Early human occupation of southeastern Australia: New insights from 40Ar/39Ar dating of young volcanoes

New high-precision 40Ar/39Ar dating reveals that the Budj Bim and Tower Hill volcanic complexes in southeastern Australia erupted approximately 36,800 years ago. This finding provides a minimum age constraint for human presence in Victoria, aligning with other archaeological evidence from Tasmania, New South Wales, and South Australia. The study leverages advanced dating techniques to improve temporal constraints on early human occupation, offering insights into global migration patterns. Additionally, it suggests that oral traditions linked to Budj Bim may represent some of the oldest in existence, bridging geological data with Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Matchan, E. L., Phillips, D., Jourdan, F., & Oostingh, K. (2020). Early human occupation of southeastern Australia: New insights from 40Ar/39Ar dating of young volcanoes. Geology, 48(4), 390–394. https://doi.org/10.1130/g47166.1