place, meaning they cannot be destroyed or altered without a permit from the heritage office. Loading Years of research were required before the declaration could be made. Heritage officers think the artefacts might have been used in men’s initiation rituals and, according to Mr Moran, they might be several thousand years old. The chair of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee, Glenda Chalker, said the Cromer Heights engravings were so special that it was a “forgone conclusion” they would be protected. “It’s always a triumph," she said. And in this case you’ve got landowners who’ve recognised this - and not Aboriginal ones. That’s wonderful.”