Corporate Body
Victoria Archaeological Survey (1972 - 1992)
State of Victoria
- From
- 1972
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - To
- 1992
- Functions
- Anthropology and Archaeology
- Alternative Names
- Archaeological and Aboriginal Relics Office (1972 - 1975)
Summary
The Victoria Archaeological Survey (VAS) started in 1972, originally called the Archaeological and Aboriginal Relics Office and established under the Archaeological and Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act, within the Chief Secretary's Department . One of the Survey's principal functions was to compile a list of archaeological sites throughout Victoria: this continues as the Victoria Aboriginal Heritage register. In 1975 the Office was renamed the Victoria Archaeological Survey, and was moved to the Ministry for Conservation: this was the first of a number of inter-departmental moves. Responsibilities were expanded to include maritime and historic archaeology. Between 1976 and c. 1980 VAS conducted summer schools, surveys and excavations, participants in which included students and interested members of the public. These included Aboriginal sites such as Kulki-Kulki near Swan Hill (1977), Hattah Kulkyn National Park, and first settlement site at Corinella. In 1992 VAS was transferred to Aboriginal Affairs Victoria, with a consequent name change to the Heritage Services Branch and with responsibility for maritime and historic archaeology going to the Department of Planning. Between 1976 and 19895 VAS published the Records of the Victoria Archaeological Survey (ISSN 0158-9679), and from 1980 a series of Occasional reports (ISSN 0725-7317).
Related entries
Published resources
Books
- Presland, Gary, Scratching the surface: a brief history of the Victoria Archaeological Survey 1972 - 1995 (Melbourne: the author, 2000), 10 pp. Details
See also
- Foster, Leonie, Port Phillip shipwrecks : a historical survey of vessels lost within a radius of ten nautical miles of the Heads, inside Port Phillip Bay, 4 vols ([Melbourne]: Victoria Archaeological Survey, 1987-1990). Details
- Gunn, R. G., The prehistoric rock art sites of Victoria : a catalogue ([Melbourne]: Victroria Archaeological Survey, 1981), 305 pp. Details
- Presland, Gary ed., Journals of G. A. Robinson January 1840 - March 1840: extracts of manuscripts held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney ([Melbourne]: Victorian Ministry for Conservation, 1977), 104 pp. Details
- Presland, Gary ed., Journals of George Augustus Robinson: March - May 1841 (Melbourne: Victorian Ministry for Conservation, 1977), 117 pp. Details
- Presland, Gary, An archaeological survey of the Melbourne metropolitan area (Albert Park, Vic.: Victoria Archaeological Survey, 1983), 136 pp. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 15 October 2026