__NOTOC__ The Australasian Underwater Cultural Heritage Database (AUCHD) is an online, searchable

database In computing, a database is an organized collection of data or a type of data store based on the use of a database management system (DBMS), the software that interacts with end users, applications, and the database itself to capture and a ...

containing data on

shipwrecks A shipwreck is the wreckage of a ship that is located either beached on land or sunken to the bottom of a body of water. It results from the event of ''shipwrecking'', which may be intentional or unintentional. There were approximately thre ...

aircraft An aircraft ( aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, i ...

that have been submerged underwater or wrecked on the shore, and other artefacts of cultural significance which are or have been underwater. It includes what used to be called the Australian National Shipwreck Database (ANSDB), originally developed by the Australasian Institute of Maritime Archaeology in December 2009, now significantly expanded to include other objects. The database was hosted and maintained by the

Department of the Environment and Energy The Department of the Environment and Energy (DEE) was an Government of Australia, Australian government department in existence between 2016 and 2020. The department was responsible for matters including environment protection and conservatio ...

until the environment functions of that department, including AUCHD, were taken over by the

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) was an Australian Government department which operated from 1 February 2020 until 30 June 2022. It represented Australia's national interests in agriculture, water and th ...

on 1 February 2020. It comprises historical and environmental information about objects currently or previously located underwater in the

Oceania Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...

and

Southeast Asian Southeast Asia is the geographical southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Australian mainland, which is part of Oceania. Southeast Asia is ...

regions. It includes images, the ability to link shipwrecks to artefacts recovered from their sites, site information for divers and site managers, data about passengers and crew, as well as details about the technical specifications and history of the ships. All data is also searchable by people, places and themes. Approved researchers may be recruited from the public and provided with access to edit or create records. The AUCHD also serves as the register of protected underwater cultural heritage for the '' Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018'' (the ''UCH Act''), which provides a means whereby the public can submit notifications and permit applications required under the UCH Act. Shipwrecks, sunken aircraft and other types of underwater heritage and their associated artefacts are protected through the Act, which is administered in collaboration between the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

and the

States State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

and

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island ( , ; ) is an States and territories of Australia, external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head, New South Wales, Evans Head and a ...

. The database is included in the Department's "Heritage places and lists" along with other heritage databases which form part of the Australian Heritage Database, but the database and its search facility are separate.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Australian National Shipwreck Database Historic preservation in Australia * Online databases Ship databases Databases in Australia Heritage registers in Australia Australasia

See also

References

Further reading

External links