I draw your attention to the following:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-10/heritage-act-breach-creek-crossing-toodyay-jail-time/102072982

The way I see this is....
The natural world is full of change.
This results in everything from earthquakes to falling in love.
(some say there is not much difference between these two things?)
We also engineer many changes for our comfort and convenience.
But everything we do is, or should be, logical and reasonable.
We weigh the benefits against the risks and possible losses.
We don't put men on the moon by emulating those strange activities in the poem 'The Witches Frolic'.
We get them there by cold hard deduction and the exercise of great care.
When I see that we are supposed to base our day to day activity on myth and legend, I find I must draw the line.
We cannot allow the logical progress of the many to be controlled by the whims of a few?
We cannot use their fiction as a basis for our logical progress?
How did we get to this strange state?
What went wrong?
The 'do-gooders' really messed up this time?

Why not ask the guilt industry to make a modern living from myths & run an economy with legends ?

The rainbow serpent is the definitive line between the blacks having their families plundered and officially dispersed among the deserving, and the whites having their families plundered and officially dispersed among the deserving.

This is a serious issue. It should be treated as such?
Perhaps I should have quoted from the article?

Viz:
According to the prosecution's statement of facts, the brook is the home of the Waugul — the rainbow serpent central to Noongar mythology.
It states that any alteration to the Waugul's home could scare it from the water, causing it {the water?} to dry up and cause harm to the surrounding environment and people.

I think my original comments were fair, reasoned, and honorable.

"According to the prosecution's statement of facts, the brook is the home of the Waugul — the rainbow serpent central to Noongar mythology.

It states that any alteration to the Waugul's home could scare it from the water, causing it to dry up and cause harm to the surrounding environment and people."

Well the solution seems fairly obvious. Let's wait a year or three. If the brook dries up it proves that the rainbow serpent has indeed moved on the wetter pastures. If the brook doesn't dry up then its proof that the mythical reptile is still there and is OK with the new bridge.

I know it was his property and he wasn't aware of the laws, so there's the issue that the poor bloke didn't know any better.

Or was he?
Was he aware of the local aboriginal legends that related to his property?

Who cares if aboriginals believe in aliens or flocks of pegasus?
How hard was it to pick up the phone and call the correct people and say "Hey, I'd like to upgrade an existing water crossing. Can you please send someone out here to work with me on what the best way forward might be?"

It would've been way less dramas for everyone.
Think how many people how wasted their day just reading about this? All that time put to better use would've amounted fixed the problem like a click of the fingers.

Were all here wasting our day jumping up and down screaming bloody murder because someone couldn't pick up the phone.
Now he's going to have to waste a whole lot more time and money rectifying it.

In regards to old mate not knowing what the laws were, I blame local and state governments as they collect rates, land tax and stamp duty, and they should make buyers and owners aware of their obligations.
They make a chunk of money for doing nothing, maybe they should earn it.
The poor bloke wasn't advised of his responsibilities on the land he owned.

All in all - a simple issue that could've been avoided if not for government incompetence.

Was he aware of the local aboriginal legends that related to his property?
Armchair Critic,
I tend to agree with your thinking on this. In this day & age he should have been able to contact his local Council & in one or two phone calls the whole thing could have turned out much better.

If there were to be a register of sacred sites, such incidents can be prevented in future.

Great idea Indy.

I suppose I was more concerned with the concept that he was beholden, via the law, to a fairy tale.
People can have their 'firm', if erroneous, beliefs, but they should not expect others to think the same.
This is not Rome.
I am worred that the Thee Billy Goats Gruff or Hansel and Gretel might make a comeback.
And what would happen if we consider beanstalks to be populated by giants?
Time to stop making up stories about the natural world?
And worse: reinforcing those stories with laws.

It is totally irrational that a small group of people with a totally irrational myth should be able to prevent a private land holder, on land he has bought & paid for, being able to build an all weather access to his home.

Time to stop this nonsense. God help us if the voice gets up. How many bridges on major highways would have to be demolished?

It is worth remembering that the land owner repaired the crossing in previous years.
This time he simply made a better job of it.
It was a better repair, not a brand new crossing.
The rainbow serpent clearly didn't object to his earlier efforts.
He likely favours this one too?

Ipso Fatso,
As far as I can make out it used to be a causeway & now there's a bridge which will more than likely dam at the next flood when debris clogs it ! Then, it'll flood & everyone will be blaming Global warming if GW is still in fashion by then !

Waugul is symbolical & I fully agree with that & the Murray River fiasco has proved Waugul's prediction !

I imagine a group of gay men getting around the mardi gras naked with their bits painted in rainbow paint and their bodies in glitter.
I wonder why the indigenous haven't sued over this for cultural appropriation for 'Queerstralia'.
- Sickening stuff.