The Australian government collaborates with the states and Northern Territory works to protect the underwater heritage.

[4] The remains of aircraft and certain associated articles that have been in Commonwealth waters for at least 75 years are also automatically protected.

)[4] Other kinds of articles can be protected if the Minister deems them of cultural heritage significance.

[5][1] The following historic shipwrecks lie within protected or no-entry zones declared under the Act:[6] After the discovery and investigation of 269 highly significant Aboriginal Australian artefacts as well as an underwater spring at two underwater sites off the Burrup Peninsula (Murujuga) in Western Australia between 2016 and 2020, with the site placed on the WA Aboriginal Heritage List, the question of automatic listing of such sites (which does not occur under the current Act) was raised by lead archaeologist Jonathan Benjamin of Flinders University.

A spokesman for Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley did not say whether the Government would consider amending the Act to give automatic protection of such sites.