Farmer guilty of destroying Aboriginal rock formation

A farmer in Victoria has been found guilty of destroying an ancient Aboriginal rock formation on his property in 2021.

Adrian McMaster was found guilty of destroying an ancient Aboriginal rock formation in 2021.

Mr McMaster, 65, used an excavator to remove rocks from a 1,500-year-old, 300-metre-long stone arrangement resembling an eel on his Lake Bolac property.

The formation, known to traditional owners as the kuyang ceremonial ground, has been a recognised and registered site of Aboriginal significance since 1975.

Adrian McMaster was found guilty of destroying an Aboriginal rock formation.

Mr McMaster disputed the charge and told the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court he believed the rocks presented a “safety issue”.

Mr McMaster was given a recorded conviction, a 12-month undertaking for good behaviour and ordered to donate $7,000 to the Aboriginal Heritage Council for ongoing protection and preservation of the site.

The prosecution also requested McMaster cover more than $14,000 in court costs, which will be decided at a later date.