Photography or recording for commercial use of Aboriginal sites or protected areas

If you want to take photographs or recordings for the purpose of commercial reproduction or publication of Aboriginal sites, protected areas or lands held in subject to a covenant in favour of the Minister, you first need permission to do so. You can obtain permission from:

• The Registrar of Aboriginal Sites
• The Minister for Indigenous Affairs
• A person authorised in writing by the Minister or Registrar

Penalty

Failure to comply with this regulation may result in a penalty of $50 per photograph or recording. The penalty applies to the number of photographs or recordings that are taken, not just to those that are published. These regulations also apply to the staff of Government agencies (State, Commonwealth and Territorial), local governments and Crown corporations.

Consultation with local Aboriginal community

Note that you will also need to consult with the relevant Aboriginal people who have association with the site. You should be able to explain why you want to photograph or film a site. The Registrar can advise how you should do this consultation, including the permits that would be needed to enter Aboriginal lands.

How to obtain permission

You can obtain permission by directly contacting the Registrar of Aboriginal sites at DIA.

For further information please contact the DIA Heritage & Culture branch or a DIA Regional Office.