Artefacts and collectors in the tropics of North Queensland

Early artefact collecting in North Queensland's Wet Tropics played a pivotal role in shaping the region's identity as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The study highlights how collectors like Hermann Klaatsch and Norman Tindale used artefacts to define the region, linking Aboriginal cultural claims with large-scale environmental management debates. Their work, though now dispersed, continues to influence discussions on lost or stolen cultural property. The research employs historical analysis of collecting practices to explore how these artefacts maintain a dynamic presence in contemporary cultural and heritage narratives.

Erckenbrecht, C., Fuary, M., Greer, S., Henry, R., McGregor, R., & Wood, M. (2010). Artefacts and collectors in the tropics of North Queensland. The Australian Journal of Anthropology, 21(3), 350–366. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1757-6547.2010.00101.x