Plan to protect plane sites

Broome’s flying boats, sunk by the Japanese during World War II, would be given the same level of protection as historic shipwrecks under a new Federal Government proposal.

Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg used the International Congress on Underwater Archaeology in Fremantle last Tuesday to announce plans to introduce new underwater heritage laws to Parliament by the end of 2018.

The legislation would give aircraft and other underwater cultural heritage sites the same protections as historic shipwrecks, which are preserved for their heritage value and maintained so they can be used for recreation, science and education.

It is illegal to damage shipwreck sites or remove any artefacts.

The underwater heritage sites would also be registered on the Australian National Shipwrecks Database, meaning a permit would be required for access. Mr Frydenberg said the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act would be a further demonstration of the Government’s commitment to safeguarding heritage.

Broome Historical Society and Museum member and WWII historian Dion Marinis welcomed the additional layer of protection for one of Australia’s most important collections of WWII aircraft.

“This has been a long time in the making as aircraft wrecks were previously not as protected as shipwrecks,” he said.

He said a WWII RAAF Beaufighter that crashed into the sea in September, 1944 off the coast of Broome would also be covered under the new legislation.

“We applaud this proposal and hope it goes forward to protect these wrecks, which are, in most cases, war graves,” Mr Marinis said.

Shire president Ron Johnston said the aircraft in Broome were historically significant to both Broome and to Australia.

“The fact that these planes will receive another layer of protection is good news as it is vitally important to the history of the town and the rest of the country,” he said.

“We are talking about very important wartime memorabilia that has been a part of the town for many years, so preserving their heritage is an extremely sensible approach.”