Exploratory GIS: Modelling Past Land Use and Occupancy with Functional Connectivity, Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area, NSW, Australia

GIS models reveal critical pathways of past land use and occupancy within the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area, highlighting how 19th-century European settlement disrupted traditional functional connectivity. By mapping potential connections between ecologically significant patches and key hydrology, these models expose previously unrecognized impacts on Country, including exploitation through fence construction and groundwater appropriation. The iterative, exploratory nature of the approach allows for multiple interpretations of space, offering diverse perspectives on pre-European settlement patterns and their lasting consequences.

Thomas, K. (2022). Exploratory GIS: Modelling Past Land Use and Occupancy with Functional Connectivity, Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area, NSW, Australia. Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology, 5(1), 188–214. https://doi.org/10.5334/jcaa.98