The South Australian Aboriginal and Historic Relics Preservation Act, 1965, was gazetted in September 1967. The South Australian Minister for Education (the Minister responsible for the Act) subsequently appointed the Director of the South Australian Museum to be the Protector of Relics and established an Aboriginal and Historic Relics Advisory Board AHRAB). This Board consisted of representatives from the SA Museum, University of Adelaide, Department of Lands and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. The Advisory Board, which had its first meeting on 13 July 1967, was responsible for the administration of the Act, as well as site-protection, the declaration of prohibited areas and historic reserves and the appointment of wardens and inspectors. The Museum Director delegated his responsibilities under the new Act to Robert Edwards (see AA 83), the Museum's Curator of Anthropology, who was appointed Secretary of the AHRAB.

In November 1970 Bob Ellis was appointed to the newly created position of Curator of Relics in the AHRAB and became responsible for creating and maintaining a register of Aboriginal sites and implementing a program of regional site-surveys. A secretary/typist was also appointed to assist with administration. In 1974 Commonwealth funding was obtained to employ additional personnel, including officers to undertake site-surveys in the field and a trainee Aboriginal ranger, in what then became the Aboriginal and Historic Relics Unit (AHRU). In December 1977 the AHRU was transferred to the Department of Environment and moved to separate premises at Fullarton Road, Kent Town.

In the early 1980s the functions relating to the administration of European heritage sites were transferred to the newly created State Heritage Branch, while Aboriginal heritage became the responsibility of the Aboriginal Heritage Branch (AHB). In 1993 the AHB was transferred from the Department of Environment and Planning to the newly created Department of State Aboriginal Affairs, now the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation.

Note that there is some additional correspondence, reports, minutes and other AHRU documentation in AA 298 (Acc. No. 1877), Box 18.