Conservation Conserves Australia's True Past

The issues surrounding the appropriateness or otherwise of burial ceremonies for discovered remains at the world heritage sites at Willandra and Lake Mungo raises a fundamental and important question about the conservation of Australia’s world heritage. Some experts from ICOMOS propose that there be as little disturbance as possible, so that inevitably the heritage and items fade. On that view all that we are left with is the record more or less imperfect of commentators and experts. However I favour the view that conservation appropriately done is not necessarily inconsistent with educational and other values, including providing selected and supervised viewing points for visitors and tourists, and keeping places but not museums for the cultural heritage of traditional owners, including mixed landscapes.