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Project details
| Title: | Submerged Indigenous Palaeolandscapes and Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction - Coastal NSW, South West Rocks/Stuart Point area |
| Id: | 2658 |
| Investigator(s): | Ania Kotarba
University of Adelaide [details] |
| Description: | This part of the research voyage aims to map submerged palaeolandscapes and palaeochannels of the ancient Macleay River system, identify areas of past human occupation, now submerged, and potentially collect marine sediment core/-s to reconstruct past environments and climate. This research builds on a rich archaeological and cultural record along the NSW mid-north coast, where the Macleay River delta and the adjacent Clybucca shell middens form part of a broader cultural landscape of the Dungutti and Ngambaa peoples. The Clybucca middens (dated to between 2,500–6,000 BP) are the largest Aboriginal midden site by an estuary in the southern hemisphere and are key archives of past coastal lifeways, environmental shifts, and the long-term relationship between people and Sea Country. By mapping submerged palaeolandscapes and palaeochannels of the ancestral Macleay River system, this project will connect offshore palaeofloors with onshore sites like the Clybucca middens, building a more holistic understanding of coastal change, sea-level rise, and Indigenous occupation spanning the late Pleistocene to Holocene. The findings will support both archaeological research and Traditional Owner aspirations for protecting, interpreting, and managing Sea Country heritage. Results will also provide critical data for assessing the impacts of climate change and coastal erosion on cultural and natural heritage. |
| Years: | 2025 |
List of surveys that this project was on.
Use [details] link to view survey details (map, reports, metadata etc) including links to download data.
| Survey | Investigator | Description |
|---|---|---|
| IN2025_T01 [details] |
MNF | This transit voyage has several key activities and objectives: - Co-develop and apply RVI specific submerged landscape investigation methodologies. - Co-develop and apply RVI specific Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) investigation methodologies and specific high priority and / or know targets. - Deliver high priority bathymetric mapping along the transit route. - Media engagement opportunity in UCH engagement. - RVI’s safe and timely arrival in Hobart as scheduled. - State and Commonwealth UCH Practitioner alignment on RVI capabilities and survey methodology delivery. - Input into draft Cultural Safety Plan. - Draft guidance on submerged landscapes investigation methodology and reporting. - Mapping products for AusSeabed 2030. |