The City Revealed: Reflections on 25 Years of Archaeology in Melbourne. Lessons from the Past and Future Challenges.

In 2016, the 150th historical archaeology project was conducted in the central city area of Melbourne. Almost all of these investigations have been undertaken since the introduction of the Victorian <italic>Heritage Act 1995</italic>. With the Act recently under review, it is timely to look back on the lessons learned by heritage managers and archaeologists over the last 25 years. It is also an opportunity to review current practices to ensure that future site investigations are conducted efficiently and achieve meaningful outcomes. How can information obtained from the previous 150 projects inform and enhance the research frameworks of future work? What can we learn about Melbourne’s historical archaeology that we do not already know? How can community benefits be optimized? This paper will evaluate the successes and failures associated with the implementation of historical archaeology legislation in an urban setting and consider how the past 25 years of archaeology in the city can inform our approach to future opportunities in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]