Community research in a public place: Wangangarra 1 rockshelter, Mitchell River National Park, East Gippsland (Australia)

Abstract

Southeastern Australia’s temperate East Gippsland region is a large and diverse landscape that spans from the Bass Strait coast to the Australian Alps. The region includes a number of national parks and reserves jointly managed by Aboriginal Traditional Owners, the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (the ‘Gunaikurnai Corporation’), and Parks Victoria. The Gunaikurnai Corporation recognises that archaeological research can be a fundamental tool in understanding relationships in past landscapes and managing places within Country. In 2017, the Gunaikurnai Corporation initiated a long-term collaborative study of Gunaikurnai Country with university-based scientists, with the management of Country through informed decision-making in mind. Here we present results from the first partnership research project in the Mitchell River National Park. A small-scale archaeological excavation of Wangangarra 1, a rockshelter that was not previously recognised to hold archaeological evidence, has revealed highly significant deposits spanning from before the Last Glacial Maximum to recent times, including evidence of occupation by the Old People. The results contribute to a better understanding of the Park as a cultural landscape, and demonstrate the success of respectful partnership research with local Indigenous groups as Traditional Owners.

Keywords:

• Community archaeology
• Gippsland
• Gunaikurnai
• Mitchell River National Park
• partnership research
• Traditional Owners

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Patrick Mullett (RAP Crew Leader), Paula Martin (RAP Heritage Officer), Nicky Moffatt (RAP Heritage Officer), Paul Harrison (RAP crew), Steve Hood (RAP Crew), Chris Mongta (Natural Resource Management Crew), Keily Ratzmann (Natural Resource Management Crew), Max Solomon (Natural Resource Management Crew), Doug Harrison (Natural Resource Management Crew) and Bradley Hood (Natural Resource Management Crew) for feedback and assistance during the excavation. The authors also thank Katherine Mullett (Aboriginal Heritage Coordinator, East Region Managing Country Together, Parks Victoria); Matt Holland (Regional Project Coordinator (Gunaikurnai), Eastern Region, Parks Victoria); Aboriginal Victoria Heritage Project Officer Emlyn Collins who collected the sediment samples from the hill-slope outside the site; the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (project CE170100015) for funding; and the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre at Monash University for support. The process and results of the field and laboratory work and ranger training associated with this project were reported at a number of GLaWAC RAP Elders Board Sub-Committee meetings in Bairnsdale and Forestec. The authors thank Dr Doris Paton (GLaWAC Board Member Director), Grattan Mullett (Cultural Hub Manager), Daniel Miller (On Country General Manager), Ruth Fitzclarence (Marketing and Communications Manager) and Sophie Harvey for support during the course of this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The term ‘Old People’ is a respectful term commonly used by Gunaikurnai when referring to past/deceased ancestors. It is also a way of avoiding naming the recently deceased, as per respectful Gunaikurnai cultural ways.

2 To access the SM tables and Appendix A, go to Supplementary Materials.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Heritage, Australian Research Council (AU) [CE170100015].