Holocene vegetation history of Bundjalung National Park and Bungawalbin Creek, north‐eastern New South Wales

Abstract

Few studies have been conducted into the environmental history of the North Coast region of New South Wales (NSW). To address this, two sedimentary sequences located in the coastal Bundjalung National Park and at Bungawalbin Creek, just north of the Park (both near Evans Head, NSW) have been investigated. Palynological and geochemical analyses were used to reconstruct the history of the sites. Fossil pollen evidence representing much of the Holocene period — basal radiocarbon dates of 8700 ± 60 years BP and 6600 ± 60 years BP are available from the Bundjalung National Park and Bungawalbin Creek sites, respectively — indicates a dynamic past environment, with an overall tendency towards drier conditions. This evidence is supported, in part, by charcoal analyses indicating an increase in the occurrence of fire over time. Chemical analyses of the sediments indicate that the Bungawalbin site was strongly influenced by estuarine conditions, whereas the Bundjalung National Park site was only influenced indirectly by estuarine conditions.

Key Words:

• Environmental history
• Holocene vegetation
• pollen analysis
• northern New South Wales
• coast
• sea‐level change
• Bundjalung National Park
• Bungawalbin