Shaun Canning

Dr. Shaun Canning is one of Australia’s leading minds in Indigenous and historic cultural heritage management. During his 20 years in this field, he has worked across multiple sectors including resources, urban development, infrastructure and public land management.

With extensive experience in community consultation and tertiary education, Dr Canning regularly undertakes ethnographic and archaeological fieldwork throughout Australia.

Dr. Canning holds qualifications including a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) in Parks, Recreation and Heritage, and a PhD in Australian Indigenous Archaeology, specialising in archaeological sensitivity modelling and cultural heritage management in Victoria.

In collaboration with Aboriginal Affairs Victoria, Dr Canning’s PhD research developed predictive models of Aboriginal site location in Melbourne and protocols for incorporating Aboriginal site data into the planning process. This research informed the development of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 2007 in Victoria.

Dr. Canning is an active participant in archaeological organisations including: The International Council on Monuments and Sites, the International Scientific Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management, the Archaeology Program at La Trobe University, Australian Anthropological Society and the Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists. He is also a Certified Environmental Practitioner through the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand.