TWEED Shire Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tweed Aboriginal leaders to proceed with an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Plan.

Last Monday, Tweed Aboriginal Advisory Committee members, council representatives and consultants from Converge Heritage + Community gathered at the Minjungbal Museum at Tweed Heads South to sign the memorandum.

Aboriginal Advisory Committee member Joyce Summers said the signing meant a great deal to the Aboriginal community because it formally acknowledged the Tweed's Aboriginal heritage and demonstrated that the council was prepared to work with the indigenous community.

Converge Heritage + Community general manager Tim Gall said Tweed council was the first in NSW to cover the requirements involved and commended the council on its proactive approach.

Mr Gall said the plan put in place frameworks for collaboration and helped create ongoing relationships and increased awareness.

He said raising awareness of the significance of Aboriginal cultural heritage, past, present and future, was a very important part of the plan.

The council's general manager David Keenan said the memorandum was a key first step in developing the management plan because it clarified the roles and responsibilities for each of the participating groups and ensured the protection of sensitive cultural information.

Advisory Committee member Joyce Summers said "it's a way forward, to pave the way for us to save our cultural heritage in the Tweed and to achieve better relationships between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities".

The project is funded by both Tweed Shire Council and the NSW Heritage Branch, and is expected to be completed by May 2013.