Draft Heritage Management Plan - State Circle Cutting

State Circle Cutting, together with the nearby Capital Hill unconformity beneath Parliament House, is recognised as an outstanding example of a major geological folding event. It is one of only two sites in the ACT identified by the Geological Society of Australia as being of international geological significance.

The cutting is an important teaching site for understanding the early geological history of the Canberra region and provides valuable insights into the geological evolution of eastern Australia.

Visible structural features, including folds and faults, demonstrate the forces that shaped these rocks. Sandstone rafts, ripple marks and a pallid weathering zone also reveal the diverse environments that existed in the region during the Ordovician Period (approximately 460 to 440 million years ago) and the Silurian Period (approximately 440 to 420 million years ago).

In recognition of its heritage value, the site was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List in 2005.

Under section 341X(3) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, the National Capital Authority (NCA), welcomes comments on the draft Heritage Management Plans from members of the public, Indigenous People with rights and interests to the place, key stakeholders and community groups by 5:00pm, Tuesday 13 October 2026. 

The draft Heritage Management Plans can be downloaded below.

Submissions are to be made via email to heritage@nca.gov.au.