REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTH WEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC1997/028 AND BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
A report prepared for AECOM on behalf of Main Roads Western Australia
By Mr Brad Goode Consulting Anthropologist 79 Naturaliste Terrace DUNSBOROUGH WA 6281 [email protected]
Ms Louise Huxtable Graduate Anthropologist 53 Stockley Road BUNBURY WA 6230 [email protected]
Mr Paul Greenfeld Consulting Archaeologist Deep Woods Surveys Pty Ltd PO Box 1625 ALBANY WA 6331 [email protected]
Report submitted November 2014 to:
Mr Jamie Shaw Associate Director – Environment AECOM GPO Box B59 PERTH WA 6849
The Registrar Department of Aboriginal Affairs PO Box 3153 151 Royal Street EAST PERTH WA 6892 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank the following organisations and individuals who helped with the management of this Aboriginal heritage survey:
Mr Kory Wright – Main Roads (Environmental Management Officer) Mr Clint Hammond – Main Roads (Principal Heritage Officer) Mr Jamie Shaw – AECOM (Associate Director – Environment) Mr Thomas Woodman-Povey – Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (Heritage Coordinator) Mr Alistair Vaughn– Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (ALO/Anthropologist) Mr Stuart Johnston – Brad Goode & Associates Pty Ltd (Archaeologist) Ms Mel Lamanna – Brad Goode & Associates Pty Ltd (Administration Assistant) Mrs Leah Mackie – Brad Goode & Associates Pty Ltd (Research & Mapping Assistant)
Gnulli WC1997/028 & Budina WC2004/005 native title claim group representatives
Ethnographic survey informants & Archaeological survey assistants:
Mrs Gwen Peck Ms Julie Cooyou Mr Jeff Ryder Ms Jane Barron Mr Clive Lyndon Mr Patrick Peck Ms Debbie Dodd Mr Jesse Lyndon Mr Lindsay Ryan Ms Marie Barron Mr Ruben Lyndon Mr Damien Cooyou Mrs Glenda Morrison Mr Frank Lyndon
DISCLAIMER All of the information contained in this report is believed to be correct and accurate at the time it was recorded. The author does not take responsibility or accept any liability for errors or omissions contained in the report based upon information supplied by others.
Warning: This document may contain names, images or material that relates to deceased Aboriginal persons. Permission was sought and granted by the consulted informants to cite this information.
*Note: This report, in terms of its assessment under section 5 of the Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, should be read in conjunction with the archaeological report by Greenfeld (2014). COPYRIGHT This report and the information contained herein are subject to Copyright and may not be copied in whole or part without the written consent of the copyright holders, being Brad Goode and Associates Pty Ltd, Main Roads Western Australia, AECOM and representatives of the Gnulli WC1997/028 & Budina WC2004/005 native title claim groups who contributed to the survey. GLOSSARY OF TERMS The Proponent – Main Roads Western Australia The Consultant – Brad Goode & Associates Pty Ltd ACMC – Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee AHA – Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 BGA – Brad Goode & Associates Pty Ltd CHMP – Cultural Heritage Management Plan DAA – Department of Aboriginal Affairs NTC – Native Title Claim NWCH – North West Coastal Highway YMAC – Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation
1 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Main Roads Western Australia (‘Main Roads’) is proposing to undertake road widening, develop a number of strategic material pits, bores and access tracks, and re-establish drain and road formations along the North West Coastal Highway (NWCH) to the east of Carnarvon, in the Gascoyne Region, Western Australia.
Specifically Main Roads is proposing to widen the road seal from 6.2m to 9m with an 11m formation and re-establish drains along 76.03 km of the NWCH between SLK 690 and SLK 766.03. Main Roads also propose to establish materials pits, including access tracks and a bore, at Burkett Road SLK 7.2, SLK 8 and SLK 10, and along NWCH at SLK 743 Areas 1, 2 & 3. To facilitate these works a survey corridor of 200m either side of the NWCH is required. The total survey area of 3313.92 hectares is there for defined (see Figure 1 Location Map).
A search of the DAA Aboriginal Sites Register conducted on the 24th of August 2014 identified no previously recorded ethnographic Aboriginal Heritage sites or places located within the boundaries of the strategic material pit survey areas, access tracks or the NWCH road survey corridor.
As a result of consultations with several nominated members of the Gnulli WC1997/028 and Budina WC2004/005 native title claim group it has been determined that there are no ethnographic sites of significance as defined by section 5b, 5c, 39.2 & 39.3 of the AHA located within the proposed NWCH road survey corridor, drain and road reformation, or strategic materials pit, bores and access track locations.
During the survey the Gnulli WC1997/028 native title representatives reported an ethnographic site of significance to be located on the east side of the NWCH which was outside of the survey area. Despite this place being outside the survey area the Gnulli informants requested that the consultants record this place and report the values of this place to the DAA under section 5b of the AHA.
The site was identified approximately 3.4 km south of the Minilya River Bridge and 130.4m east of the NWCH at SLK 606.4. It was requested that the location and extent (5m) be noted by Main Roads as a place of Aboriginal heritage significance that they wished to be protected.
As a result of the survey following recommendations can be made:
It is recommended that Main Roads proceeds with their plans to undertake road widening, construct several strategic materials pits, and re-establish drain and road formations along the North West Coastal Highway between SLK 690 and SLK 766.03, at Burkett Road SLK 7.2, SLK 8 and SLK 10, and along NWCH at SLK 743 Areas 1, 2 & 3 without risk of breaching section 17 of the AHA in relation to ethnographic Aboriginal heritage sites and places, as defined by section 5 of the AHA.
It is recommended that Main Road conduct archaeological monitoring when excavating material from pits at SLK 8 and SLK 10 on Burkett Road in line with management requests made by the survey informants and YMAC.
Should archaeological material be discovered during this work it is further recommended that Main Roads call in an archaeologist to record such material and seek advice regarding any approvals that may be required under the AHA.
Following advice regarding approvals, all such material should be salvaged and relocated in line with the wishes of the traditional owner’s.
2 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
It is recommended that Main Roads rehabilitate all materials pits after extraction is complete.
It is finally recommended that Main Roads avoid the reported ethnographic site located 130.4m east of the North West Coastal Highway at SLK 606.4.
3 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... 1 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ...... 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 2 CONTENTS ...... 4 ISSUE ...... 7 REPORT OBJECTIVES ...... 7 BACKGROUND ...... 7 LOCATION ...... 9 ETHNOGRAPHIC & HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ...... 10
TRADITIONAL YAMATJI CULTURE ...... 10 CONTACT HISTORY ...... 14 ARCHIVAL RESEARCH ...... 18
SITES REGISTER SEARCH ...... 18 REVIEW OF RELEVANT SITE FILES ...... 19 REVIEW OF RELEVANT ETHNOGRAPHIC REPORTS ...... 20 OUTCOMES OF ARCHIVAL RESEARCH ...... 23 IDENTIFICATION OF SPOKESPEOPLE ...... 24
THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ON HERITAGE ISSUES ...... 24 NATIVE TITLE CLAIMS OVER THE SURVEY AREA ...... 25 SELECTION OF SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THIS SURVEY ...... 25 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION ...... 28 AIMS ...... 28 METHOD ...... 28 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION PROCESS ...... 28 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION OUTCOMES ...... 32 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 33 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 34 REPORT ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NWCH UPGRADE (STAGE 2) SLK 690-766.03, GNULLI & BUDINA SECTIONS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA ...... 37 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 38 INTRODUCTION ...... 40 METHODOLOGY ...... 41 SITE TYPES ...... 41
SITE SCALE DEFINITIONS ...... 42 ENVIRONMENT ...... 43
SURVEY AREA ...... 43 GASCOYNE REGION ...... 43 4 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND ...... 45
ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ...... 45 ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND SITE LOCATION ...... 45 PREDICTION OF SITE LOCATION ...... 45 SITE SIGNIFICANCE ...... 47 RESULTS...... 48
ROAD CORRIDOR SLK 690-766.03 ...... 48 BURKETT ROAD AREA (SLK 7.2, 8 & 10) ...... 49 MATERIAL SOURCES AREAS 1-3 (SLK 743) ...... 52 ISOLATED ARTEFACTS ...... 55 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ...... 60 REFERENCES ...... 61 APPENDIX 1: SITES REGISTER SEARCH ...... 64 APPENDIX 2: LETTERS OF ADVICE ...... 65 APPENDIX 3: MAP OF THE PROJECT AREA IN RELATION TO ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SITES ...... 67 APPENDIX 4: CORRESPONDENCE ...... 69
LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1: LOCATION OF THE SURVEY AREAS IN THE GNULLI WC1997/028 AND BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC AREA...... 9 FIGURE 2: MAP OF SITE ID 6097 IN RELATION TO MATERIALS SOURCE SLK 10 BURKETT ROAD...... 19 FIGURE 4: THE GNULLI SURVEY TEAM TRAVELING IN CONVOY NORTH ALONG THE NWCH FROM SLK 690 TOWARDS BURKETT ROAD SLK 728.79...... 28 FIGURE 5: THE GNULLI SURVEY TEAM DISCUSSING THE NWCH INSPECTION WITH THE ANTHROPOLOGISTS AT BARRADALE LOCATED NORTH-EAST OF YANNARIE RIVER, VIEW SOUTH...... 29 FIGURE 6: SLK 8 MATERIALS SOURCE PIT, WEST OF BURKETT ROAD, VIEW WEST. INSERT: ANTHROPOLOGIST MR BRAD GOODE DISCUSSING THE MATERIAL PITS WITH (FROM LEFT) MS DEBBIE DODD, MS JANE BARON AND MS JULIE COOYOU...... 30 FIGURE 7: THE SURVEY TEAM (FROM LEFT) MS LOUISE HUXTABLE, MR FRANK LYNDON, MR STUART JOHNSTON, MR PAUL GREENFELD, MR BRAD GOODE, MR JESSE LYNDON, CLIVE LYNDON AND MR RUBEN LYNDON AT EMU CREEK STATION...... 31 FIGURE 8: PLAN OF NWCH UPGRADE (STAGE 2) - ROAD CORRIDOR SLK 690-766.03, GNULLI & BUDINA SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 49 FIGURE 9: PLAN OF MATERIAL SOURCE (SLK 8), WATER BORE & ACCESS (SLK 7.2) BURKETT ROAD, GNULLI SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 50 FIGURE 10: PLAN OF MATERIAL SOURCE (SLK 10) BURKETT ROAD, GNULLI SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 52 FIGURE 11: PLAN OF MATERIAL SOURCES AREAS 1-3 AND ACCESS (SLK 743), BUDINA SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 53 FIGURE 12: LOOKING NORTH OVER NWCH ROAD CORRIDOR – GNULLI SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 56 FIGURE 13: ISOLATED STONE ARTEFACTS, NWCH ROAD CORRIDOR - GNULLI SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 56
5 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
FIGURE 14: BALER SHELL FRAGMENT, MATERIAL SOURCE (SLK 8) BURKETT ROAD, AUGUST 2014...... 57 FIGURE 15: LOOKING SOUTH OVER NWCH ROAD CORRIDOR - BUDINA SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 57 FIGURE 16: ISOLATED STONE ARTEFACT, NWCH ROAD CORRIDOR - BUDINA SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 58 FIGURE 17: LOOKING SOUTHEAST OVER ACCESS TO AREA 1 (MATERIAL SOURCE SLK 743) - BUDINA SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 58 FIGURE 18: LOOKING SOUTHEAST OVER AREA 3 (MATERIAL SOURCE SLK 743) - BUDINA SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 59 FIGURE 19: ISOLATED STONE ARTEFACT AREA 3 (MATERIAL SOURCE SLK 743) – BUDINA SECTION, AUGUST 2014...... 59
LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SITES AND PLACES AFFECTING THE PROJECT AREA ...... 18 TABLE 2: DETAILS AND SLK OF NWCH UPGRADE (STAGE 2) ROAD CORRIDOR AND MATERIAL SOURCES (SLK 690-766.03)...... 40 TABLE 3: CLASSIFICATION OF SITE SIZE...... 42 TABLE 4: CLASSIFICATION OF ARTEFACT DENSITY WITHIN A SITE...... 42 TABLE 5: EXPECTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL PATTERNS WITHIN SITES AND THE BACKGROUND SCATTER ACCORDING TO VETH’S (1993: 83-87) SETTLEMENT/SUBSISTENCE MODEL...... 46 TABLE 6: SUMMARY OF SURVEY RESULTS FOR NWCH ROAD CORRIDOR AND MATERIAL SOURCES (SLK 690-766.03)...... 48 TABLE 7: BOUNDARY COORDINATES WATER BORE BURKETT ROAD (SLK 7.2), AUGUST 2014...... 50 TABLE 8: BOUNDARY COORDINATES ACCESS TRACK BURKETT ROAD (SLK 7.2-8), AUGUST 2014...... 50 TABLE 9: BOUNDARY COORDINATES MATERIAL SOURCE BURKETT ROAD (SLK 8), AUGUST 2014...... 51 TABLE 10: BOUNDARY COORDINATES MATERIAL SOURCE BURKETT ROAD (SLK 10), AUGUST 2014...... 51 TABLE 11: BOUNDARY COORDINATES ACCESS AREA 1 (SLK 743), AUGUST 2014. 53 TABLE 12: BOUNDARY COORDINATES MATERIAL SOURCE AREA 1 (SLK 743), AUGUST 2014...... 53 TABLE 13: BOUNDARY COORDINATES ACCESS AREA 2 (SLK 743), AUGUST 2014. 54 TABLE 14: BOUNDARY COORDINATES MATERIAL SOURCE AREA 2 (SLK 743), AUGUST 2014...... 54 TABLE 15: BOUNDARY COORDINATES MATERIAL SOURCE AREA 3 (SLK 743), AUGUST 2014...... 54 TABLE 16: BOUNDARY COORDINATES ACCESS AREA 2 TO AREA 3 (SLK 743), AUGUST 2014...... 54 TABLE 17: NUMBERS OF ISOLATED STONE ARTEFACTS BY SURVEY AREAS; NWCH UPGRADE STAGE 2 (SLK 690-766.03)...... 55
6 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
REPORT
Report of an Aboriginal Heritage Survey of the North West Coastal Highway and Materials Pits SLK 690-766.03 in the Gnulli WC1997/028 and Budina WC2004/005 NTC: Gascoyne Region, Western Australia
ISSUE Main Roads Western Australia (‘Main Roads’) is proposing to undertake road widening, develop a number of strategic material pits, bores and access tracks, and re-establish drain & road formations along the North West Coastal Highway (NWCH) to the east of Carnarvon, in the Gascoyne Region, Western Australia.
Prior to proceeding Main Roads wishes to determine if there are any sites or places of Aboriginal heritage significance as defined by section 5 of the AHA that will be affected by this proposed work thereby fulfilling their obligations under the Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (AHA).
REPORT OBJECTIVES To report on archival research in order to determine if any previously recorded Aboriginal heritage sites or places will be affected by the above project proposal.
To report on consultations held with representatives of the Gnulli WC1997/028 and Budina WC 2004/005 native title claim groups in order to determine if any new Aboriginal heritage sites or places will be affected by the above project proposal.
To report upon management recommendations should any sites or places of significance as defined by section 5 of the AHA be identified to be located within the project areas.
To report upon any recommendations and/or the significance assessments of the sites or places should the proponent be required to make application under section 18 of the AHA for consent to use the land that may contain Aboriginal sites.
BACKGROUND On 5th May 2014, Mr Jamie Shaw from AECOM acting for Main Roads contacted Brad Goode & Associates Pty Ltd and requested a ‘Site Identification’ Aboriginal heritage survey be conducted for a proposed upgrade of the NWCH between SLK 690 and SLK 766.03, and at Burkett Road.
Specifically Main Roads is proposing to widen the road seal from 6.2m to 9m with an 11m formation and re-establish drains along 76.03 km of the NWCH between SLK 690 and SLK 766.03. Main Roads also propose to establish materials pits, including access tracks, at Burkett Road SLK 7.2, SLK 8 and SLK 10, and along NWCH at SLK 743 within Areas 1, 2 & 3. To facilitate these works a survey corridor of 200m either side of the NWCH is required. The survey areas comprise a total of 3271 hectares (see Figure 1 Location Map).
Nine locations are considered in this survey:
1. SLK 690 – SLK 766.03 NWCH, 76.03 km in length 2. SLK 7.2 – Burkett Road Existing Bore: 2.86 hectares 3. SLK 8 – Burkett Road – Materials Pit: 150.91 hectares 4. SLK 10 – Burkett Road – Materials Pit & Access Track: 48.86 hectares 5. Access Track – Burkett Road: 0.4 km in length, 0.83 hectares
7 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
6. SLK 743 Area 1 – Materials Pit: 8.55 hectares 7. SLK 743 Area 2 – Materials Pit: 4.98 hectares 8. SLK 743 Area 3 – Materials Pit: 2.32 hectares 9. SLK 743 – Access Track: 5km in length, 10.26 hectares
The Main Roads proposal is intended to provide a safer trafficable surface for road users, particularly road trains, and to make the North West Coastal Highway a more consistent width. The wider surface will provide greater separation between vehicles and significantly reduce the deterioration of the shoulders along the highway.
Main Roads also propose to source road building materials by establishing new and expanding existing material pits and associated access tracks outside the road reserve east and west of the NWCH and at Burkett Road for use in this project. The proposed pit locations will be utilised by the Gascoyne Region as strategic material sources for the extended future.
The archaeological and ethnographic survey was conducted concurrently between the 6th and the 13th August by Mr Paul Greenfeld and Mr Stuart Johnston (archaeologists) and Mr Brad Goode, Ms Louise Huxtable (anthropologists) and Mr Alistair Vaughn (YMAC anthropologist), with 6 nominated Gnulli traditional owners and 4 nominated Budina traditional owners with the survey area divided at Burkett Road.
The results of each survey are reported below.
8 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
LOCATION
Figure 1: Location of the Survey Areas in the Gnulli WC1997/028 and Budina WC2004/005 NTC area.
9 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
ETHNOGRAPHIC & HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
TRADITIONAL YAMATJI CULTURE The Gascoyne region encompasses an area in which Aboriginal people in contemporary times often refer to themselves as Yamatji, or Yamadji meaning Aboriginal person from the Murchison (Green, et al. 1996: 24). Within the Yamatji region Aboriginal tribes comprise a single cultural bloc unified by dialects of common languages and similar patterns of social organisation, as well as ritual, religious and mythological beliefs (Liberman 1978: 17). Traditional tribal groupings and boundaries in the Yamatji area have been examined by Mrs Daisy Bates (1985) and Mr Norman Tindale (1974), however the work of both of these researchers contains many inaccuracies due to a conceptual misunderstanding that Aboriginal groups were distinct political units with well-defined tribal boundaries demarcated by physiographic features. In reality, modern research indicates that in the Yamatji regions boundaries between different groups were mobile and flexible, with a resultant lack of exclusiveness between groups (Liberman 1978: 17-18). Boundaries were generally not specific, and tribes, more accurately described as socio-linguistic dialect groups, were associated with particular territories demarcated by zones rather than specific boundary markers (Berndt 1959: 33).
Tindale (1974: 30) defined traditional tribal boundaries as based on socio-linguistic groupings, defining a tribe as ‘a band of speech plus a widely recognised name’. According to Tindale (1974) the Gascoyne area under survey touches on what were, prior to colonisation, the territories of five socio-linguistic groups or ‘tribes’, the Baijungu, Buruna, Targari, Talanyji and Maia. Of these five socio-linguistic groups the Baijungu, Targari and the Buruna groups are amongst those which the Gnulli and Budina native title claim groups predominately identify with today. Gnulli is a composite claim which comprises a number of socio-linguistic groups.
The Baijungu socio-linguistic group is located along the Gascoyne coast and was recorded by Tindale (1974: 239) as being on the “Lower Lyndon and Minilya Rivers, south-west of the salt marshes to Quobba, east to Winning Pool, north to Giralia and Bullara but not to the seacoast and Exmouth Peninsula.” Tindale estimated that the Baijungu had a population of approximately 500 persons (Tindale 1974: 145) and many prominent people in the Gnulli native title claim group are from this language group. The Targardi socio-linguistic group was recorded by Tindale (1974: 257) as being located on “Lyndon Station and the coastal plain south of the Lyndon River and west of Round Hill; east to Hill Springs and Minilya River headwaters; south to Middalya, Moogooree, and Kennedy Range. Post-European migration took them east to the Lyons River.”
The Buruna socio-linguistic group was recorded by Tindale (1974: 240) as being located on “Yannarie River (Pindar Creek) above the edge of the coastal plain; southwest to Winning Pool and the north side of Lyndon River; east to Mount Hamlet and Maroonah; survivors now on Tower Station.” Tindale also stated that “some Aborigines pronounce the name with an interdental d sound as ‘Budina’” (Tindale 1974: 240), similar to the pronunciation of the Budina native title claim group who identify with the traditional Buruna language group today.
Tindale’s 1974 map of tribal boundaries was loosely based on Daisy Bates’ descriptions from her work with the West Australian Aboriginal people in 1913. Bates defined different groups as ‘nations’, describing that the area encompassing the uncircumcised tribes of the Gascoyne, Ashburton, Fortescue and Harding Rivers near the river mouths was the North-West Nation, bounded by the Kimberley Nation in the north and the Central Areas Nation in the east (Bates 1985: 39). Bates states the distinction between these different nations is based on their social, familial and geographical organisations. Bates defines a tribe in the following way,
The term tribe is applied to an aggregate of local groups, occupying a definite area of country, distinguished by certain local names, applied from within or without the
10 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
groups, or both, and with certain relationships existing between them, arising from intermarriages, community of language, totems and social laws (Bates 1985: 40).
However, Bates also states that a tribe’s definite boundaries cannot be ascertained due to the multitude of names each tribe possesses for prominent natural features within an area (Bates 1985: 66). Despite this, she attempts to loosely define boundaries as construed through her observations of the principle camping grounds and pools of different tribes in the Ashburton, Gascoyne and Murchison Rivers (Bates 1985: 66). Bates states that the North-West Nation includes, “the uncircumcised tribes of the Wooramel, Gascoyne, Minilya, Lyndon, Ashburton, Cane, Robe, Fortescue, Harding and Sherlock Rivers, near their mouths” (Bates 1985: 56). Bates further explains as well as the commonality of the absence of circumcision, the use of a four class system of organisation fundamentally unites these tribes under the North-West Nation despite their differences in social organisation.
Bates defines the boundary of the Thadgardi or Thargarri group whose eastern boundary was the Lyons River and southern boundary was the Gascoyne River (Bates 1985: 56). To the west of the Thadgardi were the Baiung, “whose country lay between the Minilya and Lyndon Rivers … eastward towards Joolabroo Pool” and bounded by the ocean on the western border (Bates 1985: 56). Bates further states that “Bai-ung may be derived from a dialectic term bai-i [meaning] posterior” (Bates 1985: 56), the group that Tindale later referred to as Baijungu (Tindale 1974: 239). These are the areas that are nowadays recognised as belonging to the Gnulli native title claim group.
Bates defines the boundary of the Burduna, Bu-tena or Buduna people as being separated from the Thadgardi group by the Lyndon River; from the Binniguru group by the central Ashburton and Henry Rivers in the north and east; and from the Thalanyji group in the west by the Yannarie River. The Burduna (or Buruna as recognised by Tindale) is the country that is nowadays recognised as belonging to the Budina native title claim group.
The Baijungu, Thadgari and Burduna people traditionally obeyed a system of rights and obligations, transmitted through birth and marriage, which gave individuals rights to the use and economic benefits of the land over which they also acted as custodians. Bates states that the groups of the North-West Nation, including the Baijungu, Thadgari and Burduna, followed a four class system of organisation, the Boorong, Banaka, Kaimera and Paljeri (Bates 1985: 56). These four class systems dictated appropriate marriage laws and laws of descent (often matrilineal), as well as influencing individual totem (jalnga) associations (often patrilineal) (Bates 1985: 56, 207; Radcliffe-Brown 1931: 214). Bates explains these four class systems and their organisation in the following way,
[…] the two classes Boorong and Banaka are the fathers and mothers of Kaimera and Paljeri, while these in their turn produce Boorong and Banaka. Hence the children of this group enter their grandparents’ class, the grandchild in the male line is of the same class as his grandfather (Boorong father; Kaimera son; Boorong grandson, and so on), and the grandchild in the female line is of the same class as her grandmother (Boorong mother; Paljeri daughter; Boorong granddaughter and so on). Therefore: Boorong and Kaimera are fathers and sons forever. Banaka and Paljeri are fathers and sons forever. Banaka and Kaimera are mothers and daughters forever. Boorong and Paljeri are mothers and daughters forever (Bates 1985: 90).
These kin groups and moieties helped govern marriage and inheritance laws, as well as ritual and totemic affiliations. The culmination of these individuals meant that ownership was regularly asserted in terms of a collective responsibility to a particular tract of land that customarily insinuated an important mythological Dreaming connection and subsequently inferred particular rites and rituals associated with that place (Berndt & Berndt 1978: 17). 11 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Ownership also traditionally recognised hunting, food gathering and camping rights over that given area; however, these rights were not necessarily exclusive. Stanner (1965) uses the terms ‘estate’ and ‘range’ to distinguish these two different associations. He writes that the range was that land in which the group “ordinarily hunted and foraged to maintain life” (Stanner 1965: 2) whilst an estate refers to the spiritual country that can be considered the country or home of a decent group and therefore is owned collectively by that group. The estate is sometimes referred to as the ‘Dreaming place’ and as such includes all religious sites, myths and rituals that occur on or about that land, creating part of the connection of Aboriginal ties to Dreaming and place (Stanner 1965: 13).
In this way an identifiable group’s connection to specific country and land ownership was clearly demarcated and acknowledged through the manifestation of demonstrated religious rituals. These religious rituals were based on mythological stories, often depicting the activities of mythological ancestors of the Dreaming as they traversed across the land (Peterson 1970: 201-202). Many Aboriginal people refer to the creative period as ‘The Dreaming’ and the Yamatji people of the North West Nation called this ancestral time Yamminga, as reported by Bates (1985: 208). As the mythological ancestors travelled they carved out ‘runs,’ leaving clearly marked physical attributes of the landscape across the country. Radcliffe-Brown (1926) was one of the earliest researchers who wrote about one of these mythological ancestors, the Rainbow Serpent myth of Australia. He wrote that throughout Aboriginal Australia there is a common belief in the powers of a huge serpent, which controls the rain cycles and governs the vitality of water sources through totemic increase rituals:
I have been able to trace the belief in the rainbow-serpent, living in deep, permanent water holes, through all the tribes from the extreme southwest at least as far north as the Ninety Mile Beach and eastward into the desert (Radcliffe-Brown 1926: 22)
Radcliffe-Brown further described that in the Ingarda socio-linguistic group the rainbow- serpent is Kajura and “in the group of tribes to the north of the Ingarda, of which the Talainji may be taken as typical [and therefore most likely also spanning the country belonging to Baijungu, Thadgari and Burdunai] the name given to the rainbow-serpent is Wanamangura” (Radcliffe-Brown 1926: 22).
The Dreaming tracks carved out by the Kajura or Wanamangura and other ancestral beings were practical necessities for survival in the hot and dry climate of Yamatji lands in Western Australia. Not only were these tracks sacred creations from the Dreamtime, they served as essential paths to water and food sources (Liberman 1978: 31). These various routes zig-zag across Yamatji country towards pools and along routes where food could be hunted and Yaggara (red ochre from the coastal tribes), wirdi-wirdi (large pearlshell from the Thaduna and Lake Way tribes), spears and other products could be traded (Bates 1985: 63). Trade became extensive as uncircumcised tribes from the North-West traded with the Gascoyne tribes who then went on to trade with the Peak Hill and Upper Murchison tribes (Bates 1985: 63). Trade routes and ‘roads’ became connecting hubs of intergroup contact, especially in the absence of natural barriers, allowing for frequent intercultural interactions. Furthermore, along with trade between different kin groups, intermarriages and intertribal relations developed.
The collective identities that were formed from the interaction of local descent groups over wide areas and the culmination of collective mythological beliefs and religious rituals gave rise to a recognised system of identities, rights and obligations that were transmitted through birth and marriage and resulted in rights to land that were inalienable. Land ownership was received from one generation and held in trust to be passed onto the next generation. Silberbauer (1994) clarifies this, stating:
There is a clear relationship between the individual and the land, which is expressed in a number of ways. There is a direct link between the mythic heroes and spirits of the
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dreaming and the land. Relationships with these beings, which are transmitted through birth, descent and marriage (to a lesser extent), are a reciprocal arrangement of rights and obligations and they are vital for claiming rights to the land (Silberbauer 1994: 124).
Furthermore, these claims to land ownership are further strengthened through Dreaming places and their mythological beliefs to a local kin group’s totemic associations. As well as Dreaming tracks often connecting water sources and permanent springs or pools in the semi-arid region, they also served to link important sites where gatherings were held to conduct trade, law meetings, social events and ceremonies (Liberman 1978: 48).
Radcliffe-Brown states that within the “territory of each horde are found a number of totemic centres, called talu [Thalu] in Kariera [the name given by Radcliffe-Brown to the number of groups within the North-West region], each of which is specially associated with one or more species of natural object” (Radcliffe-Brown 1931: 210). These totemic-centres are believed to have been the creation of mythological ancestors and the “spirit-homes of the many different varieties of plant and animals, left there by the Dreaming beings” (Tonkinson 1991: 117). Thalu sites are utilised as places for ceremonies and rituals surrounding that totemic species, including ceremonies for the increase of a particular totem (Radcliffe-Brown 1931: 213). Those who inherited ownership of the land and custodianship of the Dreaming sites were in return entrusted with a responsibility to care for the country. Berndt and Berndt (1999: 273) note that the Thalu rituals are part of an intricate belief system that is “concerned with defining and establishing or sustaining man’s relationship with his environment.” Thalu sites further epitomised the link between totemic descent systems and country. David Daniels (1990) clarifies this, stating:
Thalu sites are places set aside as a focus for ceremonies that will ensure the continuation or proliferation of particular species of animals, plants and natural phenomena. The ceremonies to achieve this are aimed at “taming” and then driving or directing the spiritual forces inherent in the landscape (David 1990: 5).
Thalu ceremonies typically can only be performed by a member of a particular totemic association, often seen as the descendent or reincarnation of that totem (Berndt & Berndt 1999: 272). Each member of a kin group was seen as having a totemic association and subsequent Thalu site, all of which belonged to the head of each family, descending from father to son (Withnell 1901: 6). If, for example, a Banaka man had the totem and Thalu of an eagle hawk, and wished for them to multiply, that Banaka man and any number of other Banaka men would journey to the appropriate Thalu site for the eagle hawk to conduct an increase ceremony. When the elder Banaka man died, the eagle totem and Thalu site would then descend to his sons or daughters, the eldest in particular, who would be of the Paljari class group (Withnell 1901: 6). Withnell (1901: 7) also reported that each of the Boorong, Paljari, Banaka and Kaimera classes have other totems dedicated to their care and these totems, along with Thalu sites, are also intrinsically woven into descent systems and class organisations.
This relationship between the performer and totemic or spiritual being can be seen at two Thalu sites in the vicinity of the current survey area. Bates (1914: 393) and Radcliffe-Brown (1931: 215) reported a Thalu site, Bibinji located at Peepingee on the Ashburton River where Karjardu men from several tribes would perform and take part in a ceremony for making rain. A similar Thalu site for rainmaking was also located a Ngalssaramai in the vicinity of Winning Pool (McDonald 2004: 37). Several more Thalu sites have also been recorded in the vicinity of the current survey area, including bardura (bush turkey) Thalu located at Winning Pool, a Kunagari (rain cloud) Thalu located at Yannarie Station and a Madariru (emu) Thalu, also thought to be located on Yannarie Station (Radcliffe-Brown n.d; Bates 1914:393 cited in McDonald 2004:37).
In the North-West country these Thalu sites can also be used as ‘weapons’ against opponents (David 1990: 5). Withnell (cited in David 1990: 5) reported that there are Thalu sites for all species, including for those species not immediately seen to be of edible or practical use, such as lice and march flies. Berndt and Berndt (1999: 273) clarify this, giving the example in Cape
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York Peninsula, Queensland where “rites may concentrate on the increase of flies, with the idea of annoying or irritating strangers; other again, on the increase of leeches”. David elaborates on this explaining,
This in part reflects the holistic belief that all things have an ordered place in the environment, but is also explained by the special role some of these species have in their capacity as “weapons” which may be used against opponents. An extreme example of these is seen in the Smallpox Thalu recorded in Roebourne by von Brandenstein in the 1960s, an example which also illustrates the way that new Thalu ceremonies can be introduced to contend with changing situations (David 1990: 5).
CONTACT HISTORY In terms of European contact, the history of the Yamatji people of the Mid-West began in the 17th century, as in other coastal parts of Western Australia, through the agency of the Dutch United East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, V.O.C), whose ships were involved in the spice trade with the Indonesian archipelago. En route to the Dutch East Indies ships were often forced close to the coast by the prevailing south-westerly winds and without realising their proximity to this rough coastline until too late, came to grief (Green 1984: 27-28). The first recorded contact with Western Australia occurred in 1616 by Dutchman Dirk Hartog after strong westerly winds blew his V.O.C ship, Eendracht, off course and place him upon islands off the coast of Shark Bay (Green 1984: 28). Following a brief exploration and uncovering nothing of interest Hartog continued on to Batavia.
Eighty years later Commander Willem de Vlamingh led an exploration expedition in 1697 to search for evidence of earlier shipwrecks (Batavia wrecked in 1629, the Gilt Dragon in 1656 and Ridderschap van Holland in 1694) resulting in the naming of the Swan River and a number of landed expeditions along the coast as they travelled north towards Dampier (Green 1984: 29).
A Dutch ship called the Zuytdorp was reported to have been wrecked along the Murchison coast in 1712, presumably at Zuytdorp Cliffs between Shark Bay and Kalbarri as evidenced by a number of silver coins found at that location in 1954 (Playford 1996: 5). A degree of mystery surrounds this shipwreck and researchers have raised the possibility of survivors perhaps living among the local Aboriginal people, intermarrying and producing offspring (Playford 1996: 78- 81; see also Clark 1992: x).
Bates (1966) further observed that the Aboriginal people of the Murchison and Gascoyne region were of distinct Dutch appearance, writing “There was no mistaking the flat heavy Dutch face, curly fair hair and solid stocky build” (Bates 1966: 107). Bates believed that these physical Dutch characteristics could have been traced back to two criminals who were marooned by Commodore Francois Pelsart on the mainland in 1627 following the shipwreck of the Batavia on the Abrolhos Islands in 1629 and that these men “had probably been allowed to live with the natives” (Bates 1966: 107).
Following the discovery of the West Australian coast and British settlement in the Swan River, Geraldton, Albany, Busselton and Bunbury, European explorers turned their attention northward in the pursuit of gaining more pastoral properties. Sir George Grey led an expedition, intended to explore along the coast from Shark Bay to Fremantle in 1839, however ending 500 kilometres north of his objective at the mouth of the Murchison River (Green 1984: 133). It was on this expedition Lieutenant Grey discovered the mouth of the Gascoyne River, naming it after a fellow officer (Day & Morrissey 2011: 5). Forced to abandon his boats in Gantheaume Bay and walk the rest of the way south to Perth (Day & Morrissey 2011: 5), Grey’s journals provide an insight into the early relationships between European explorers and the indigenous Australian population; displaying a reliance upon Aboriginal water and food,
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It is a revealing document describing the wilting of the Europeans barely surviving on a small ration of food and water as they traversed a region that showed constant evidence that it supported a large Aboriginal population (Green 1984: 133).
Lieutenant Grey’s journey from the Murchison to Perth showed some observations of traditional Aboriginal life and their ability to withstand and adapt to harsh environmental conditions, a process that took thousands of years. However, despite Grey’s exploration party’s reliance on Aboriginal knowledge and resources, his predominant concerns (as was most of the early settlement history for the region) was the suitability of pastoralism in this region of Western Australia.
Following this expedition Grey reported that, despite difficulties surrounding the availability of water, there were “pockets of first-class grazing land” (Green 1984: 134). In 1861 Francis Gregory’s exploration party set off to further discover the suitability for pastoralism Gascoyne and West Pilbara regions of Western Australia. Starting their expedition in Nickol Bay (near Karratha) the party crossed the Maitland and Fortescue Rivers, traversed the Hamersley Ranges and the Hardy River in the vicinity of Mount Samson, explored Mount Augustus and eventually reached and named the Ashburton River in 1861 (Webb & Webb 1983: 14). After 5 months of exploring the north west of Western Australia, Gregory asserted that far from being a hopelessly baron land as had previously been reported, the country had some potential:
“The total amount of land available for this purpose (settlement) within the limits of our route I should estimate at not less than two or three million acres, and of this I may safely say 200,000 are suitable for agricultural purposes, the greater proportion of which lies on the two flanks of the Hamersley Ranges, on the banks of the De Grey and its tributaries and on the lower Sherlock” (Gregory 1861 cited in Webb & Webb 1983: 15).
An important announcement was made in 1864, which was of considerable importance to the future occupation of Ashburton:
“The first person to drive stock from any part of Western Australia not within its North District, to any part of the same to the north of the Tropic of Capricorn, will be entitled to a remission of all rents which may accrue in respect of any lands he may take up in such district under the regulations ….. to an area not exceeding 100,000 acres. No person to be entitled to this privilege, unless he actually drives to the country indicated, at least 100 head of horses or cattle, or 200 sheep….prior to the 1st August 1865” (Gregory 1861 cited in Webb & Webb 1983: 18).
This special provision for the North District included an earlier clause regarding the treatment of Aborigines whose land was about to be occupied and settled on a larger scale than ever before. This provision at the time assumed that the settlers and Aboriginals could and would live side by side:
“The [A]boriginal natives shall have a right to enter upon any unenclosed lands comprised within the limits of any pastoral or tillage lease... for the purpose of seeking their subsistence therefrom in their accustomed manner” (Gregory 1861 cited in Webb & Webb 1983: 20).
In August 1865, Mr E.T Hooley travelled to Perth to apply for a pastoral lease over the land near Fortescue, and was eventually granted a lease over 100,000 acres. Hooley is well known for opening up an overland stock route connecting Perth and Roebourne. Unable to afford the cost of sea freight for his stock, Hooley then undertook to find an overland stock route to his lease. Leaving Geraldton with four teamsters, two native guides (one known as Tommy) and nearly 2000 sheep on 26 May 1865, he travelled up the Murchison River, then north through the 15 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
watersheds of the Murchison, Gascoyne, Ashburton and Fortescue Rivers, arriving at the Fortescue after a journey of around three months. He had found good stock feed throughout the journey, but felt that it would be a difficult route in drought (Webb & Webb 1983: 28-33).
During this journey, Hooley kept a journal, noting his contact with Aboriginal people and through his native assistant Tommy, communicated with them:
“He gave accounts of whom he met, noting their appearance, size and any unusual ornaments worn etc. He compared Aboriginal physique from one area to another, and noted the methods used to hunt game, as well as the origins of shell ornaments. He and Tommy were usually well ahead of the flock and their contacts with the Aborigines were uniformly friendly” (Webb & Webb 1983: 35).
By opening up an overland stock route connecting Perth and Roebourne, Hooley had found a cheap and safe way to transport stock to the northern stations, thus securing their future as a pastoral area. Within a year of his discovery of the route, 5.8 million acres (23,000 km²) of pastoral land had been leased in the north-west.
The settlement and leasing of pastoral stations in the north-west of Western Australia further established relationships between local Aboriginal populations and European farmers. The majority of early contact between Europeans and Aboriginals in the Gascoyne region took place within the framework of the pastoral and pearling industries.
With the foray of European settlers into the Gascoyne region of Western Australia the different Yamatji groups saw their existence drastically altered. The introduction of pastoral settlements brought foreign animals and fenced lands, forcing the Aboriginal people away from their traditional runs, hunting places and ceremonial sites. Cattle stations and later sheep stations spread over tribal lands, depleting and fouling water supplies and declining the numbers of native animals in the area (Machin 1998: 14). Furthermore, the introduction of new diseases that the European settlers brought with them was often fatal to a number of Aboriginal Australians (Berndt & Berndt 1999: 15). The new restrictions surrounding that availability of natural food and water sources also often led to violent conflicts between the Yamatji people and European farmers. The indigenous people invariably fared worst from such clashes and for those who survived the resulting unfavourable attitudes from the European settlers led to them being driven away from their own territory (Machin 1998: 14). As large parcels of land became fenced off as stations and towns developed, a number of tribal routes became closed to the Yamatji people, forcing them to create new pathways and subsequently bringing the Yamatji people into contact with different lands (Bates 1985: 64). Furthermore, the removal of ‘half-caste’ Aboriginal children from their families into missions, such as the Moore River Native Settlement, destroyed many traditional family and kin group social patterns, leaving enduring repercussions on Aboriginal society as a whole.
The resulting tribal disintegration due to this displacement of the Yamatji people from their traditional land led to fragmented family groups who tended to congregate on pastoral properties to follow an adapted life style. Those who survived these early years of forced removal from their land and subsequent violent conflicts often congregated about the pastoral lands, on riverbanks and reserves accepting meagre rations in return for labour, or were forcibly taken to missions (Clark 1992: ix). A situation developed in rural areas where pastoralists and Aborigines were dependent on each other for survival, the latter being both attracted to the stations for dependable food and water and encouraged to settle there (Heydon 1994: 207). In this way a pool of cheap labour was made available to pastoralists and the possibility of stock being slaughtered by wandering tribesmen avoided. The provision of rations by the stations was also attractive, as it made hunting and gathering redundant but subsequently repressed these traditional Aboriginal practices and migration patterns (Machin 1998: 15). Many stations in the Gascoyne area, such as Minilya, Emu Creek, Minderoo, Nanutarra, Mia-Mia and Cardabia 16 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Station, maintained a large Aboriginal community, often family groups that had settled on the stations to remain close to their traditional lands (Dagmar 1984: 54).
The Aboriginal pastoral workers in the Gascoyne region often remained on these stations within their traditional lands in order to retain a connection with their country, albeit radically different (Dagmar 1984: 55). This helped retain fragmented knowledge and contact with cultural sites that was then passed down onto future generations as the Aboriginal pastoral workers intermarried and often gave birth to their children on those stations (Clark 1992: ix). However, this was further complicated with the introduction of the Pastoral Award for Aborigines in 1968 whereby permanent residence and employment on stations became less secure and movement to central locations and reserves accelerated, such as within the towns of Carnarvon, Exmouth and Onslow – those in Carnarvon and the Gascoyne Junction were the largest in the Gascoyne District (O’Connor 1990: 3). Pastoralists either encouraged Aboriginal families to leave the Stations or, in some recorded cases, forcibly removed them (O’Connor 1990: 3).
The pearling industry, which developed throughout the Gascoyne District at the same time as the pastoral industry, also tended to relocate Aboriginal groups, although in this case forced displacement meant that groups were often taken a long way from their traditional lands. Shark Bay was the site of Australia’s first pearling industry, establish in the 1850s (McCarthy 2007: 159). Subsequently, from the early 1860s to the 1940s pearling luggers from Cossack and Onslow visited the Exmouth Gulf on a regular basis (Paterson 2006: 102). The coastal tribes were initially employed as divers in the pearling industry but, when their population was diminished through deaths at sea due to cyclones and the devastating coast, as well as the result of smallpox and measles epidemics in the 1860s, inland Aborigines were recruited to take their places (Bloemen, et al. 1997: 7). The recruitment of Yamatji people for the pearling industry was often forced and treatment of these people was frequently abusive,
Pearlers and groups of slave trades took their toll on Aboriginal people. Apart from introducing diseases that devastated the population in these areas, they moved along the coastal strip capturing ….men, women and children for use as virtual slave labour in pearling operations (Bloemen, et al. 1997: 7).
Paterson (2006: 102) further suggests that a number of sources support the idea that the remoteness of Islands of the Gascoyne coast, such as Barrow Island, played a significant role in holding Aboriginal pearling workers captive. He elaborates that the kidnapping and use of forced labour of the Indigenous people of Australia was a common occurrence, quoting colonial Governor Frederick Napier Broome in 1882:
“Some official reports and papers which have been recently been before the Governor … show that the proceedings of the persons who annually visit different parts of the northern districts with the view of obtaining services of the natives as divers in the Pearl Industry, are not in harmony with the laws which have been framed with the object of securing equal freedom of contract of the Aboriginal natives of this colony … in some cases, an unwarrantable degree of moral pressure, and some actual personal restraint has been used to induce or compel natives to leave their homes to engage themselves as divers” (GG, 5/12/1882; CSO 1884 cited in Paterson 2006: 102).
Whilst the Yamatji traditional way of life was irrevocably repressed through the forced displacement of individuals and kin groups from their traditional land, the continuation of culture and customary values of those residing on pastoral stations led to a gradual redefinition of traditional custodians in terms of land boundaries. Additionally, the forced displacement of Aboriginal pearl workers and the intermarriages of coastal and inland kin groups led to the creation of Indigenous intercultural practices and further redefined traditional custodian lands.
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ARCHIVAL RESEARCH Archival research involved an examination of the DAA Sites Register, a review of any relevant site files and a review of any unpublished ethnographic reports that relate to the survey area, Western Australia.
SITES REGISTER SEARCH The DAA Aboriginal Sites Register categorises places reported to be of importance and significance to Aboriginal people into two separate categories.
The first category contains sites classified as ‘Registered.’ Registered sites have been assessed by the ACMC as meeting the definition of section 5 of the AHA and are fully protected under the law. Disturbance to land that contains such sites requires a section 18 application for ministerial consent should proponents wish to use the land that contain these sites.
‘Other Heritage Places’ is the second category of places contained upon the Aboriginal Sites Register. These types of places include reported places ‘Lodged’ and awaiting ACMC assessment, and places where the information has been assessed but there is ‘Insufficient information’ to make a final determination under section 5 of the AHA but there is enough information to warrant these places temporary protection in Law. Disturbance to land that contains such places requires a section 18 application for ministerial consent should proponents wish to use the land that contain these places.
Within the category of ‘Other Heritage Places’ the final category is ‘Stored Data.’ Such places have been assessed by the ACMC but fail to meet the definition of section 5 of the AHA. Places in this category are not sites under the AHA and are not protected in Law. Proponents have no further legal requirements for such places should they wish to use the land unless further information is reported which would lead to such a place being reassessed as a site in terms of the definition of section 5 of the AHA.
In relation to this survey a search of the DAA Aboriginal Sites Register was conducted on the 24th August 2014, in order to determine if there were any previously recorded Aboriginal heritage sites and places that would be affected by the project proposal (see Appendix 1: Sites Register Search).
The search revealed that there are no previously recorded ethnographic Aboriginal heritage sites or places to be located along the proposed NWCH road survey corridor, access tracks and strategic material pits.
The search revealed one registered archaeological site, Site ID 6097 Bullara-Giralia Road 01 to have a DAA extent overlaying the proposed materials pit at SLK 10 on Burkett Road. Further research conducted by the consultants revealed that the actual Site extent of Site ID 6097 lies outside of the proposed extraction area.
Table 1: Summary of Aboriginal heritage sites and places affecting the project area Location Site ID Name Status Access Restriction (GDA94 Zone 50)* Site Type mE mN Registered Aboriginal Sites Bullara- Artefacts / 6097 Giralia Road R O N 245838 7462354 Scatter 01 * Please note: Coordinates are indicative locations that represent the centre of sites as shown on maps produced by the DAA – they may not necessarily represent the true centre of all sites.
LEGEND R – Registered Site, I - Insufficient Information, S - Stored Data, L - Lodged awaiting assessment, IA - Information Assessed, O – Access Open, C - Closed Access, N – File Not Restricted.
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REVIEW OF RELEVANT SITE FILES
Site ID 6097 – Bullara-Giralia Road 01 This site was recorded by Mr Guy Wright, Ms Kate Morse and Ms Rachel Fry in 1992. The site recording form reported Bullara-Giralia Road 01 to be an artefact/scatter site with additional information consisting of plant sources.
The site recording form details a sparse but extensive scatter of stone artefacts that are present, indicating that this area was extensively occupied by Aboriginal people. The form also notes an abundance of low Acacia trees that could have been used as a food source, and suggests that the existence of the archaeological site presumably relates to the presence of water.
The ACMC originally assessed and registered the Bullara-Giralia Road 01 Site under sections 5a, 5c and 39.2c of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (Resolution No. 4650 Meeting ID: 2508 held on 21st December 1999).
Eight years later the ACMC met again and amended the Bullara-Giralia Road 01 Site to be registered under sections 5b and 39.2a of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (Resolution No. 004350 Meeting ID 000484 held on 8th August 2000).
In relation to the proposed road widening, drain re-establishment and creation or expansion of material pits, Site ID 6097 will not be affected. Whilst the site’s DAA extent overlays the survey area, Burkett Road SLK 10, by 250m, further research conducted by the consultants revealed that the actual extent of Site 6097 lies outside of SLK 10.
Figure 2: Map of Site ID 6097 in relation to Materials Source SLK 10 Burkett Road.
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REVIEW OF RELEVANT ETHNOGRAPHIC REPORTS McDonald, E. 2004, Report of an ethnographic survey: Straits Resources Exmouth Salt Project, Ashburton Region, Western Australia, report prepared for Straits Resources and the Buurabalayji Thalanyji Association Inc., September 2004.
Buurabalayji Thalanyji Association Inc. commissioned Dr Edward McDonald, from Ethnosciences, to conduct an ethnographic Aboriginal heritage survey in September 2004 of a proposed Straits Resources Exmouth Salt project in the Ashburton Region, Western Australia (McDonald 2004: 53). Within the Straits Resources’ survey area no Aboriginal sites were previously recorded.
During the ethnographic heritage survey no new Aboriginal heritage sites were identified within the Straits Resources’ project areas. However, the Aboriginal custodians did identify three sites outside out the project area, an out-station camp at Bulrush Bore and two Dancing Grounds in the vicinity of the Yanrey Station homestead. Dr McDonald therefore recommended that these three sites should be avoided by the Straits Resources Exmouth Salt Project (McDonald 2004: 52).
In relation to the current survey area, the McDonald (2004) survey area is located along the coast between Sandalwood Peninsula and Tubridal Point, approximately 37.5 km north-west of the survey area at SLK 8 Burkett Road.
Campbell-Smith, S. and McDonald, E.M., 1994, Open Report of an Aboriginal Heritage Survey of Carlston and White Peaks Prospect, Minilya and Cardabia Stations, Gascoyne Regions, report prepared for Carnarvon Petroleum, January 1994
Carnarvon Petroleum commissioned Mr S. Campbell-Smith and Dr Edward McDonald, from McDonald, Hales and Associates, to conduct an ethnographic Aboriginal heritage survey of a proposed exploratory project at the Carlston Propsect, Minilya Station and at the White Peaks Prospect, Cardabia Station, Western Australia (Campbell-Smith & McDonald 1994: 3).
The Carnarvon Petroleum proposed project involved a seismic program at the Carlston prospect on Minilya Station, and a ‘test drill’ program of 16 holes at the White Peaks prospect on Cardabia Station. Within the Carlston and White Peaks prospects’ survey areas no Aboriginal sites were previously recorded. However, in the wider surrounding areas, particularly along the coastline, seven sites of ethnographic significance are recorded, consisting of hunting places, camping grounds, archaeological sites and one burial ground (ibid 1994: 10, 11).
During the ethnographic heritage survey no new Aboriginal heritage sites were identified within the Carlston and White Peaks prospects’ project areas. However, the Aboriginal custodians did identify 4 sites adjacent to the project area, including a series of mythological pools and creeks on the Cardabia Creek (ibid 1994: 8-9).
In relation to the current survey area, the Campbell-Smith and McDonald (1994) Carlston prospect survey area is located 6.5 km east of Cardabia Creek, approximately 13.6 km north- west of the start of the NWCH survey area SLK 690. The White Peak’s prospect survey area is located along the NWCH, approximately 59 km south of the current survey area.
Wright, G., Morse, K. and Fry, R. 1992, Report of an Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Bullara–Giralia Road, Shire of Exmouth, Western Australia, and report prepared for Main Roads, August 1992.
The Main Roads Department commissioned Dr Guy Wright, Ms Kate Morse and Ms Rachel Fry from McDonald, Hales and Associates to conduct an ethnographic and archaeological Aboriginal heritage survey in August 1992 of the Bullara-Giralia Road in the Shire of Exmouth, Western Australia (Wright, Morse & Fry 1992: 1). The proposed project involved the widening
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or upgrading of a 20km section of the existing Bullara-Giralia road between the North West Coastal Highway and the Minilya – Exmouth Road, as well as the construction of eight bore sites and three gravel pits (Wright, Morse & Fry 1992: 2).
During the archaeological survey a total of 12 archaeological sites and 7 isolated finds were located. Archaeological scatter evidence recorded during this survey, including shell remnants, grinding material and the presence of numerous plant resources; indicated that the area was extensively occupied by Aboriginal people in the past, as groups likely traversed the coastal plain from Exmouth Gulf seasonally to utilise non-coastal resources (ibid 1992: 19-20).
During the ethnographic heritage survey no new Aboriginal heritage sites were identified, as recognised by the Aboriginal custodians (ibid 1992: 37-39).
In relation to the current survey area, the Wright, Morse and Fry (1992) survey area is located along the Burkett Road, approximately 410m north-east of the material pit SLK 8 and with an overlap of 106m into the extent of the bore SLK 7.2.
O’Connor, R. and Quartermaine, G. 1990, Report on an Aboriginal Survey of the proposed Barrabiddy Deviation, North West Coastal Highway, Carnarvon, report prepared for Main Roads, December 1990.
The Main Roads Department commissioned Mr Rory O’Connor and Mr Gary Quartermaine to conduct an ethnographic Aboriginal heritage survey in December 1990 of the Barrabiddy section of the North West Coastal Highway in Minilya Region in the Shire of Carnarvon, Western Australia (O’Connor & Quartermaine 1990: 1).
The proposed project involved the realignment of the existing 10 kilometre Barrabiddy Section of the North West Coastal Highway, as well as the construction of several gravel pits for materials extraction. Within the survey area no Aboriginal sites of religious significance were previously recorded. Within 60 kilometres of the proposed roadwork near the highway 4 archaeological sites were found, consisting of 2 artefact scatters, one burial site and one painting site (ibid 1990: 3-4).
During the archaeological survey a total of 2 archaeological sites and 7 isolated finds were located. Archaeological scatter evidence recorded during this survey, including stone flakes and fragments; indicated that the area was occupied by Aboriginal people in traditional times as a short-term camp or as transitional usage (ibid 1990: 8).
During the ethnographic heritage survey no new Aboriginal heritage sites were identified, as recognised by the Aboriginal custodians.
In relation to the current survey area, the O’Connor and Quartermaine (1990) survey area is located along the North West Coastal Highway, 3 kilometres south of Minilya Roadhouse and approximately 81.1 kilometres south of the start of the NWCH survey area SLK 690.
Morse, K. and Wright, G. 1989, An Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Proposed Coral Coast Development Area, Point Maud, Western Australia, report prepared for Coral Coast Marina Development Pty. Ltd, September 1989.
The Coral Coast Marina Development commissioned Ms Kate Morse, from the Western Australia Museum, and Dr Guy Wright, from G. and K. Wright Research Associates, to conduct an ethnographic and archaeological Aboriginal heritage survey in September 1989 of a proposed Coral Coast Development in the Point Maud Area, Western Australia (Morse & Wright 1989: 2). The proposed project involved the fencing off of sand dunes with access tracks to the beach
21 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
constructed at selected locations around the proposed inland marina/harbour development encompassing 70 hectares of land north-east of Point Maud (Morse & Wright 1989: 5).
Within the Point Maud to Coral Bay survey area three Aboriginal sites were previously recorded in the Western Australian Museum, consisting of two burial sites and one ethnographic site (Morse & Wright 1989: 3). During the archaeological survey a total of 4 archaeological sites and several isolated finds were located in the coastal survey area (Morse & Wright 1989: 7, 10). Archaeological scatter evidence recorded during this survey, including shell and bone remnants, grinding material fragments and flakes, and the presence of glass bottle flakes; indicated that the areas were utilised by Aboriginal people at one time, most likely as camping grounds (Morse & Wright 1989: 11).
During the ethnographic heritage survey no new Aboriginal heritage sites were identified, as recognised by the Aboriginal custodians (Morse & Wright 1989: 22). However, the Aboriginal ethnographic informants did express concern about a previously registered site at Mulanda soak which was considered likely to be disturbed despite its location outside of the survey area (Morse & Wright 1989: 22). Dr Wright therefore recommended that Coral Coast Development apply under Section 18 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act for permission to disturb this registered site (Morse & Wright 1989: 23).
In relation to the current survey area, the Morse and Wright (1989) survey area is located along the coast, north-east of Point Maud and adjacent west of the Coral Bay Road, approximately 64 kilometres north-west of SLK 690 on the North West Coastal Highway.
Darmody, M.J. 1986, North West Coastal Highway H7 Carnarvon District Shire of Carnarvon Aboriginal Site Investigation between 528 and 597 SLK, report prepared for Main Roads, September 1986
Mr M.J Darmody from the Main Roads Department Rural Planning Section undertook an ethnographic Aboriginal heritage survey in 1986 of a proposed road widening project on the North West Coastal Highway between SLK 528-597, between Cooralya and Barrabiddy Creek, Western Australia (Darmody 1986: 2).
The NWCH proposed project involved the widening of the highway between SLK 528-597 and the construction of one water-bore site and four base-course materials borrow pits. The NWCH widening survey area included the road reserve 100m left and right of the highway centreline and adjacent areas along the highway length between SLK 528-597 (Darmody 1986: 4).
Within the NWCH survey area no Aboriginal sites were previously recorded as advised by the Western Australian Museum. During the survey no new Aboriginal ethnographic or archaeological heritage sites were identified within the Main Road’ project areas (Darmody 1986: 3-4).
In relation to the current survey area, the Main Roads (1986) survey area is located along the NWCH SLK 528-597 between Cooralya and Barrabiddy Creek north of Carnarvon, approximately 91.5 km south of the start of the NWCH survey area SLK 690.
Department of Aboriginal Sites of the Western Australian Museum, 1979, Dampier to Perth Natural Gas Pipeline Route: A Survey for Aboriginal Sites, report prepared for the State Energy Commission, March 1979.
The State Energy Commission commissioned the Department of Aboriginal Sites (DAS) from the Western Australian Museum to conduct an ethnographic and archaeological Aboriginal heritage survey in March 1979 of a proposed natural gas pipeline route from Dampier to Perth, Western Australia (DAS 1979: 3).
22 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
The proposed project involved the construction of a natural gas pipeline traversing for 1486 kilometres from Dampier-Perth-Wagerup (DAS 1979: 6).
Within the Dampier to Perth natural gas pipeline survey area it was not reported whether any Aboriginal sites were previously registered (DAS 1979: 6).
During the archaeological survey a large number of archaeological sites and isolated finds were located in the Dampier to Perth survey area (DAS 1979: 51). Archaeological scatter evidence recorded during this survey, including stone, shell and glass artefacts, stone quarries, marked trees, a burial, stone structures and engravings, indicated that the areas were extensively utilised by Aboriginal people at one time either intermittently or interminably, most likely as habitation sites, such as camping and hunting grounds, as well as special purpose or limited activity sites, including ceremonial and mythological places (DAS 1979: 11, 51, 67). The Department of Aboriginal Sites further recommended that due to time constraints, environmental restrictions and visual handicaps additional archaeological investigations in the vicinity of the natural gas pipeline route should be conducted (DAS 1979: 69, 70).
During the ethnographic heritage survey 6 new Aboriginal heritage sites were identified, as recognised by the Aboriginal custodians. These sites consisted of mythological, camping, hunting, ritual, ceremonial, and Thalu places (DAS 1979: 13-19). As such, the Department of Aboriginal Sites therefore recommended that the State Energy Commission alter the natural gas pipeline proposal as not to disturb a number of these sites and their natural features of the landscape that are the concern of these mythologies (DAS 1979: 19). The Department of Aboriginal Sites further recommended that if the State Energy Commission if are unable to avoid these sites they must apply under the Aboriginal Heritage Act for permission to do so (DAS 1979: 13-19). This report also recommended that additional field research needs to be undertaken in order to collect further ethnographic material on some of the sites recorded and to further substantiate aspects of material already obtained (DAS 1979: 20).
In relation to the current survey area, the Department of Aboriginal Sites of the Western Australian Museum (1979) pipeline survey area is located traversing through the Gascoyne and Mid-West of Western Australia through the Wheatbelt and into the South West, beginning at Dampier near Karratha and terminating just north of Yarloop. The pipeline survey area lies approximately 12.5 kilometres north-east of SLK 766.03 on the North West Coastal Highway.
OUTCOMES OF ARCHIVAL RESEARCH As a result of archival research conducted for this project no previously recorded Aboriginal heritage sites or places as defined under the DAA were identified to be located within the boundaries of the strategic material source survey areas.
One Aboriginal heritage survey was previously conducted along Burkett Road in 1992 (Wright, et al. 1992) which located a number of archaeological sites along the road corridor which extended north-west from the NWCH and terminated at Minilya-Exmouth Road. No ethnographic sites were recorded, however the presence of baler shell fragments amongst the archaeological material found indicated that the area was extensively occupied by Aboriginal people in the past, as groups likely traversed the coastal plain from Exmouth Gulf seasonally to utilise non-coastal resources (Wright, et al. 1992: 19-20).
23 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
IDENTIFICATION OF SPOKESPEOPLE
THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ON HERITAGE ISSUES Various authors have discussed the contemporary problem of who in the Aboriginal Community has the authority to speak on heritage issues within an area. O’Connor, et al. (1989: 51) suggest that when this question is posed to people in Aboriginal Australia, answers are usually framed by such terms as ‘the traditional owners’, i.e., those people who are defined by place of birth, or descent. Myers (1986: 128) presents a broader and more contemporary view of ‘ownership’ based upon descent and association:
An estate, commonly a sacred site, has a number of individuals who may identify with it and control it. They constitute a group solely in relationship to this estate… Identification refers to a whole set of relationships a person can claim or assert between himself or herself and a place. Because of this multiplicity of claims, land holding groups take essentially the form of bilateral, descending kindreds. Membership as a recognised owner is widely extended, and therefore groups are not a given.
Myers further clarifies the current perception of ‘ownership’ when he states:
....such rights exist only when they are accepted by others. The movement of the political process follows a graduated series of links or claims of increasing substantiality, from mere identification and residual interest in a place to actual control of its sacred association. The possession of such rights as recognised by others, called ‘holding’ (kanyininpa) a country, is the product of negotiation (Myers 1986: 128-129).
While the notion of descent is clearly an important criterion within Myers analysis, it must be seen in terms of the contemporary Yamatji situation. Yamatji tradition in the north-west has been seriously eroded since colonisation, lines of descent have been broken and previously forbidden and mixed marriages have interconnected many Yamatji groups who would not have traditionally had a close association (Machin 1993: 20). Consequently, in contemporary times the criteria of historical ‘association’ may in some cases also be regarded as a ‘right to speak’ on heritage issues within an area:
Traditional subsistence no longer sufficed to support Aboriginals so they combined this with menial work on farms and over time new relationships to land developed. As a consequence, the more recent history associated with their involvement with European agriculture and labour patterns is often more relevant than the pre-contact mode of attachment to an old way of life and the roots of the identity as original owners of the land. Biographical associations are often tied to post-settlement labour patterns and identification. These can predominate. This is part of a dynamic process of ethnicity, identity and tradition (Machin 1995: 11).
O’Connor, et al. (1989) identified several criteria for determining contemporary community spokes people. A spokesperson must have a long-term association with an area, usually as a young person, and had extensive contact with a member or members of the ‘pivotal generation of the culture transmitters’; those people whom, as children themselves, had contact with people who could pass on their traditional knowledge. A spokesperson must also demonstrate knowledge of the region’s natural resources, its hunting, fishing and camping grounds, its local water sources, and the flora. This is important because a person without this knowledge is unlikely to be seen by their fellow Yamatji’ s as truly being from that country, despite having been born or lived in that area. In some cases, people from outside a specific region have established themselves by political activism. They are accepted by their fellow Yamatji because they may have participated in mainstream white pursuits, such as advanced education, or legal and political careers, that have empowered them within the broader community. As such, these people are a valuable resource to the local Aboriginal Community. The people consulted in this survey fulfil at least one of these criteria. 24 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
NATIVE TITLE CLAIMS OVER THE SURVEY AREA Currently lodged with the Register of Native Title Claims and the Schedule of Applications, held by the Commonwealth Native Title Tribunal, there are two registered Native Title applications that overlays the project area. The Schedule of Applications includes registered applications, unregistered applications and applications still undergoing the registration test.
Gnulli WC1997/028 WAD6161/1998 (Registered)
Applicants: Mr Laurence Cooyou, Mr Ronald Crowe, Mr Sydney Dale, Ms Gwen Cooyou, Ms Mary Franklin, Ms Ruby McIntosh, Ms Sharon Crowe
SELECTION OF SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THIS SURVEY In line with the survey scope requirements initial contact was made with the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (Mr Tomas Woodman-Povey) in order to seek advice regards the appropriate people from the Gnulli native title claim to participate in the surveys.
The Gnulli and Budina native title claims are represented in heritage matters by the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation. The Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation advised the consultants that Gnulli representatives would participate in the survey area west of Burkett Road and Budina representatives would participate in the survey area east of Burkett Road.
Subsequently the Heritage Coordinator, Mr Woodman-Povey organised a survey team of appropriate Gnulli and Budina people and advised the consultants that as a result of this pre- consultation process the following people would participate in the survey:
Gnulli WC1997/28 native title claim group representatives:
Mrs Gwen Peck (nee Cooyou) was born in Carnarvon to parents George Cooyou and Nora Fennell. Mr George Cooyou was born on Quobba Station to parents Mr Arthur Cooyou, born at Doorawarrah Station, and Mrs Jean Yingaguru Cooyou, born at Minilya. Ms Nora Fennell was born on Wandagee Station to parents Mr Charlie Fennell, born in Coral Bay, and Mrs Jubilee Fennell (nee Phillips), and born in Jimba Jimba. Mrs Peck undertook schooling in Carnarvon, is the chairperson of the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation and is a member of the Gnulli working group. Her cultural association to the project area is through her familial connections and from growing up in the region.
Mrs Glenda Morrison (nee Cooyou) was born in Carnarvon to parents George Cooyou and Nora Fennell. Mr George Cooyou was born on Quobba Station to parents Mr Arthur Cooyou, born at Doorawarrah Station, and Mrs Jean Yingaguru Cooyou, born at Minilya. Ms Nora Fennell was born on Wandagee Station to parents Mr Charlie Fennell, born in Coral Bay, and Mrs Jubilee Fennell (nee Phillips), and born in Jimba Jimba. Mrs Morrison is the Secretary of the Fellowship for Indigenous Leadership. Her cultural association to the project area is through her familial connections and from growing up in the region.
Ms Julie Cooyou was born in Carnarvon to mother Mrs Gwen Peck (nee Cooyou). Mrs Gwen Peck was born in Carnarvon to parents Mr George Cooyou, born at Quobba Station, and Ms Nora Fennell, born at Wandagee Station. Ms Julie Cooyou undertook schooling in Carnarvon. Her cultural association to the project area is through her familial connections and from growing up in the region.
Ms Debbie Dodd (nee Dickerson) was born in Carnarvon to parents Mr John Dickerson and Ms Lynda Myer. Mr John Dickerson was born in Geraldton to parent Mr Ted Dickerson. Ms Lynda Myer was born in Carnarvon to parents Daisy and Sam. Mrs Dodd is a member of the Gnulli
25 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
working group and shares a cultural association to the project area through her familial connection and from growing up in the area.
Mrs Marie Baron was born on Mia Mia station to parents Mr Paddy Cashen and Ms Dolly Fennell. Ms Dolly Fennell was born on Wandagee Station to parents Mr Charlie Fennell, from Coral Bay, and Mrs Junga Fennell. Mrs Baron is a member of the Gnulli native title claim group and shares a cultural association with the project area through her familial connection and from growing up and working on stations in the area.
Ms Jane Baron was born in Carnarvon to parents Mrs Marie Baron and Mr Charlie Baron. Mr Charlie Baron was born on Narra Tarra Station and is part of the Thalanyji language group. Mrs Marie Baron was born in Mia Mia to parents Mr Paddy Cashen and Ms Dolly Fennell. Mrs Jane Baron undertook schooling in Carnarvon and is a member of the Gnulli native title claim group. She shares a cultural association with the project area through her familial connections and from growing up in the region.
Budina WC2005/004 native title claim group representatives:
Mr Clive Lyndon was born in Subiaco to parents Mr Timothy E Lyndon and Ms Jane Ruby Narrier. Mr Timothy Lyndon was born in a tin hut near the river on Yanrey Station and is part of the Budina language group. Ms Jane Narrier was born in Moora and is part of the Ngulana and Noongar language groups. Her mother was Ms Grace Wilkes. Mr Clive Lyndon undertook schooling at Swan View and Harvey Senior High School. He worked on stations throughout the Upper Gascoyne Region and Ashburton, for Main Roads in Onslow and Carnarvon, the Roebourne Shire, SECWA, DBGP and in Civil Contracting. Mr Lyndon’s cultural association with the project area is through his apical ancestor Jirba, undertaking station work in the area, and through obtaining information about the land from local Aboriginal man, Charlie Lapthorn. Mr Lyndon is part of the Budina working group.
Mr Jesse Owen Lyndon was born in Wickham to parents Mr Clive Lyndon and Ms Rae Murphy. Mr Clive Lyndon is part of the Budina language group and was born in Subiaco to parents Mr Timothy Lyndon, from the Budina language group, and Ms Jane Narrier, from the Noongar language group. Ms Rae Murphy was born in Port Headland and is part of the Nguluma language group. Her parents were an Nguluma woman, Ms Janet Lockyer from Port Headland, and a white man, Mr Brian Murphy from Carnarvon. Mr Jesse Lyndon undertook schooling at St Pauls Primary School and St Lukes High School in Karratha and has work as an apprentice at Rio Tinto Iron Ore, on the Ullawarra and Lyndon Station, at Laing O’Rouke BHP and on Rail Maintenance. Mr Lyndon’s cultural association with the project area is through his apical ancestor Jirba, undertaking station work in the area, and through obtaining information about the land from his father and local Aboriginal men, Charlie and Arthur Lapthorn. Mr Lyndon is part of the Budina working group.
Mr Ruben Lyndon was born in Wickham to parents Mr Clive Lyndon and Ms Rae Murphy. Mr Clive Lyndon is part of the Budina language group and was born in Subiaco to parents Mr Timothy Lyndon, from the Budina language group, and Ms Jane Narrier, from the Noongar language group. Ms Rae Murphy was born in Port Headland and is part of the Nguluma language group. Her parents were Ms Janet Lockyer, an Nguluma woman, from Port Headland, and a white man, Mr Brian Murphy from Carnarvon. Mr Ruben Lyndon undertook schooling at Roebourne and St Paul’s Primary Schools and at St Luke’s High School. Mr Lyndon has worked at Woolworths, Brambles Monodelphous Joint Venture, Rio Tinto and the Lyndon Station. Mr Lyndon’s cultural association with the project area is through his apical ancestor Jirba, undertaking station work in the area, and through obtaining information about the land from his father and local Aboriginal men, Charlie and Arthur Lapthorn. Mr Lyndon is part of the Budina working group.
26 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Mr Frank Gordon Lyndon was born in Subiaco to parents Mr Frank Lyndon and Ms Kathleen Ryder. Mr Frank Lyndon (Snr) is part of the Budina language group and was born in Subiaco to parents Ms Jane Ruby Narrier, born in Moora and part of the Noongar language group; and Mr Timothy Lyndon, born in a tin hut near the river on Yanrey Station and part of the Budina language group. Ms Kathleen Ryder is part of the Noongar language group and was born in Moora to Mr Jack Ryder. Mr Frank Gordon Lyndon undertook schooling at Cannington Senior High School, worked at Spotless and as a Trade Assistant in Karratha. Mr Lyndon’s cultural association with the project area is through his apical ancestor Jirba, his familial connections, and through working in the area.
27 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
AIMS To establish contact with Aboriginal people who retain traditional or current knowledge pertaining to the region. To determine if there are any sites or places of significance, as defined by section 5 of the AHA, within the project area. To record any ethnographic information provided about identified sites or places. To generate consensual recommendations from the Aboriginal community representatives in regards to any section 18 requests and to record management strategies for identified ethnographic and archaeological sites.
METHOD To arrange the survey the selected informants were contacted by YMAC with onsite meetings arranged. At the commencement of the meeting the informants were briefed as to the details of the project with the aid of the project plans and previously recorded Aboriginal heritage sites overlaid upon a large scale air photo map. Ethnographic information was recorded in a notebook and photographs of the survey process were taken. GPS coordinates of any cultural features were recorded in the field and transferred to mapping software ArcView V10 where final maps were produced.
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION PROCESS On the 9th of August 2014 BGA consultants Mr Brad Goode and Ms Louise Huxtable (Anthropologists) assisted by Mr Alistair Vaughn (YMAC Anthropologist) met members of the Gnulli WC1997/028 native title claim, Mrs Gwen Peck, Mrs Glenda Morrison, Ms Jane Baron, Ms Debbie Dodd and Mrs Marie Baron in Carnarvon. The participants were briefed as to the project details with the aid of air photo maps showing the location of the highway upgrades and the materials pits prior to driving to the project area to inspect the works.
On the way to the survey area the Gnulli survey team identified an ethnographic site that they wished recorded and reported to the DAA under section 5b of the AHA. The group then drove to the beginning of the survey area at SLK 690 for the first stop.
Figure 3: The Gnulli survey team traveling in convoy north along the NWCH from SLK 690 towards Burkett Road SLK 728.79.
28 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
At SLK 690, the consultants once again orientated the survey team to the project by showing them the stopping point on the air photo maps. The consultants advised that the archaeological team assisted by Gnulli members were walking the 400m wide survey corridor along the Highway and that apart from isolated artefacts had not identified any Aboriginal sites.
The consultants advised the Elders that the survey team would now drive slowly in convoy down the highway to Burkett Road. It was advised that should the Elders known of any sacred, ritual, ceremonial or historical sites within the road corridor that the convoy would stop and that the details would be recorded. At this point all in the group advised that they had no knowledge of such places along this section of the Highway and advised that the road survey corridor was clear of ethnographic sites as defined by section 5 of the AHA.
The group then drove to Barradale north of Yannarie River for lunch. Here the Elders could catch up with the Gnulli members of the archaeological survey team to discuss their results. The Elders were also interviewed by the consultants regarding the ethnographic values of the project area. The Elders stated that the Barradale area is a meeting place for a number of different Aboriginal language groups, as well as the location of camping and hunting grounds. It was advised that historically a large number of Aboriginal family groups, including a number of the informants, had lived and worked on the numerous pastoral stations in the region, such as Barradale, Emu Creek, Minilya, Minderoo, Mia-Mia, Winning and many others.
Several informants advised that there were ceremonial sites near Barradale to the south along the Yannarie River (see also McDonald 2004) and a former camping ground to the northeast of the old Barradale Roadhouse. The group advised that Barradale is therefore considered to be an area of Aboriginal historical and social significance to Aboriginal groups in the region. It was however stated that the places where these activities took place was some distance from the highway and would not be affected by the work proposed and as such the group did not wish to visit these sites and did not require the consultants to record any specific sites under the AHA.
Figure 4: The Gnulli survey team discussing the NWCH inspection with the anthropologists at Barradale located north-east of Yannarie River, view south.
29 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
After this discussion the informants then travelled to the SLK 7.2 bore and SLK 8 the location of the proposed materials pit on Burkett Road.
Here the consultants orientated the Gnulli informants to the survey area through the aid of aerial maps and explained in depth the proposed project involving the materials pit, bore and access tracks. The consultants also advised the informants that the archaeological team assisted by the Gnulli archaeological members had walked the 150.91 hectares extent of the materials pit, 2.86 hectares extent of the bore location, and 0.83 hectares extent of the access track and had located a consistent number of scattered isolated artefacts.
The consultants enquired into any possible places of cultural significance within the materials pit and bore location, including any sacred, ritual, ceremonial or historical sites that could account for the archaeological remains. The Gnulli survey group advised that they had no knowledge of such places in this area, however Mrs Peck enquired as to why this specific place was chosen for the gravel pit. Mr Goode responded that due to geological surveys and sampling this area would have been found to have gravel of the sort deemed suitable for road building.
The Gnulli survey group expressed a concern about the removal of vegetation, including native plant species, and requested that the area of SLK 7.2 and SLK 8 be rehabilitated on the completion of the project. The ethnographic consultation concluded with the Gnulli representatives advising that the SLK 8 material pit, SLK 7.2 bore and access track on Burkett Road was clear of ethnographic sites as defined by section 5 of the AHA.
Figure 5: SLK 8 Materials Source pit, west of Burkett Road, view west. Insert: Anthropologist Mr Brad Goode discussing the material pits with (from left) Ms Debbie Dodd, Ms Jane Baron and Ms Julie Cooyou.
On the 10th of August 2014 the BGA and YMAC anthropologists met members of the Budina WC2004/005 native title claim group, Mr Clive Lyndon, Mr Ruben Lyndon, Mr Frank Lyndon and Mr Jesse Lyndon at Emu Creek Station near Barradale. A discussion followed where the Budina participants were briefed as to the project details with the aid of air photo maps showing the location of the Highway upgrades, the materials pits, access tracks and works area. The Budina representatives were also asked if they previously knew of any sites of sacred, ritual, ceremonial or historical significance. The Budina survey group responded that they had no knowledge of such places of this nature in this area.
30 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
The Budina representatives then undertook a four day field inspection of SLK 743 Areas 1, 2 and 3 and the NWCH highway between Burkett Road and Yannarie River with Mr Paul Greenfeld and Mr Alistair Vaughn (YMAC). During the course of the survey the Budina informants were once again asked if there were any sites of significance, including places of ritual, ceremonial, sacred, or historical importance within the survey areas. The participants responded once again that they had no knowledge of such places of this nature and subsequently could not identify such areas. As such it was stated that to the best of their knowledge there are no ethnographic sites of significance as defined by Section 5 of the AHA located within the areas proposed for development by Main Roads.
Following the ethnographic surveys Main Roads requested that the consultants consider a further materials source pit, located at SLK 10 on Burkett Road that had not been defined when the consultants were in the field. Subsequently, contact was made with YMAC in order to provide a survey team to consider this new materials pit (see Appendix 4: Correspondence).
YMAC made contact with both the Gnulli and Budina native title claim representatives who declined the invitation for further survey, stating that they had previously inspected the area and had no ethnographic or cultural issues with the proposal.
The consultants advised Main Roads that the previously recorded archaeological site (Site ID 6097) was outside the area determined for the materials extraction based on an archival review of the site file. This information was supplied to YMAC who advised that they did not consider that any further archaeological survey was required and that should archaeological material be found during the clearing that it should be salvaged and relocated outside of the development area. Subsequently, monitoring by the Gnulli or Budina native title representatives was recommended for Materials Source pit SLK 10 Burkett Road.
Figure 6: The survey team (from left) Ms Louise Huxtable, Mr Frank Lyndon, Mr Stuart Johnston, Mr Paul Greenfeld, Mr Brad Goode, Mr Jesse Lyndon, Clive Lyndon and Mr Ruben Lyndon at Emu Creek Station.
31 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION OUTCOMES As a result of consultations with several nominated members of the Gnulli WC1997/028 and Budina WC2004/005 native title claim groups it has been determined that there are no ethnographic sites of significance as defined by section 5b, 5c, 39.2 & 39.3 of the AHA located within the proposed materials pit, bore, access tracks and highway road widening locations at SLK 690-766.03, SLK 7.2, SLK 8, SLK 10 Burkett Road Access Tracks, SLK 743 Areas 1, 2 & 3, and SLK 743 Access Track.
During the survey the Gnulli WC1997/028 native title representatives identified an ethnographic site on the east side of the NWCH outside of the survey area which they wished recorded and reported to the DAA under section 5b of the AHA.
The site was identified approximately 3.4 km south of the Minilya River Bridge and 130.4m east of the NWCH at SLK 606.4. It was requested that the location and extent (5m) be noted by Main Roads as a place of Aboriginal heritage significance that they wished to be protected.
Therefore, the Gnulli informants recommend that Main Roads proceed with their gravel extraction pits, road widening and drain re-establishing project in the proposed survey area but avoid the location of this place of significance.
Following materials extraction it was requested by the Gnulli and Budina native title claim groups that all former materials pits are rehabilitated with flora of local provenance.
32 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
RECOMMENDATIONS As a result of the survey following recommendations can be made:
It is recommended that Main Roads proceeds with their plans to undertake road widening, construct several strategic materials pits, and re-establish drain and road formations along the North West Coastal Highway between SLK 690 and SLK 766.03, at Burkett Road SLK 7.2, SLK 8 and SLK 10, and along NWCH at SLK 743 Areas 1, 2 & 3 without risk of breaching section 17 of the AHA in relation to ethnographic Aboriginal heritage sites and places, as defined by section 5 of the AHA.
It is recommended that Main Road conduct archaeological monitoring when excavating material from pits at SLK 8 and SLK 10 on Burkett Road in line with management requests made by the survey informants and YMAC.
Should archaeological material be discovered during this work it is further recommended that Main Roads call in an archaeologist to record such material and seek advice regarding any approvals that may be required under the AHA.
Following advice regarding approvals, all such material should be salvaged and relocated in line with the wishes of the traditional owners.
It is recommended that Main Roads rehabilitate all materials pits after extraction is complete.
It is finally recommended that Main Roads avoid the reported ethnographic site located 130.4m east of the North West Coastal Highway at SLK 606.4.
33 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
BIBLIOGRAPHY Bates, D. 1914, ‘Social Organisation of some Western Australian Tribes’, in Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science Vol. 14, p. 387-400, cited in McDonald, E. 2004, Report of an ethnographic survey: Straits Resources Exmouth Salt Project, Ashburton Region, Western Australia, report prepared for Straits Resources and the Buurabalayji Thalanyji Association Inc.
Bates, D. 1966, The Passing of the Aborigines, John Murray: London.
Bates, D. 1985, The Native Tribes of Western Australia I. White (Ed.). National Library of Australia: Canberra.
Berndt, R. 1959, ‘The Concept of ‘tribe’ in the Western Desert of Australia’ in Oceania vol. 30 (2).
Berndt, R. and Berndt, C. 1978, Pioneers and Settlers, Pitman Press, Victoria.
Berndt, R. and Berndt, C. (Eds.) 1979, Aborigines of the West: Their Past & Their Present, University of Western Australia Press: Perth.
Berndt, R. and Berndt, C. 1999, The World of the First Australians, Aboriginal Traditional Life: Past and Present, Aboriginal Studies Press: Canberra.
Bloemen, A. and Parker, T. 1997, Hedland Voices – A visual and oral record celebrating the first hundred years of the Town of Port Hedland, Published by the Port Hedland Historical Society.
Campbell-Smith, S. and McDonald, E.M. 1994, Open Report of an Aboriginal Heritage Survey of Carlston and White Peaks Prospect, Minilya and Cardabia Stations, Gascoyne Regions, report prepared for Carnarvon Petroleum.
Clark, B. 1992, Yammatji: Aboriginal Memories of the Gascoyne, Hesperian Press: Victoria Park, Western Australia.
Colonial Secretary’s Office (CSO) 1884, Report on Kidnapping in Fitzroy River, 1502/43 in Acc. 388. 76, Battye Library, Perth, cited in Paterson, A. 2006, ‘Towards a historical archaeology of Western Australia’s Northwest’, Australasian Historical Archaeology, vol. 24, p. 102.
Dagmar, H. 1984, ‘A Gascoyne Land Claim’ in Australian Aboriginal Studies, no. 2, p. 54 – 56.
Daniel, D. 1990, Thalu Sites of the West Pilbara, Western Australian Museum, East Perth.
Darmody, M.J. 1986, North West Coastal Highway H7 Carnarvon District Shire of Carnarvon Aboriginal Site Investigation between 528 and 597 SLK, report prepared for Main Roads.
Davis, S.L. 1993, Australia’s Extant and Imputed Traditional Aboriginal Territories, Melbourne University Press: Victoria.
Day, L. and Morrissey, K. 2011, Drawn to Mt Magnet Wannars, Dolly Pots, Shears, 2nd Edn., Shire of Mt Magnet.
34 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Department of Aboriginal Sites of the Western Australian Museum, 1979, Dampier to Perth Natural Gas Pipeline Route: A Survey for Aboriginal Sites, report prepared for the State Energy Commission, March 1979.
Elkin, A. 1938, The Australian Aborigines, Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Flood, J. 1983, Archaeology of the Dreamtime, The Story of Prehistoric Australia and Her People, published by Williams Collins Pty Ltd.
Green, N. 1984, Broken Spears: Aboriginals and Europeans in the southwest of Australia, Focus Education Services, Perth.
Green, N., Hook, F. and Veitch, B. 1996, The Report of an Aboriginal Heritage Survey of Hill 50 Gold Mine N.L. Mining Tenements, Mount Magnet, Western Australia, for Western Mining Corporation Ltd, April 1996.
Heydon, P.R. 1994, Meekatharra “End of the Earth”, Diminion Mining Limited: West Perth, Western Australia.
Liberman, K. 1978, A Survey for Aboriginal Sites 1976 Yeelirrie Uranium Project, restricted report prepared for the Aboriginal Sites Department, Western Australian Museum.
Machin, B. 1993, Ethnographic Survey: Dunsborough Pipeline, An unpublished report prepared for the Western Australian Water Authority
Machin, B. 1995, Ethnographic Survey: Jangardup Project, Unpublished report prepared for Main Roads Western Australia.
Machin, B. 1998, Anthropological Survey for Aboriginal Sites for Magellan Leases M/L 53/501, 502, 503, 504, 505, E/L 53/28, 644, 694, 695, 315, 327 by Tamara Pty Ltd Fremantle.
McCarthy, M. 2007, ‘Pearling at Shark Bay: the early beginnings’ in Green, J. (ed.) Report on the 2006 Western Australian Museum, Department of Maritime Archaeology, Cape Inscription National Heritage Listing Archaeological Survey, Department of Maritime Archaeology Western Australian Museum, vol. 223, no. 10, p. 157 – 161.
McDonald, E. 2004, Report of an ethnographic survey: Straits Resources Exmouth Salt Project, Ashburton Region, Western Australia, report prepared for Straits Resources and the Buurabalayji Thalanyji Association Inc
Morse, K. and Wright, G. 1989, An Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Proposed Coral Coast Development Area, Point Maud, Western Australia, report prepared for Coral Coast Marina Development Pty. Ltd, September 1989.
Myers, F.R. 1986, Pintupi Country, Pintupi Self, Sentiment, Place and Politics among Western Desert Aborigines, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington and London, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies: Canberra.
O’Connor, R., Quartermaine, G. and Bodney, C. 1989, Report on an Investigation into the Aboriginal Significance of Wetlands and Rivers in the Perth – Bunbury Region, Western Australian Water Resources Council.
O’Connor, R. and Quartermaine, G. 1990, Report on an Aboriginal Survey of the proposed Barrabiddy Deviation, North West Coastal Highway, Carnarvon, report prepared for Main Roads 35 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Paterson, A. 2006, ‘Towards a historical archaeology of Western Australia’s Northwest’, Australasian Historical Archaeology, vol. 24
Peterson, N. 1970, ‘Buluwandi: A Central Australian Ceremony for the Resolution of Conflict’ in Berndt, R. (Ed.) Aborigines and Change, A.I.A.S, Canberra.
Petkovic, J. 2009, ‘Aboriginal Groups in the Stefano Manuscript’ in The Wreck of the Austro- Hungarian Barque Stefano on the North West Coast of Australia, Baccich, M. & Skurla, S. 1876.
Playford, P. 1996, Carpet of Silver: The Wreck of the Zuytdorp, University of Western Australia Publishing, Perth
Preest, A. 2012, Ningaloo Indigenous Heritage, Western Australia, 22nd December 2012, www.kingsningalooreeftours.com.au, accessed 25th August 2014
Radcliffe-Brown, A.R. 1926, ‘The Rainbow-Serpent Myth of Australia,’ The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 56.
Radcliffe-Brown, A.R. 1931, ‘The Social Organization of Australian Tribes,’ Oceania, Vol 1. No. 2, p. 206-246.
Radcliffe-Brown, A.R 1952, Structure and Function in Primitive Society, Cohen and West, London.
Radcliffe-Brown, A.R. n.d., Unpublished field notes and manuscripts, University of Sydney archives, cited in McDonald, E. 2004, Report of an ethnographic survey: Straits Resources Exmouth Salt Project, Ashburton Region, Western Australia, report prepared for Straits Resources and the Buurabalayji Thalanyji Association Inc.
Silberbauer, G.B. 1994, ‘A Sense of Place’ in Burch, E.S.J & Ellena, L.J (Eds.) Key Issues in Hunter-Gatherer Research, Berg: Oxford.
Stanner, W. 1965, ‘Aboriginal territorial organization: Estate, range, domain and regime’, in Oceania vol. 36 (1).
Tindale, N.B. 1974, Aboriginal Tribes in Australia, University of California Press, Berkley.
Tonkinson, R. 1991, The Mardu Aborigines: living the dream in Australia’s desert (2nd Ed.), Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc., Fort Worth
Webb, M.J. & Webb, A. 1983, Edge of Empire, Artlook Publications, Perth
Withnell, J. 1901, The Customs and Traditions of the Aboriginal Natives of North Western Australia, Hesperian Press, Carlisle
Wright, G., Morse, K. and Fry, R. 1992, Report of an Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Bullara–Giralia Road, Shire of Exmouth, Western Australia, report prepared for Main Roads, August 1992.
36 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
REPORT ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NWCH UPGRADE (STAGE 2) SLK 690-766.03, GNULLI & BUDINA SECTIONS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
A report prepared for Brad Goode & Associates on behalf of Main Roads Western Australia
By Mr Paul Greenfeld (BA Hons., Grad. Dip.; MAACAI) Consulting Archaeologist Deep Woods Surveys Pty Ltd PO Box 1625 ALBANY WA 6331 [email protected]
September 2014
37 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report details the results on the archaeological survey of the North West Coastal Highway (NWCH) Upgrade (Stage 2) SLK 690-766.03. The upgrade involves the widening of the current road surface as well as the clearance of several material sources and associated access tracks (Table 2, Figures 8-11).
The archaeological survey was undertaken by the author (Mr Paul Greenfeld) and Mr Stuart Johnston, with representatives of the Gnulli and the Budina People native title claims between 6th August to 13th August 2014.
The Gnulli & Budina People are two closely related groups. For the purposes of this heritage survey, it was agreed that the Gnulli representatives would survey south of the Burkett Road turn-off (approximately SLK 729), and Budina representatives would continue the survey north of the turn-off.
Prior to the survey commencing a search of the Aboriginal Sites Register at the Department of Aboriginal Affairs was undertaken to identify if there were any known Aboriginal Sites located within the boundaries of the NWCH road widening corridor and material sources. No known/registered Aboriginal sites were identified within the road corridor.
One registered Aboriginal site (Site ID 6097 Bullara-Giralia Road 01), a stone artefact scatter, was identified to have a DAA extent over the north-western boundary of material source SLK 10 Burkett Road (see Figure 10). However archival research has determined that the sites actual location is outside the boundary of the materials extraction area at SLK 10 Burkett Road.
At the time of the initial survey Main Roads had yet to provide the consultants with a survey request to consider this materials source. After the stated period of field work Main Roads advised the consultants that they wished the survey to also consider this materials source. Subsequently, the consultants advised the Gnulli representatives that they wished to conduct further survey at the materials pit at SLK 10 Burkett Road. However the Gnulli representatives and their representative body YMAC advised that they did not wished to return to survey this area and that the area could be managed during construction by archaeological monitoring.
During the course of the archaeological field survey no archaeological sites as defined by Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972-1980 were identified.
A total of 129 isolated stone artefacts were noted during the course of the archaeological survey of the NWCH Upgrade (Stage 2) SLK 690-766.03. The majority of the stone artefacts (n=108: 83%) were made from a fine-grained silcrete (see Table 17 & Figures 13, 14, 16 & 19). All but 4 (n=125: 97%) of the artefacts were found south of Burkett Road, within the Gnulli section of the survey area. The highest number of stone artefacts (n=84: 65%) were noted within material source (SLK 8) south of Burkett Road. Based upon the results of the inspection at SLK 8 Burkett Road, it is believed that a similar artefact patterning would be present at SLK 10 Burkett Road.
As a result of the archaeological survey the following recommendations are made:
It is recommended that Main Roads notify its staff and contractors of the high number of isolated stone artefacts identified within the southern half of the NWCH road widening corridor and Material Sources SLK 8 & SLK 10 Burkett Road. It is recommended that Gnulli representatives be engaged by Main Roads (or its contractors) as monitors during any ground disturbance carried out within the Gnulli section of the NWCH road widening corridor and Material Sources SLK 8 & SLK 10 Burkett Road.
38 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
It is finally recommended that during the course of monitoring if archaeological material of sufficient quantity is identified by the Aboriginal monitors, that Main Roads retain a suitably qualified archaeologist to be called in to assess such material and to determine if this material constitutes a site under the definition of section 5a of the AHA and to provide Main Roads with advice in regards to any consents that may be required under the AHA to proceed.
Should the above concerns and recommendations be taken into account, the Gnulli & Budina representatives involved in the archaeological survey consented to Main Roads proceeding, under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972-80, with the proposed upgrade of NWCH Upgrade (Stage 2) SLK 690-766.03, as defined by this report.
39 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
INTRODUCTION This report provides details on the archaeological survey of the North West Coastal Highway (NWCH) Upgrade (Stage 2) SLK 690-766.03. The upgrade involves the widening of the current road surface as well as the clearance of several material sources and associated access tracks (Table 2, Figures 8-11).
Table 2: Details and SLK of NWCH Upgrade (Stage 2) road corridor and material sources (SLK 690-766.03). Name SLK Comments 690- 200m each side of centreline. A 50% sample. Road Corridor 766.03 (distance of 76.03 km) Material Source Burkett Road 8 150.91 hectares Material Source Burkett Road 10 48.86 hectares Water Bore Burkett Road 7.2 2.86 hectares Access Track Burkett Road 7.2-8 0.83 hectares (length approximately 400m) Area 1 Material Source 743 8.55 hectares Area 2 Material Source 743 4.98 hectares Area 3 Material Source 743 2.32 hectares Access Tracks to Areas 1, 2 & 3 743 10.26 hectares (length approximately 5 km)
The Gnulli native title group and Budina People are two closely related groups. Both groups agreed for the purpose of conducting this heritage survey that members of the Gnulli native title claim group will survey on the Southern side of the Burkett Road turn-off (approximately SLK 729) and members of the Budina native title claim group will survey on the Northern side.
NWCH is the main link between regional centres at Geraldton, Carnarvon, Karratha and Port Hedland and provides access to various tourist destinations, mining operations and pastoral communities. The highway is also a main freight route with triple road trains operating north of Carnarvon. It is anticipated that the demand for the movement of freight will increase with proposed industry expansions and new mining developments in the Northern Gascoyne and Western Pilbara.
Presently the NWCH has a nominal seal width of 6.2m that is considered unsafe for the current and expected future traffic volumes.
Main Roads Gascoyne Region is proposing to widen the road formation and re-establish the drains along the North West Coastal Highway, to provide a safer trafficable surface for the road users especially road trains and to make the road a more consistent width. The wider surface will provide greater separation between vehicles and significantly reduce the deterioration of the shoulders (a particular concern as many vehicles are towing caravans).
In order to undertake the proposed widening, Main Roads will be conducting the project in two stages, both requiring the sourcing of road building materials. Main Roads intends to both expand existing and establish new material sites outside the road reserve for use in this project. The proposed pit locations will form areas that will be utilised by the Gascoyne Region as strategic material locations for the extended future.
The study area required for this survey will encompass the following;
200m either side of the road centreline for the length of highway from SLK 690-766.03. Please note: that this aspect of the scope may cover various portions of other areas identified for consideration that fall within the 200m highway survey (Figure 8). Burkett Road Area SLK 8 (Figure 9). Burkett Road Area SLK 10 (Figure 10). 40 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
New material areas (& associated access tracks) identified as; NWCH SLK 743 Areas 1, 2 & 3 (Figure 11).
The archaeological survey was undertaken by the author (Mr Paul Greenfeld) and Mr Stuart Johnston, with representatives of the Gnulli and the Budina People native title claims between 6th August to 13th August 2014.
METHODOLOGY The archaeological survey was carried out by two archaeologists, Mr Paul Greenfeld and Mr Stuart Johnston, with four representatives of the Gnulli native title claim group from 6th August to 9th August 2014 and four representatives of the Budina People from 11th August to 13th August 2014. The survey participants undertook a series of spaced pedestrian transects along the road corridor and material sources.
Any Aboriginal Sites identified were to be recorded to a standard consistent with a Site Identification survey, as set out in the Draft Guidelines for Aboriginal Heritage Assessment in Western Australia (DAS 1993: 22; DAA 2005). In this type of survey, sites are located and documented, with the spatial extent and significance of the sites recorded.
Any sites located were to be recorded following the same methodology – random representative sample squares recorded in situ, with the geographical location of the site recorded. The spatial extent of each site was recorded and flagged in yellow flagging tape. Photographs of the recorded artefactual material and the site were taken.
The datum used for all coordinates during this survey was GDA 1994 Zone 50.
SITE TYPES On the basis of previous archaeological studies in the region, a number of different types of Indigenous archaeological sites may be encountered. Definitions of these sites are as follows (Hiscock and Mitchell 1993; Burke and Smith 2004; Department of Aboriginal Sites n.d.).
Artefact scatter refers to locations where a range of activities has occurred such as the manufacture and maintenance of tools and the processing of foods. These sites will often contain a wider range of lithic materials than quarries and reduction scatters. For the purposes of this assessment an artefact scatter was defined as any concentration consisting of the following:
More than five artefacts. A minimum average artefact density of 0.05 artefacts per m². An average artefact density of more than five times the average density of isolated artefacts (Hughes and Quartermaine 1992).
Shell scatter and midden refers to the occasional (scatter) or frequent long term use (midden) of economically sized edible shell species.
Gnamma hole/water source refers to a natural or artificial rock cavity which holds water after rain or is linked to the water table.
Quarry refers to a location from which stone used to manufacture flaked or ground stone artefacts has been extracted.
Reduction area refers to a cluster of stone artefacts which represent the remains of the flaking of a core. Artefacts within a reduction area can usually be conjoined back together. 41 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Rock art refers to art placed on a rock surface. Such art may be created by additive (such as painting or drawing) or subtractive (such as abrading or engraving) processes.
Rock shelter refers to an overhang, cave or cliff face that contains evidence of human occupation in the form of stone artefacts, charcoal, faunal material or rock art.
Where the evidence for human occupation is solely in the form of stone artefacts, the definition for a site is the same as for open scatters. Rock shelters with insufficient stone artefacts to warrant classification as a site, but displaying the potential for subsurface cultural material, will be recorded as potential sites.
Modified tree is one which has its trunk and limbs modified by the removal of bark and/or wood. Aboriginal people removed wood/bark for material items such as shields and baskets or to access native honey inside hollows in the tree.
Structure is a term used by DIA that refers to groupings or piles of rocks or tree branches, relating to economic (eg. habitation) or ceremonial practices. Cairns may mark water sources, rock shelters may be walled to make small animal habitats and tall stones or lines of stones may indicate ritual grounds. Tree trunks trimmed of branches have been identified in rock shelters and are interpreted as ladders.
SITE SCALE DEFINITIONS The definitions for scales of site size and artefact density used in the report are as follows (Tables 3 and 4):
Table 3: Classification of site size. Site Size (m²) Classification (Size) <99 m² Small 100 – 999 m² Small-Medium 1000-9,999 m² Medium-Large 10,000-99,999 m² Large >100,000 m² Very Large
Table 4: Classification of artefact density within a site. Artefact Density (per m²) Classification (Density) <0.15/m² Low 0.15-1/m² Medium 1-10/m² High >10/m² Very High
42 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
ENVIRONMENT
SURVEY AREA The vegetation present along the NWCH road corridor and material sources varied from very light to quite thick and was typical of southern Pilbara bushland – mulga scrub with knee-high saltbush (Atriplex vesicaria), acacias and spinifex.
Parts of the road corridor and material sources surveyed showed evidence of having been disturbed in past, most likely as sources for gravel and road base.
GASCOYNE REGION Climate The Pilbara arid Gascoyne Regions experience similar climatic conditions and, as a consequence, no sub-regions within them have been distinguished on this basis. Both regions are situated within the Australian Arid Zone (Gentilli 1972: 255-231), and are said to experience a Subtropical Arid Climate. This is characterised by low unpredictable rainfall, an extreme temperature range and as a result, high evaporation rates year round. Owing to the great variation in both annual and seasonal rainfall, it is virtually impossible to predict the timing and intensity of rain periods across these regions. Long term precipitation figures suggest that average rainfall is somewhere between 260-320mm annually. Most rainfall is received during the summer months (December to March) as a result of tropical cyclonic activity and localised thunderstorms, which are determined by the location of the Intertropical Convergence Zone over northern Australia. Heavy rains may also occur during early winter (May to July) as a result of the northward extension of the Southern Ocean depressions. The driest months of the year are generally September and October, when there is usually no precipitation. However, in common with much of the arid zone, zero precipitation has been recorded variously for each month of the year (Beard 1975: 10). Extreme rainfall events are an occasional occurrence, during which more than double the annual average may fall within a matter of days. The effectiveness of precipitation is controlled by the annual evaporation rate, which in these regions is 3000mm and greatly exceeds rainfall for most months of the year.
The Pilbara and Gascoyne experience a wide variance in average diurnal temperatures, with generally very high maxima. During the summer months, January-February in particular, mean daily maximum temperatures peak between 36°C-41°C, and do not fall much below the mid- twenties. Winters (May to September) are generally mild with mean daily maxima of 24°C- 30°C and an average minimum of 8.5°C. Sub-zero temperatures and frosts are recorded in the Hamersley Plateau a few days each winter (Bureau of Meteorology).
Vegetation The Nanutarra-Munjina Road fenceline easements lie within the Ashburton Botanical District of the Eremean Botanical Province (Beard 1975), which contains much of the drought adapted flora of the arid zone. Throughout the vegetation is largely mulga (Acacia aneura) often in association with snakewood (A. xiphophyl/a) and other Acacia spp. Bunch grassland also occurs on heavier soils.
In some valleys mulga woodland is dominant whilst major rivers and creeks often possess a fringing vegetation of river red gum (Eucalyptus camadulensis), coolibah (E. coo/ibah) and the smaller cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendra) assume dominance. Narrow river flats may support a tree cover of E. c,o olibah, Acacia citrinoviridis and A. coriacea. Annuals, such as the creeper Operculina brownii, occur as ground cover species along with grasses such as Cenchrus ciliaris. The route is predominantly colonised by Acacia aneura shrub steppe with the grasses Triodia pungens, Eragrostis spp and Pterigeron spp present as a minor catena. Where the fenceline crosses drainage lines the hydrophilic tree species, described above, are routinely present. Scattered tall shrubs such as Acacia pachycarpa, A. holoscericea, A. tumidia, Hakea subarea and Owenia reticulata are also present on the plain, depending upon local and micro- 43 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
environmental conditions. Throughout the fenceline easements the native vegetation communities are largely dominant. However, pressures from introduced herbivores, particularly in the rangelands adjacent to the Nanutarra-Munjina Road, and localised developments have affected the exact composition and it is likely that more sensitive and palatable species are now less common than prior to European settlement (Beard 1990).
Geology The northern portion of this region is dominated by the Ashburton Basin, which entirely contains the Ashburton River. The valleys and flood plains of this river are the major contributors to the surface geology and landform of this region and are composed of Tertiary and Quaternary alluvial valley fill deposits. Underlying these deposits and outcropping occasionally are the Lower Proterozoic rocks of the Wyloo group some characteristics of which have been described previously. In summary, however, these consist of dark brown to maroon shales with steeply dipping bedding planes, minor greywacke, sandstone and dolomite. In the area of the Gascoyne toward Newman, the Middle Proterozoic sandstones and conglomerates of the Breshnan group replace the rocks of the Wyloo group. The Breshnan group sediments are frequently intruded by dolerite dykes and sills which contribute lithic diversity to this area. In the area immediately south of Newman is the Sylvania Inlier, a greenstone belt, which lies at the foot of rugged hills formed of Collier sub-group sediments of the Middle Proterozoic Bangemall group. The Bangemall group and sub-groups are composed predominantly of sandstone with localised occurrences of conglomerate, siltstone, shale and chert.
Owing to the economic importance of the rangelands bounding the Ashburton River, a number of studies have been conducted within the Ashburton catchment that has resulted in the identification of a number of characteristic soil types. From immediately inland of the coastal plain to the vicinity of Wyloo, the soils of the Ashburton Basin have been characterised as the Stuart Soil Region and comprise sand and loams over clay. Across this area deep gradational duplex soils also occur, which have sandy or loamy surface horizons and an increasing clay fraction with depth. Skeletal soils are also present on areas of relief or slope. Elsewhere across the Gascoyne are shallow skeletal soils, leached coarse grained red earths and red sands are dominant, occurring on mesa tops and hill slopes, and are derived from in situ weathering of parent rock. The drainage lines and floodplains located in the central and eastern portions of the region are composed of various loams, clays, duplex soils and silty sandy alluvium. Stream beds are characterised by sandy silty sediments also, however, aggregations of pebbles and cobbles may also occur as a variety of bedforms. South of Newman a hard calcrete cap forms an extensive sheet across the land surface, although pockets of sandy to loamy alluvium also occur.
Surface Hydrology As indicated in the above discussion and similar to the Pilbara Region, water, is again one of the major contributors to the present form of the Gascoyne through their surface modifying traits of erosion and deposition. The Ashburton River, marking the northern boundary of this region, is the major drainage system and is fed by south-westerly flowing tributaries such as the Angelo River, Seven-Mile Creek and Turee Creek and those flowing north such as the Henry River and Iregully Creek. All major streamlines generally have well-defined courses and when flowing are fresh.
The rivers characteristically flow in their lower courses through extensive floodplains, whereas in many cases their upper portions traverse deep gorges. This results from Tertiary drainage rejuvenation, causing down-cutting through pre-existing beds. Many of the rivers, however, are now mature in form and have gentle.
All the rivers are ephemeral and only flow occasionally following heavy cyclonic rains. Consequently, they are dry for most of the year except for chains of water holes or large pools, which may last for considerable periods. Apart from these and a few springs there are no permanent surface waters in this region.
44 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND
ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND Archaeological research carried out along the Gascoyne coast has shown that some areas such as North West Cape have been constantly occupied and exploited over the last 30,000 years (Morse 1988). These places termed as refuges were able to sustain life and provide enough food for large amounts of people even during the harshest of environmental conditions.
The results of Morse’s (1988) work at Mandu Mandu rockshelter, close to Exmouth agrees with work carried out by Smith (1987, 1988) & Veth (1989a, 1989b) in the arid & semi-arid areas of Western Australia. Their research showed that the area has been used and occupied for a considerable time, and may even predate the last glacial maximum that occurred roughly 20,000 years ago.
Ethno-historic research refers to the local Aboriginal people of the coastal and inland Gascoyne as river people whose settlement and subsistence patterns were tied closely to the drainage features, water sources and rainfall patterns of the area. Such subsistence patterns would have necessitated small and mobile family groups.
In archaeological terms the above subsistence and settlement pattern results in large, medium to dense stone artefacts scatters concentrated along the major rivers and creeks. These sites are likely to have the greatest diversity of artefacts and access to raw materials. Away from water sources small sites may be located throughout the coastal plain. These are generally small, discrete low-density artefact scatters.
With increasing distance from the coast, in areas of more seasonal and ephemeral water sources, such as seasonal creeks and clay-pans lower density and more diffuse stone artefact scatters are noted.
ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND SITE LOCATION Prior to the survey commencing a search of the Aboriginal Sites Register at the Department of Aboriginal Affairs was undertaken to identify if there were any known Aboriginal Sites located within the boundaries of the NWCH road widening corridor and material sources. No known/registered aboriginal sites were identified.
One registered Aboriginal site (Site ID 6097 Bullara-Giralia Road 01), a stone artefact scatter, was identified to be outside of the northern boundary of Material Source SLK 10 Burkett Road (see Figure 10). No archaeological survey was carried out over the material source and therefore the site was not relocated. However archival research has determined that the sites actual location is outside of the boundary of the materials extraction area at SLK 10 Burkett Road.
PREDICTION OF SITE LOCATION Based on previous archaeological and ethnographic surveys undertaken by the author within the Pilbara, it is predicted that sites and/or artefacts of archaeological significance shall be located on flat open ground in the vicinity of either a water-source or a rock-source (if not both).
Veth (1993) and Cane (1984) have both observed that there was a deliberate strategy, by Aboriginal people in the Western Desert, of targeting networks of ephemeral water sources, conserving a few larger and more permanent water sources to last in the latter summer months. This settlement pattern produced an initial period of high residential mobility followed by more extended periods of reliance on a few permanent water sources.
45 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
The settlement pattern of a higher ratio of ephemeral ‘satellite’ occupation sites to ‘core’ habitation base camps results in an archaeological site pattern of numerous small artefact scatters across a range of arid environments. In general, it is to be expected that the archaeological signature of semi-arid and arid regions would, therefore, be characterised by:
many small sites associated with ephemeral water sources; a smaller number of larger sites, adjacent more to permanent water; and Special purpose, task specific sites, such as stone quarries, located where conditions permit such as around sources and outcrops of siliceous stone (Veth 1993: 87-93).
The largest archaeological sites, with the greatest archaeological potential to demonstrate social complexity and longevity of use, are expected to be found in association with more permanent water sources. These sites located adjacent to more permanent water sources are predicted to contain greater lithological variety and more intense stone reduction, with greater than average proportions of formal tools and retouched/utilised pieces throughout the site. The presence of copious quantities of debitage associated with the manufacture and rejuvenation of formal implements is also predicted, reflecting lateral recycling and economising of stone resources (see Table 5, Veth 1993: 83-87, 89-101). In contrast, the smaller, less complex sites are thought to be usually associated with ephemeral water sources.
It has been predicted (Table 5) that isolated artefacts, generally assumed to be task specific in nature, do not generally display any of the above characteristics. They tend to be made from locally available stone, are minimally reduced, rarely show evidence of lateral recycling and economising, are not usually formal implements and tend to be larger and heavier than average (Veth 1993: 83-87).
A medium to low level of archaeological material will be associated with salt lake features and breakaways. Salt lake features will have smaller artefact scatters than those generally located on granite exposures. These sites will have a lesser number of raw material and low to medium levels of retouch (Veth 1993).
Table 5: Expected archaeological patterns within sites and the background scatter according to Veth’s (1993: 83-87) Settlement/Subsistence Model. Quantity of Evidence of retouched artefacts, Lithological Artefact stone artefact Context formal implements Size of Artefacts Diversity density maintenance and and seed grinding curation? tools Generally small - High - Yes - artefacts Should be large Permanent assemblage includes show evidence of amounts of small water reduction stages 1, High lateral recycling High debitage associated source 2, 3, 4 and 5 and and core with tool high artefact density exhaustion manufacture and rejuvenation Medium to small in Yes - artefacts Semi- Medium High - size with amounts of show evidence of permanent assemblage includes small debitage Medium lateral recycling Medium High water reduction stages 1, 2 associated with tool and core source and 3 manufacture and exhaustion rejuvenation No - artefacts Ephemeral Low - assemblage rarely reduced, Artefacts larger and water includes reduction Low with minimal Low heavier that the other source stages 1 and 2 evidence for habitation sites curation of stone No - artefacts Low - Artefacts larger and rarely reduced (Isolated assemblage includes Extremely heavier than those with minimal Very Low Artefacts) reduction stages 1 low found on habitation evidence for and 2 sites curation of stone 46 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
SITE SIGNIFICANCE If any sites are located, an assessment is made of its significance. The significance of an archaeological site is determined by its ability to address regional and site-specific research questions and by its representativeness (Bowdler 1984). Significance is a mutable quality, changing as more sites are recorded, research questions are answered or new research directions arise.
Broad research questions that sites in the Gascoyne region may address include:
1) The antiquity of colonization of the Gascoyne.
The ability for sites to contribute to the known sequence of colonization of Western Australia, in particular the northern Gascoyne greatly advances our knowledge and understanding of past occupation.
2) Social and technological changes that may have occurred in the mid-Holocene.
Over the last decade there has been a lot of research undertaken in the Gascoyne. Ongoing research has the ability to pose and answer questions with regards to the changes in exploitation of lithic and subsistence resources that influenced social change in early Indigenous groups.
3) Specific patterns of occupation in regional zones.
All sites can in some way contribute to the known footprint of Indigenous groups as they moved through the country. At the most basic level, archaeological sites are able to be mapped to show their location relative to primary water and lithic resources, as well as Dreaming tracks and significant localities relative to the culture of a specific group. In so doing, we are able to extend our understanding of the patterns and influences of occupation in region.
4) Dating of industrial sequences in the region.
The overwhelming majority of the sites identified and recorded in the Gascoyne contain early-stage tool workings with high degrees of cortex present amongst artefactual debris and debitage. The identification of sites containing flakes and tools further along in the manufacture process or large advanced grinding sites will be able to address the timing of changes in tool and technological industries in the region, a knowledge that is currently lacking.
47 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
RESULTS The archaeological survey of the NWCH Upgrade Stage 2 was undertaken by the author (Mr Paul Greenfeld) and Mr Stuart Johnston, with representatives of the Gnulli People and Budina People from 6th August to 13th August 2014.
The Gnulli native title claim group and Budina People are two closely related groups. The Gnulli native title claim group’s claim is over the southern half of the area (SLK 690-729) and Budina People’s over the northern half (SLK 729-766.03). Both groups have come to an agreement for the purpose of conducting this heritage survey that members of the Gnulli native title claim group will survey on the Southern side of the Burkett Road turn-off (approximately SLK 729) and members of the Budina native title claim group will survey on the Northern side.
During the course of the archaeological survey no archaeological sites as defined by Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972-1980 were identified.
Table 6: Summary of survey results for NWCH road corridor and material sources (SLK 690-766.03). Name SLK Survey Results 690- 200m each side of centreline. A 50% sample. Road Corridor 766.03 (distance of 76.03 km) Numerous isolated artefacts, baler shell & upper Material Source Burkett Road 8 grindstone Material Source Burkett Road 10 No heritage survey carried out. Clear Water Bore Burkett Road 7.2 Clear Access Track Burkett Road 7.2-8 Clear Area 1 Material Source & Access 743 Existing access track & previous disturbance Track Area 2 Material Source & Access 743 Existing access track & previous disturbance Track Area 3 Material Source & Access Access needs to be cleared. One isolated 743 Track artefact
ROAD CORRIDOR SLK 690-766.03 The road widening section of the NWCH Stage 2 Upgrade starts roughly 79km north of Minilya Roadhouse. The upgrade will involve the widening of the current roads surface to 11m for a distance of 76.03km. The study area required for the survey corridor was 200m each side of the current road centreline (see Figure 8).
An archaeological survey was carried out over 50% of the survey corridor. This was achieved by the use of evenly spaced transects being undertaken parallel to the NWCH for distances of 2km-4km. Both sides of the NWCH were evenly sampled.
The vegetation within the road widening corridor was similar along its whole length. The vegetation was dominated by shrubs, a few low trees (both Acacia & Gums) and grasses (esp. Spinifex). In areas of lower elevation or uncoordinated drainage the vegetation was thicker (see Figures 12, 15 & 17).
In general the survey areas were flat and open (see Figure 18). Visibility was generally good at around 40%-70%. The grounds surface was mostly red sand with occasional patches of at times reasonably large stone gibber.
A series of several east-west trending sand dunes, of quite a considerable size & height, were crossed within the Budina section of the survey corridor.
48 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
From Table 17 it can be seen that a total of 41 isolated stone artefacts were noted within Gnulli section (SLK 690-729) of the survey corridor and 3 within the Budina section (SLK 729- 766.03).
The apparent variability between the numbers of stone artefacts identified north and south of Burkett Road will be discussed later in the report (see Isolated Artefacts).
Figure 7: Plan of NWCH Upgrade (Stage 2) - Road Corridor SLK 690-766.03, Gnulli & Budina Section, August 2014.
BURKETT ROAD AREA (SLK 7.2, 8 & 10) Burkett Rd travels northwest from the NWCH to Coral Bay and Exmouth. Main Roads have identified a water bore (SLK 7.2) and two material sources (SLK 8 & 10) on the western side of the road (Figures 9-10 & Tables 7-9).
As it is likely that the areas surveyed will be heavily disturbed during the upgrade of the NWCH the survey team carried out a 100% sample survey of the proposed water bore (SLK 7.2), material source (SLK 8) and access between the two areas (SLK 7.2-8).
The vegetation throughout the Burkett Road survey area consisted predominantly of grasses (esp. Spinifex) and some low trees. The area was very flat with an average visibility 40%-60%.
While the areas set aside for the water bore and access were clear of archaeological material a high number of isolated stone artefacts (n=84) were noted within material source (SLK 8).
Water Bore Burkett Road (SLK 7.2) and Access (SLK 7.2-8) A proposed water bore has been proposed just west of Burkett Road at SLK 7.2 (see Table 7 & Figure 9). The area proposed for the water bore shows some evidence of previous disturbance
49 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
and has an existing dam within its boundary. The water bore survey is quite small measuring 160m (north/south) x 150m (east/west) and covers an area of 3 hectares.
The proposed access between water bore (SLK 7.2) and material source (SLK 8) travels east- west between the two areas (see Figure 9). From Table 7 it can be seen that the proposed access is quite small measuring 400m (east/west) x 20m (north/south).
Both survey areas were inspected through the use of evenly spaced pedestrian transects. A 100% sample was done of both areas. No archaeological material was identified within proposed water bore (SLK 7.2) or access (SLK 7.2-8).
As no archaeological impediments were identified within proposed water bore (SLK 7.2) or access (SLK 7.2-8) Burkett Road, the Gnulli representatives present during the archaeological survey cleared both areas with no additional recommendations.
Table 7: Boundary coordinates Water Bore Burkett Road (SLK 7.2), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 1 248829 7460675 2 248944 7460527 3 248889 7460494 4 248777 7460471 5 248695 7460608
Table 8: Boundary coordinates Access Track Burkett Road (SLK 7.2-8), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 6 248370 7460465 7 248372 7460445 8 248770 7460500 9 2487680 746052
Figure 8: Plan of Material Source (SLK 8), Water Bore & Access (SLK 7.2) Burkett Road, Gnulli Section, August 2014.
50 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Material Source Burkett Road (SLK 8) Material source 8 SLK is situated approximately 650m west of Burkett Road. It is large measuring 1km x 1.9km, covering an area of 150 hectares (see Figure 16 & Table 9).
The vegetation throughout the survey area was dominated by grasses (esp. Spinifex). Visibility was good to average 40%-60%.
The archaeological survey of the material source was undertaken by the use of evenly spaced pedestrian transects. A total (100%) survey was carried out.
A total of 84 isolated stone artefacts were noted during the course of the survey. The majority (86%) were made of a similar fine grained silcrete. In addition a fragment of baler shell and a Muller (upper grindstone) were noted (see Figure 14).
A small soak is located in the north of the survey area appears to have been the focus of past activity. The main concentration of archaeological material surrounds the soak.
Table 9: Boundary Coordinates Material Source Burkett Road (SLK 8), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 10 246231 7461299 11 246977 7461521 12 248373 7460456 13 247518 7459899
Given the high number of stone artefacts identified within proposed material source (SLK 8) Burkett Road, the Gnulli representatives present during the archaeological survey have agreed to clear the area on the proviso that monitors be engaged during ground disturbing activities.
Material Source Burkett Road (SLK 10) Material Source (SLK 10) is situated on the west side of Burkett Road immediately to the north of material source (SLK 8) – see Figure 10, Table 10.
The request from Main Roads to survey the material source came during the present clearance. While it was not possible to carry out a survey of the material source at the time it was always the intent of the archaeologists & anthropologists to return and survey it at a later date. Post survey YMAC informed the authors that the Gnulli native title claim group & Budina People had declined the offer to survey the area.
It was decided that Main Roads would be given a clearance by YMAC for work to proceed on material source (SLK 10) as long as similar recommendations were put in place as those for material source (SLK 8) which is located close by and was the subject of an archaeological survey.
Table 10: Boundary coordinates Material Source Burkett Road (SLK 10), August 2014. Name Easting Northing B-1 247470 7462801 B-2 247260 7462677 B-3 246705 7462443 B-4 246291 7462272 B-5 246633 7461740 B-6 246154 7461456 B-7 245747 7462236 B-8 246141 7462445 B-9 246225 7462270 B-10 246329 7462333 B-11 247288 7462725 B-12 247449 7462837
51 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Figure 9: Plan of Material Source (SLK 10) Burkett Road, Gnulli Section, August 2014.
One registered Aboriginal site (Site ID 6097 Bullara-Giralia Road 01), a stone artefact scatter, was identified to be outside of the northern boundary of material source (SLK 10) Burkett Road (see Figure 10). Research of the site file has determined that the sites actual extent is outside of the area required for materials extraction.
MATERIAL SOURCES AREAS 1-3 (SLK 743) Material sources Areas 1-3 are situated south of the NWCH within the Budina People’s claim area. The Areas are accessed along an existing gravel track leading south of the NWCH (see Figure 11).
Areas 1 & 2 appear have been used as material sources in the past with an access track existing between them. Access to Area 3 will need to be cleared.
The vegetation throughout Areas 1-3 was predominantly grasses with some small trees (see Figure 18). Visibility was mostly average 40%-60%.
As it is likely that the areas surveyed will be heavily disturbed during the upgrade of the NWCH, the survey team carried out a 100% sample survey of Areas 1-3 and access tracks (SLK 743). The archaeological survey of the material source was undertaken by the use of evenly spaced pedestrian transects.
One isolated stone artefact was noted within Area 3 (see Figure 19).
52 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Figure 10: Plan of Material Sources Areas 1-3 and Access (SLK 743), Budina Section, August 2014.
Area 1 and Access (SLK 743) Access to Area 1 is along an existing track heading south of the NWCH. The track is roughly 2.7 km in length and about 5m wide (see Table 11). Main Roads requested that all access tracks be examined to a width of 20m. An archaeological survey of access to Area 1 was undertaken parallel to the existing track. No archaeological material was noted.
Table 11: Boundary coordinates Access Area 1 (SLK 743), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 14 267665 7460938 15 267694 7460780 16 267711 7460176 17 267599 7459298
Area 1 covers a small area and appears to have been used as a material source in the past. It measures 340m (north/south) x 330m (east/west), covering an area of 8.6 hectares (see Table 12 & Figure 11). An archaeological survey was undertaken over the non-disturbed parts of Area 1. No archaeological material was noted.
Table 12: Boundary coordinates Material Source Area 1 (SLK 743), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 18 267427 7459039 19 267245 7458661 20 267099 7458694 21 267099 7459030
Area 2 & Access (SLK 743) Material source Area 2 is situated roughly 570m southwest of Area 1 (see Figure 11). There is an existing two-wheel track between Areas 1 & 2 (see Table 13). As with Area 1 an archaeological survey was carried out parallel to the existing access between Areas 1 & 2. No archaeological material was noted. 53 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Area 2 covers a small area and appears to have been used as a material source in the past. It measures 300m (north/south) x 200m (east/west), covering an area of 5 hectares (see Table 14 & Figure 11). An archaeological survey was undertaken over the non-disturbed parts of Area 2. No archaeological material was noted.
Table 13: Boundary coordinates Access Area 2 (SLK 743), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 22 267127 7458687 23 266992 7458245 24 267035 7458134 25 267013 7458134 26 266983 7458214 27 266965 7458138 28 266938 7458139 29 267108 7458691
Table 14: Boundary coordinates Material Source Area 2 (SLK 743), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 30 267087 7458132 31 267085 7457966 32 267035 7457837 33 266953 7457831 34 266900 7457937 35 266889 7458092 36 266953 7458138
Area 3 and Access (SLK 743) Material source Area 3 is situated roughly 1.2km southeast of Area 2 (see Figure 11). There is no existing access to Area 3 and it will need to be cleared (see Table 15). An archaeological survey was carried out from Areas 1 & 2 to Area 3. No archaeological material was noted.
Area 3 is a very small material source situated on the slope of a south facing hill. It measures 140m (north/south) x 200m (east/west), covering an area of 2.3 hectares. Vegetation was sparse throughout and dominated by grasses (see Figure 18). Visibility was generally good 60%-80%.
A 100% survey of Area 3 was carried out as it is likely that the area will be heavily disturbed during the upgrade of the NWCH. The archaeological survey of the material source was undertaken by the use of evenly spaced pedestrian transects. During the course of the archaeological survey of Area 3 one isolated stone artefact was noted (see Figure 19).
Table 15: Boundary coordinates Material Source Area 3 (SLK 743), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 71 268182 7457210 72 268110 7457210 73 268110 7457350 74 268321 7457350 75 268325 7457306
Table 16: Boundary coordinates Access Area 2 to Area 3 (SLK 743), August 2014. Name Easting Northing 37 267410 7458131 38 267420 7458045 39 267418 7457956 40 267425 7457836 41 267441 7457726 42 267447 7457692 43 268114 7457356 44 268117 7457354 54 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Name Easting Northing 45 268120 7457350 46 268118 7457341 47 268112 7457337 48 268106 7457338 49 267434 7457676 50 267429 7457680 51 267421 7457722 52 267405 7457834 53 267398 7457955 54 267400 7458045 55 267391 7458120 56 267089 7458117 57 267082 7458120 58 267079 7458126 59 267080 7458130 60 267083 7458135 61 267088 7458137 62 267381 7458389 63 267348 7458679 64 267354 7458907 65 267356 7458913 66 267361 7458917 67 267372 7458914 68 267374 7458909 69 267368 7458680 70 267401 7458391
ISOLATED ARTEFACTS A total of 129 isolated stone artefacts were noted during the course of the archaeological survey of the NWCH Upgrade (Stage 2) SLK 690-766.03. The majority of the stone artefacts (n=108: 83%) were made from a fine-grained silcrete (see Table 17 & Figures 13, 14, 16 & 19). All but 4 (n=125: 97%) of the artefacts were found south of Burkett Rd, within the Gnulli section of the survey area. The highest number of stone artefacts (n=84: 65%) were noted within material source (SLK 8) south of Burkett Road.
It is easy to explain the high number of artefacts within material source SLK 8 Burkett Road given that there is a small soak situated close to the northern boundary. A fragment of Baler shell and a Muller (upper grindstone) were also noted close to the soak. A registered Aboriginal site (Site ID 6907) is located 1km to the northwest.
Table 17: Numbers of Isolated Stone Artefacts by survey areas; NWCH Upgrade Stage 2 (SLK 690-766.03). No of Isolated % Silcrete Name % of Total Artefacts (n=129) (n=108: 83%) Road Corridor (Gnulli Section) 41 32 80 Material Source Burkett Rd (8 SLK) 84 65 86 Road Corridor (Budina Section) 3 2 66 Material Source Area 3 (743 SLK) 1 1 100 Total 129 100 108 silcrete (83%-avg)
It is harder to explain the difference in stone artefact numbers south and north of the Burkett Road turn-off. The only explanation I can put forward that makes sense is an environmental one. It is known from work carried out by Morse (1988) at Mandu Mandu rockshelter in Cape Range National Park that Aboriginal people accessed and exploited the Exmouth coast over a
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long period of time. Once you travel north of the pools at Winning there is no more freshwater until you reach the permanent pools along the Yannarie River, a distance of around 60 km.
Also the area north of Minilya Roadhouse is one of the hottest in Western Australia with summertime temperatures reaching close to 500C. Therefore, I feel that due to the aridity, lack of food and general resources that Aboriginal people in the past largely avoided the area between Burkett Road and the Yannarie River preferring to travel inland through the Western Ranges.
Figure 11: Looking north over NWCH road corridor – Gnulli Section, August 2014.
Figure 12: Isolated stone artefacts, NWCH road corridor - Gnulli Section, August 2014.
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Figure 13: Baler Shell fragment, Material Source (SLK 8) Burkett Road, August 2014.
Figure 14: Looking south over NWCH road corridor - Budina Section, August 2014.
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Figure 15: Isolated stone artefact, NWCH road corridor - Budina Section, August 2014.
Figure 16: Looking southeast over access to Area 1 (Material Source SLK 743) - Budina Section, August 2014.
58 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Figure 17: Looking southeast over Area 3 (Material Source SLK 743) - Budina Section, August 2014.
Figure 18: Isolated stone artefact Area 3 (Material Source SLK 743) – Budina Section, August 2014.
59 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS As a result of the archaeological survey the following recommendations are made:
It is recommended that Main Roads notify its staff and contractors of the high number of isolated stone artefacts identified within the southern half of the NWCH road widening corridor and Material Sources SLK 8 & SLK 10 Burkett Road. It is recommended that representatives of the Gnulli native title claim group be engaged by Main Roads (or its contractors) as monitors during any ground disturbance carried out within the Gnulli section of the NWCH road widening corridor and Material Sources SLK 8 & SLK 10 Burkett Road. It is finally recommended that during the course of monitoring if archaeological material of sufficient quantity is identified by the Aboriginal monitors, that Main Roads retain a suitably qualified archaeologist to be called in to assess such material and to determine if this material constitutes a site under the definition of section 5a of the AHA and to provide Main Roads with advice in regards to any consents that may be required under the AHA to proceed.
Should the above concerns and recommendations be taken into account, the Gnulli & Budina representatives involved in the archaeological survey consented to Main Roads proceeding, under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972-80, with the proposed upgrade of NWCH Upgrade (Stage 2) SLK 690-766.03, as defined by this report.
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Bowdler, S. 1984, ‘Archaeological significance as a mutable quality,’ In Site Survey and Significance Assessment in Australian Archaeology, S Sullivan & S. Bowdler (eds) R.S.P.S., A.N.U. Canberra: 1-9.
Burke, H. and Smith, C. 2004, The Archaeologist's Field Handbook, Crowns Nest, Allen and Unwin.
Cane, S. 1984, Desert Camps: A Case Study of Stone Artefacts and Aboriginal Behaviour in the Western Desert, Unpublished PhD thesis, Department of Prehistory, Australian National University, Canberra.
Christensen, W.J.K., Veitch, B. and Veth, P. 1990, Report of an Ethnographic and Archaeological Survey of the Curtin Exploration Lease, east of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
Clarke, J.D.A. 1994, Geomorphology of the Kambalda region, Western Australia, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 41: 229-239.
Department of Aboriginal Sites 1993, Draft - Guidelines for Aboriginal Heritage Assessment in Western Australia, Perth, Department of Indigenous Affairs (now Department of Aboriginal Affairs).
Department of Aboriginal Sites (n.d.), Notes on the recognition of Aboriginal sites, Department of Aboriginal Sites, Western Australian Museum.
Department of [Aboriginal] Affairs 2011, Aboriginal Heritage: Site Identification Survey.
61 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
de Gand, D. 1997, Ethnographic Report of an Aboriginal Heritage Assessment of the St. Ives Gold Mine Expansion Project Area, southeast of Kambalda, Western Australia. February 1997.
Fry, R., Green, N., Hook, F. and Jackson, G. 1994, The Report of an Aboriginal Heritage Survey of the Southern Section Goldfields Gas Transmission Pipeline Route Alterations, WA. December 1994.
Gentilli, J. 1972, Australian climate patterns, Thomas Nelson, Melbourne, Australia.
Green, N., Hook, F., Jackson, G., Mitchell, S., Shipley, L. and Walster, A. 1994, The Report of an Aboriginal Heritage Survey of the Southern Section (Wiluna to Kambalda) of the Goldfields Gas Transmission Pipeline Route and Corridor, WA. October 1994.
Hiscock, O. And Mitchell, S. 1993, Stone artefact quarries and reduction sites in Australia: Towards a type profile, Australian Heritage Commission, Canberra.
Hook, F. 1997a, The Report of an Archaeological Survey of the St Ives Gold Proposed Tailings Storage Facility 3 Project Area, near Kambalda, WA. February 1997.
Hook, F. 1997b, The Report of an Archaeological Survey of the St Ives Gold Expansion Project Area, near Kambalda, WA. February 1997.
Hughes, P. and Quartermaine, G. 1992, Investigations of Aboriginal archaeological sites in the Mesa J development area, Pannawonica, Unpublished report to the Western Australian Department of Indigenous Affairs, Perth.
Mattner, C. and Quartermaine, G. 1992, Report on an Archaeological Survey 365-412SLK Section, Kalgoorlie to Meekatharra Road, North of Leinster.
McGowan, R.J. 1982, Report on the Groundwater Resources – Kalgoorlie to Meekatharra Road (Menzies to Leonora Section), Geological Survey of Western Australia Hydrogeology Report 2472.
Milewski, A.V. 1992, Physical Environment, The Biological Survey of the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Part 8: Kurnalpi – Kalgoorlie Study Area, Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 41: 7-17.
Morse, K. 1988, ‘Mandu Mandu Creek rockshelter: Pleistocene human coastal occupation of North West Cape, Westerem Australia,’ Archaeology in Oceania 23: 81-8.
Newby, K.R. 1984, ‘Physical Environment,’ In The Biological Survey of the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Part 3: Jackson – Kalgoorlie Study Area, Newby, K.R., Dell, J., How, R.A. and Hnatiuk, R.J., Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 23: 5-10.
O’Connor, R. and Quartermaine, G. 1990, Report on a Survey for Aboriginal Sites, Bureau of Mineral Resources Seismic Line, North of Kalgoorlie.
O’Connor, R. 2013, Proposed Coolgardie & Bullabulling Roadworks.
O’Connor, S. 1984, Archaeological survey for Aboriginal sites in the PNC Exploration Lease Area, Officer Basin, Great Victoria Desert.
62 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Parker, S. 2001, Site avoidance survey under the Aboriginal Heritage Act (1972) of the 184 kilometres of highway between Southern Cross and Coolgardie in the Yilgarn & Goldfields Regions of Western Australia : vol. 1 of 4 - The Sambo Family.
Smith, M. 1987, ‘Pleistocene occupation in arid central Australia’, Nature 228: 710-711.
Smith, M. 1988, The Pattern and Timing of Prehistoric Settlement in Central Australia, Unpublished PhD thesis, University of New England.
Smith, M. 1993, Recherche a l’Esperance: A prehistory of the Esperance region of southwestern Australia, Unpublished PhD thesis.
Stanner, W.E.H. 1966, On Aboriginal Religion, Oceania Monograph No 11.
Tindale, N.B. 1974, Aboriginal Tribes of Australia, University of California Press, Berkley.
Tonkinson, R. 1974, Aboriginal Victors of the Desert Crusade, Menlo Park, California.
Veth, P. 1987, ‘Martujarra Prehistory: Variation in arid zone adaptations,’ Australian Archaeology 25: 102-111.
Veth, P. 1989a, The Prehistory of the Sandy Deserts: Spatial and Temporal Variation in Settlement and Subsistence Behaviour within the Arid Zone of Australia, Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Western Australia, Nedlands.
Veth, P. 1989b, ‘Islands in the interior: A model for the colonisation of Australia's arid zone’, Archaeology in Oceania, 24: 8 1-92.
Veth, P. 1993, Islands in the Interior: The Dynamics of Prehistoric Adaptations within the Arid Zone of Australia, Ann Arbor, Michigan: International Monographs in Prehistory, Archaeological Series 3.
Veth, P. and Moore, P. 1988a, An Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Greensox Prospect, Lake Miranda. December 1988, Unpublished report, Heritage and Culture Division of the Aboriginal Affairs Department, Perth.
Veth, P. and Moore, P. 1989, Report of an Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Mt. Keith Project Area, South of Wiluna, Western Australia, Unpublished report, Heritage and Culture Division of the Aboriginal Affairs Department, Perth.
Veth, P. and Moore, P. 1990: Addendum to a Report of an Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Mt. Keith Project Area South of Wiluna, Western Australia. Unpublished report, Heritage and Culture Division of the Aboriginal Affairs Department, Perth.
Veth, P. and Moore, P. 1990, Report of an Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Waroonga and Turret Project Areas, Near Agnew, Western Australia, Unpublished report, Heritage and Culture Division of the Aboriginal Affairs Department, Perth.
Veth, P. and Thorley, P. 1990, Report of an Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Lennenberg and Polaris Tenements, Southern Cross, WA.
Veth, P., Veitch, B. and Wright, G. 1990, Report of an Archaeological and Ethnographic Survey of the Kingfisher Prospect, South-east of Meekatharra, Western Australia, Unpublished report for Cyprus Gold Australia Corporation.
63 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
APPENDIX 1: SITES REGISTER SEARCH
64 Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System
Aboriginal Sites Database
Search Criteria No Registered Aboriginal Sites in Shapefile - AECOM_Gnulli_Survey_Areas_2014
Disclaimer The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 preserves all Aboriginal sites in Western Australia whether or not they are registered. Aboriginal sites exist that are not recorded on the Register of Aboriginal Sites, and some registered sites may no longer exist.
The information provided is made available in good faith and is predominately based on the information provided to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs by third parties. The information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment as to the accuracy of the information. If you find any errors or omissions in our records, including our maps, it would be appreciated if you email the details to the Department at [email protected] and we will make every effort to rectify it as soon as possible.
Copyright Copyright in the information contained herein is and shall remain the property of the State of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
Coordinate Accuracy Accuracy is shown as a code in brackets following the coordinates.
© Government of Western Australia Report created: 24/07/2014 10:02:59 by: Public User Identifier: 116919 Page: 1 Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System
Aboriginal Sites Database
Terminology (NB that some terminology has varied over the life of the legislation) Place ID/Site ID: This a unique ID assigned by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs to the place Status: o Registered Site: The place has been assessed as meeting Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 o Other Heritage Place which includes: - Stored Data / Not a Site: The place has been assessed as not meeting Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 - Lodged: Information has been received in relation to the place, but an assessment has not been completed at this stage to determine if it meets Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 Access and Restrictions: o File Restricted = No: Availability of information (other than boundary) that the Department of Aboriginal Affairs holds in relation to the place is not restricted in any way. o File Restricted = Yes: Some of the information that the Department of Aboriginal Affairs holds in relation to the place is restricted if it is considered culturally sensitive. This information will only be made available if the Department of Aboriginal Affairs receives written approval from the informants who provided the information. Download the Request to Access Restricted Information letter and form. o Boundary Restricted = No: place location is shown as accurately as the information lodged with the Registrar allows. o Boundary Restricted = Yes: To preserve confidentiality the exact location and extent of the place is not displayed on the map. However, the shaded region (generally with an area of at least 4km²) provides a general indication of where the place is located. If you are a landowner and wish to find out more about the exact location of the place, please contact DAA. o Restrictions: - No Restrictions: Anyone can view the information. - Male Access Only: Only males can view restricted information. - Female Access Only: Only females can view restricted information
Legacy ID: This is the former unique number that the former Department of Aboriginal Sites assigned to the place. This has been replaced by the Place ID / Site ID.
© Government of Western Australia Report created: 24/07/2014 10:02:59 by: Public User Identifier: 116919 Page: 2 Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System
Aboriginal Sites Database
List of Registered Aboriginal Sites with Map
No Results
© Government of Western Australia Report created: 24/07/2014 10:02:59 by: Public User Identifier: 116919 Page: 3 Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System
Aboriginal Sites Database
Legend
Selected Heritage Sites
Registered Sites
Aboriginal Community Occupied
Aboriginal Community Unoccupied
Town
Search Area
Copyright for base map information shall at all times remain the property of the Commonwealth of Australia, Geoscience Australia - National Mapping Division. All rights reserved.
Cadastre, Local Government Authority, Native Title boundary, Roads data copyright © Western Australian Land Information Authority trading as Landgate (2014).
Geothermal Application, Geothermal Title, Mining Tenement, Petroleum Application, Petroleum Title boundary data copyright © the State of Western Australia (DMP) (2014.7)
For further important information on using this information please see the Department of Aboriginal Affairs' Terms of Use statement at http://www.daa.wa.gov.au/Terms-Of- Use/
© Government of Western Australia Report created: 24/07/2014 10:02:59 by: Public User Identifier: 116919 Page: 4 Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System
Aboriginal Sites Database
Search Criteria No Other Heritage Places in Shapefile - AECOM_Gnulli_Survey_Areas_2014 (2)
Disclaimer The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 preserves all Aboriginal sites in Western Australia whether or not they are registered. Aboriginal sites exist that are not recorded on the Register of Aboriginal Sites, and some registered sites may no longer exist.
The information provided is made available in good faith and is predominately based on the information provided to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs by third parties. The information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment as to the accuracy of the information. If you find any errors or omissions in our records, including our maps, it would be appreciated if you email the details to the Department at [email protected] and we will make every effort to rectify it as soon as possible.
Copyright Copyright in the information contained herein is and shall remain the property of the State of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
Coordinate Accuracy Accuracy is shown as a code in brackets following the coordinates.
© Government of Western Australia Report created: 24/07/2014 10:04:37 by: Public User Identifier: 116921 Page: 1 Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System
Aboriginal Sites Database
Terminology (NB that some terminology has varied over the life of the legislation) Place ID/Site ID: This a unique ID assigned by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs to the place Status: o Registered Site: The place has been assessed as meeting Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 o Other Heritage Place which includes: - Stored Data / Not a Site: The place has been assessed as not meeting Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 - Lodged: Information has been received in relation to the place, but an assessment has not been completed at this stage to determine if it meets Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 Access and Restrictions: o File Restricted = No: Availability of information (other than boundary) that the Department of Aboriginal Affairs holds in relation to the place is not restricted in any way. o File Restricted = Yes: Some of the information that the Department of Aboriginal Affairs holds in relation to the place is restricted if it is considered culturally sensitive. This information will only be made available if the Department of Aboriginal Affairs receives written approval from the informants who provided the information. Download the Request to Access Restricted Information letter and form. o Boundary Restricted = No: place location is shown as accurately as the information lodged with the Registrar allows. o Boundary Restricted = Yes: To preserve confidentiality the exact location and extent of the place is not displayed on the map. However, the shaded region (generally with an area of at least 4km²) provides a general indication of where the place is located. If you are a landowner and wish to find out more about the exact location of the place, please contact DAA. o Restrictions: - No Restrictions: Anyone can view the information. - Male Access Only: Only males can view restricted information. - Female Access Only: Only females can view restricted information
Legacy ID: This is the former unique number that the former Department of Aboriginal Sites assigned to the place. This has been replaced by the Place ID / Site ID.
© Government of Western Australia Report created: 24/07/2014 10:04:37 by: Public User Identifier: 116921 Page: 2 Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System
Aboriginal Sites Database
List of Other Heritage Places with Map
No Results
© Government of Western Australia Report created: 24/07/2014 10:04:37 by: Public User Identifier: 116921 Page: 3 Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System
Aboriginal Sites Database
Legend
Selected Heritage Places
Other Heritage Places
Aboriginal Community Occupied
Aboriginal Community Unoccupied
Town
Search Area
Copyright for base map information shall at all times remain the property of the Commonwealth of Australia, Geoscience Australia - National Mapping Division. All rights reserved.
Cadastre, Local Government Authority, Native Title boundary, Roads data copyright © Western Australian Land Information Authority trading as Landgate (2014).
Geothermal Application, Geothermal Title, Mining Tenement, Petroleum Application, Petroleum Title boundary data copyright © the State of Western Australia (DMP) (2014.7)
For further important information on using this information please see the Department of Aboriginal Affairs' Terms of Use statement at http://www.daa.wa.gov.au/Terms-Of- Use/
© Government of Western Australia Report created: 24/07/2014 10:04:37 by: Public User Identifier: 116921 Page: 4 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
APPENDIX 2: LETTERS OF ADVICE
65 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
66 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
APPENDIX 3: MAP OF THE PROJECT AREA IN RELATION TO ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SITES
67 230000 240000 250000 260000 270000 280000 290000
NNTT Claim Area YANNARIE RIVER Boundary SLK 766.03 288037mE 7469000mN
!( 7470000 DAA 6097 EXMOUTH GULF !( 7470000 BULLARA-GIRALIA ROAD 01 SLK 766.03 Status: Registered Site
Burkett Rd SLK 10 Burkett Rd SLK 7.2 Materials Source DAA 10356 NANYU POOL Status: Registered Site Bore
Burkett Rd SLK 8 SLK 743 Area 1 B Materials Source u 7460000 r 7460000 ke tt R o ad SLK 743 Area 2 SLK 743 Area 3
400m width survey corridor based on road centreline 7450000 7450000 YANNARIE
NWCH 7440000 7440000 LYNDON
North West Coastal Highway
Exmouth !( Map of Aboriginal heritage sites and places in the vicinity of Survey Areas along the NWCH SLK 690 to 766.03, Lyndon and Yannarie, W.A. Legend 0 1,750 3,500 7,000 10,500 14,000
7430000 Watercourses Meters 7430000 NNTT Boundary Coordinate System: Aboriginal heritage sites/places GDA 1994 MGA Zone 50 SLK 690 G A S C O Y N E R E G I O N Materials Source Survey Areas !( Scale: 1:280,000 (A4) Access Tracks Survey Areas Survey Area NWCH SLK 690 - 766 Map Prepared: 9/09/2014 !( SLK points ´LYNDON RIVERCOPYRIGHT This is the property of Brad Goode & Associates Pty Ltd and shall not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part, for any other purpose than was originally intended unless written consent is obtained by Brad Goode & Associates Pty Ltd.
230000 240000 250000 260000 270000 280000 290000 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
APPENDIX 4: CORRESPONDENCE
EMAIL FROM MR JAMIE SHAW TO BRAD GOODE & ASSOCIATES PTY LTD 18TH AUGUST 2014 – REGARDING BURKETT ROAD SLK 10
69 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
70 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
EMAIL FROM MS BROOKE ST JAMES TO BRAD GOODE & ASSOCIATES PTY LTD 19TH AUGUST 2014
71 REPORT OF AN ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY OF THE NORTHWEST COASTAL HIGHWAY AND MATERIALS PITS, SLK 690-766.03, IN THE GNULLI WC 1997/028 AND THE BUDINA WC2004/005 NTC: GASCOYNE REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
EMAIL FROM MR TOM WOODMAN-POVEY TO BRAD GOODE & ASSOCIATES PTY LTD 21ST AUGUST 2014
72