An Aboriginal rock shelter in the Central West of New South Wales has been destroyed beyond repair during construction works for a renewable energy transmission project.
The destruction has prompted apologies from contractors, investigations by state authorities, and renewed calls for stronger cultural heritage protections.
The site, in the Mudgee district within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, was damaged during clearing works for access tracks linked to transmission infrastructure intended to connect new renewable energy generation to the electricity grid.
Former NRL player and Wiradjuri man David Peachey strongly criticised the destruction, saying it reflected a broader failure to understand the cultural importance of such places.
“So what are they? Just rocks?” he said.
“That’s actually our history and our culture, our connection to our country. This would be like us going into the city and knocking down a heritage house, the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge. This is our connection to country for our kids and our next generation. All of a sudden, gone like that.”
He also said the incident reflected a disregard for clear instructions given during site inductions and heritage protections.
“They’ve come in, and totally disrespected us,” he said. “Disrespected what was said to them right at the very start of the induction: don’t go inside the protection zone.”
Peachey further described the destruction as part of a wider pattern of cultural harm that is difficult for Traditional Owners to accept or recover from.
“This is our history and our culture, our connection to country, for our kids and our next generation,” he said. “All of a sudden, gone like that.”
The contractor responsible, ACEREZ, confirmed the rock shelter was identified during the project approval process and should have been protected under agreed heritage management plans.
The company said safeguards were not properly followed and that it had apologised “without reservation” to Traditional Owners and the local community.
Chief executive Steve Masters said the damage occurred during bulldozing of access tracks on private land and was later discovered through internal checks.
He said the loss was permanent and irreversible, and that work had been paused while an investigation was launched.
“We are deeply sorry,” Mr Masters said.
“The loss of this rock shelter is permanent, and nothing we say can undo that.”
Public records describe the destroyed feature as a small rock shelter that may have provided protection from weather and contained potential archaeological deposits.
The incident has triggered investigations by the NSW Department of Planning, as well as scrutiny from EnergyCo, the state agency responsible for delivering renewable energy zones.
EnergyCo said ACEREZ failed to comply with agreed heritage management plans and had been formally notified of contractual breaches.
NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said she was “furious” about the destruction and confirmed she had demanded urgent explanations from the company.
“It should never have happened and is completely unacceptable,” she said, adding she had sought assurances that stronger protections were being implemented across the project area.
The federal government is also understood to be considering emergency and longer-term heritage protection applications for the site under Aboriginal cultural heritage legislation.
ACEREZ has launched an internal investigation and said it is working with Traditional Owners to determine how the site’s cultural significance can be acknowledged in future.
The company has previously faced criticism on the same project after native bird hatchlings were left without habitat following vegetation clearing.
Indigenous leaders and political representatives have called for stronger enforcement of heritage laws and greater accountability for contractors working on large-scale infrastructure projects.
