Susan Dale Donaldson - Anthropologist

ENVIRONMENTAL & CULTURAL SERVICES PTY LTD.

Services available include:

The participatory ethnographic methodology employed encourages stakeholder and community input into the formulation of sustainable outcomes that consider cultural dynamics and statutory obligations.

ABOUT

The principal consultant of Environmental and Cultural Services PTY LTD, Susan Dale Donaldson, holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Anthropology and Resource Management from Macquarie University, Sydney and a Masters of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development from the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Susan specialises in the application of ethnographic and participatory methodologies to investigate the interrelationship between Aboriginal people and their intangible cultural associations across land and seascapes. Susan can work independently or as part of multidisciplinary research teams to identify intangible cultural heritage values in relation to the environmental and archaeological context. Susan has experience as an expert witness in the NSW Land and Environment Court and the Federal Court having been lead anthropological researcher for ten native title claims in the Northern Territory.

EXPERIENCE

Susan Dale Donaldson has over 25 years’ experience engaging effectively with Aboriginal groups and government and non-government agencies across South East NSW, the Western Desert Region of WA, the Gulf of Carpentaria QLD and the Central Desert region of the NT, Australia. Her focal areas of expertise are the south coast of NSW with Dharawal, Dhurga, Dyirringan and Thawa Peoples, and in the Barkly Region of the Northern Territory with Warumungu, Warlmanpa, Warlpiri, Wakaya, Jingili, Wambaya, Mudburra, Kaytetye, Alyawarr and Anmatyerre Peoples.

Susan has been involved in anthropological research under the Aboriginal Land Rights (NSW) Act 1983, the National Parks and Wildlife (NSW) Act 1974, the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1976, the Marine Parks (NSW) Act 2007, the Fisheries Management (NSW) Act 1994, the Environmental, Planning and Assessment Act 1979, the Marine Estate Management Act (NSW) 2014, the Northern Territory Sacred Sites Act 1989, the West Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Commonwealth Native Title Act 1996.

Susan Donaldson is a member of the Australian Anthropological Society and the National Scientific Committee - Intangible Cultural Heritage (NSC-ICH) under the Australia International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

Susan Dale Donaldson has been awarded a broad range of contracts including:

Native Title research

Susan was engaged as the lead anthropological researcher for ten successfully determined native title applications:

Susan also undertook native title research and was subsequently engaged as an expert witness for female claimants in the Alyawarr, Kaytetye, Warumungu, Wakay Native Title Claim Group v Northern Territory (Davenport/Murchison NTD6002/1998). Susan has also undertaken anthropological research with Mayi people in the Gulf of Carpentaria Region, QLD, pursuant to s203bj(b) of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) and with Kaytetye and Warumungu people of the Central Desert under s51 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) in relation to the assessment and distribution of native title compensation associated with the Alice Springs to Darwin railway corridor.

Susan was engaged to undertake the Aboriginal cultural values impact assessment for the Central Land Council’s application to the NT Environment Protection Authority pertaining to the Singleton Horticulture Project (Water Licence) (EPA2022/019). This involved investigating the impact the overallocation of underground water might have on the determined native title rights and interests. The case is presently before the High Court (Mpwerempwer Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC v. Minister for Territory Families and Urban Housing as delegate of the Minister for the Environment).

Susan is currently engaged by NTSCorp to undertake native title research with Wiradjuri People (NSW) and by the Central Land Council to co-author the Epenarra Station Native title Anthropological Report (NT).

Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NT)

Susan also has experience researching Aboriginal land claims under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth), including the Barrow Creek (Kaytetye) land claim (No. 161 / 2000), where she was part of an anthropological team assisting the lead male anthropologist.

Susan is currently engaged by the Commonwealth’s Office of the Aboriginal Land Commissioner as the anthropological advisor to the Aboriginal Land Commissioner, the Hon Justice Jenny Blokland, relating to the inquiry of the Finniss River Regional Land Claim (no. 237).

Intangible ethnographic surveys and assessments

Between 1998 and 2002 Susan was involved in surveying intangible ethnographic sites (Dreaming tracks /sacred sites) along the Alice Springs to Darwin Railway corridor with Mudbura, Warlmanpa, Warumungu, Kaytetye and Anmatyerre people.

Over the past 25 years she has also undertaken a multitude of aerial and ground-based surveys associated with telecommunication, roads, airports, pastoral, residential developments, tourism infrastructure and other lineal and non – lineal developments across NSW, WA and the NT. Specific contracts include the NSW Roads and Maritime Services upgrade to the Princess Highway at Dignams Creek (2013); NSW National Parks and Wildlife upgrade of the Light to Light walk in Ben Boyd National Park, NSW (2018); the Eurobodalla Shire Council redevelopment of the Moruya Airport, NSW (2019); Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation upgrades to pastoral infrastructure to Banka Banka West Station, NT (2019); Transport NSW’s Moruya bypass, Picton Rd upgrade and Swan Hill bridge replacement (2023); and a solar farm and overhead transmission line project between Powell Creek PL and Mataranka, NT (2023 - 2026).

Susan also worked in collaboration with an archaeologist and Walbanja People to investigate the impact of coastal hazards on Aboriginal cultural heritage sites along the Eurobodalla Shire Council coastline for the Eurobodalla Open Coast Coastal Management Program and Coastal Zone Emergency Action Subplan (2025).

Susan is currently undertaking Aboriginal Cultural Values Assessments for a number of Transport NSW infrastructure projects including at Mt Ousley, Dapto and Tooleybuc.

Susan is currently investigating the impact of coastal hazards on Aboriginal cultural heritage sites along the Eurobodalla Shire Council coastline for the Eurobodalla Open Coast Coastal Management Program and Coastal Zone Emergency Action Subplan (2024).

lineal ethnographic survey

Aboriginal corporation development and governance support

In Central Australia Susan has worked with the Patta Aboriginal Corporation, the Registered Native Title Body Corporate for the Township of Tennant Creek, NT, to assist them in building capacity and strengthening governance in relation to decision making processes [2012 – 2018]. Susan also worked with the Patta Aboriginal Corporation to facilitate the resolution of a dispute and to enable the transmission of cultural knowledge to future generations. Susan has also provided advice to the Northern Territory Government in relation to the establishment of an Aboriginal Corporation for the township of Elliott, NT [2019].

In 2016 Susan was awarded a Guided Anthropological Research Placement at the Centre for Native Title Anthropology, ANU, Canberra, ACT. where she developed an annotated bibliography of publications associated with Native Title Representative Bodies or Prescribed Body Corporates under the Native Title Act.

Community engagement, facilitation and dispute resolution

Susan has been engaged by the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) to facilitate Aboriginal input into the management and divestment of Banka Banka West Station, NT (2018 to 2019). She has also facilitated the development of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between Local Aboriginal Land Councils, the Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW and local governments (2009 to 2017) and has engaged with the local Aboriginal community to develop the Batemans Marine Park Cultural Resource Use Agreement for NSW Marine Park Authority (2012). Through community engagement Susan contributed to the Gulaga and Biamanga National Parks Lease Agreements (1997) and statutory reviews of the agreement (2012 and 2017).

Susan reported to the NSW Minister of the Environment on the impact of wild horses on Aboriginal cultural heritage in Kosciusko National Park, NSW (2021); reviewed the Tiwi Aboriginal Land Council’s Land Use and Access Policy, NT (2022); and co-facilitated Aboriginal community input into the renaming of Ben Boyd National Park (now Beowa National Park) which required advice to the NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage (2022).

Recording and publishing oral histories

Susan has extensive experience recording and publishing oral histories with a focus on indigenous and non-indigenous cultural heritage values across the landscape and the promotion of cultural traditions and positive contemporary affiliations. The oral histories of Yuin and Ngambri people of NSW and the ACT were recorded, collated and published as the ‘Eurobodalla Aboriginal Men and Women’s Heritage’ collection [2008], the ‘Koori Heritage Stories: Bega Valley Shire Far South Coast’ [2012] and ‘Aboriginal Heritage Stories Queanbeyan and surrounds’ [2014]. Susan was also involved in recording Aboriginal oral histories for the Central Land Council publication ‘Every hill got a story’ [2017].

The oral histories of settler families associated with historical horse bridle tracks across south eastern NSW were recorded by Susan. The recollections were analysed for heritage significance before being collated and published in ‘Tracks in the Wilderness: Historic bridle tracks in south east New South Wales’ [2017]. Susan also recorded stories associated with the heritage listed Scott’s Hut in Bournda National Park, NSW, for the purpose of preserving the places heritage values [2018].

Regional Aboriginal cultural heritage studies

Susan was the lead anthropological researcher for three stages of the NSW Eurobodalla Shire regional Aboriginal cultural heritage study [2006 - 2008] which eventuated into the scheduling of eleven Aboriginal Heritage Conservation Areas for the Eurobodalla Local Environment Plan [2012]. Following on from the Eurobodalla study Susan was engaged by the Local Government to investigate local Aboriginal totem affiliations [2012], to document the heritage significance of historical Aboriginal reserves across the region [2012] and to update the cultural descriptions on Local Government web sites.

Susan also finalised the Bega Valley Shire regional Aboriginal cultural heritage study [2010] in collaboration with the local Aboriginal community and the Local Government, NSW.

Developing cultural heritage management plans

Susan has undertaken anthropological research for the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment for the development of the Gulaga and Biamanga National Parks Plans of Management [2012] and has facilitated Aboriginal community input into the development of the pilot Bateman Marine Park Plan of Management for the NSW Department of Primary Industries [2018].

Susan sourced Commonwealth Indigenous Heritage Program [IHP] funding and coordinated a multidisciplinary team to develop a management plan for Wallaga Lake Aboriginal Cemetery, south east NSW. The planning process required engagement with Aboriginal community members, an archaeological assessment involving a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey, engagement with local and state government instrumentalities, and oral history recording [2015]. Susan also developed the Plan of Management for the Barlings Beach Aboriginal Place, NSW [2007].

Land and sea country planning

Susan has been part of a number of multidisciplinary research projects engaging with Aboriginal people in NSW about their connections to the marine environment including the Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council Land and Sea Country Plan [2010]; Aboriginal connections with the NSW south coast marine environment within Batemans Marine Park [2012]; the Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council Land and Sea Country Plan [2015]; Sea countries of New South Wales: a benefits and threats analysis of Aboriginal people’s connections with the marine estate [2015] and the Batemans Marine Park Management Plan Report on 2018 Aboriginal Engagement [2019].

Other services include advising government and non-government agencies on culturally complex matters, project management, stenography / meeting records, support for community funding applications, connecting family members, agreement making and peer review of anthropological documents.