Publications
Biological contributions to manganese oxides in rock varnish at Murujuga (Western Australia)
Rock varnish at Murujuga, Western Australia, contains a high concentration of manganese (Mn) oxides, predominantly in amorphous to poorly crystalline phases that evade traditional detection methods. Nanoscale analysis reveals biogenic Mn oxide structures, supported by metagenomic evidence showing dominance of Chroococcidiopsidaceae and Rubrobacter_F, known for intracellular Mn accumulation. Functional annotation confirms a community-level genomic potential for biologically influenced Mn utilization, suggesting ongoing biomineralization driven by environmental stressors. This process holds significant potential as a long-term paleoenvironmental and climate proxy, marking the first microbiomic characterization of rock varnish in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Resource Diplomacy, Cultural Heritage and Community Resilience in the Pilbara, Western Australia
The Murujuga Cultural Landscape, an aspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site, faces significant threats from large-scale mineral extraction driven by resource diplomacy between Australia and Asia. This study reveals that while such economic exchanges benefit the Australian economy, they also result in the dispossession of Indigenous peoples and the destruction of their cultural heritage. By analyzing the roles of diverse stakeholders—including government authorities, multinational corporations, Indigenous communities, academics, and professionals—the research demonstrates how local-global entanglements of politics and power lead to both heritage protection and destruction. The authors propose interventions to address these complex interactions, aiming to foster a nuanced understanding of the relationship between heritage loss, resource diplomacy, and community resilience.
Provenance analysis of stone artefact assemblages using petrography and pXRF at Murujuga (the Dampier Archipelago), Western Australia
Over half of the stone artefacts at Nganjarli (Deep Gorge) on Murujuga, Western Australia, were sourced from non-local outcrops, a finding that highlights complex human mobility patterns in this culturally significant landscape. Researchers used petrography and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) to analyze artefact assemblages across four sites, demonstrating the technique's effectiveness for in situ provenance analysis. By distinguishing local rock types using geochemical markers like zirconium (Zr) and titanium (Ti), the study revealed that most artefacts at other sites were locally sourced. This approach enhances understanding of landscape attachment and mobility in a region rich in tool-stone resources.
The role of fringing mangroves in supporting macroinvertebrate fauna in an arid, macrotidal region of Australia
In arid, macrotidal mangrove systems like those in the Dampier Archipelago, infaunal invertebrate communities are more influenced by physical environmental conditions—such as sediment grain size and particulate organic matter (POM)—than by the presence of mangroves themselves. Research found that infaunal abundance and diversity were three times higher during the dry season compared to the wet season, with optimal conditions occurring at intermediate sediment grain sizes and POM levels. Stable isotope analysis further revealed that while mangrove-derived nutrients play a significant role in food web dynamics, their contribution varies widely among species, from ~70% in herbivorous Mangrove whelks to as low as 5% in filter-feeding Rock oysters. This study highlights the complex interplay between local and external nutrient sources in sustaining these ecosystems, providing critical baseline data for evidence-based conservation efforts—particularly relevant for the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Local—National—Global: Defining Indigenous Values of Murujuga’s Cultural Landscape in the Frame of International Patrimony
The pursuit of UNESCO World Heritage recognition for Murujuga, Australia, highlights a significant disconnect between Indigenous custodial values and the international framework of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). While the Ngarda-Ngarli people seek global validation to strengthen protection against industrial encroachment, their conceptualization of ngurra (country) as an integrated natural and cultural domain challenges UNESCO's binary distinction. This study demonstrates that World Heritage status could empower local custodianship but also underscores the need for frameworks that better align with Indigenous perspectives.
Murujuga: Dynamics of the Dreaming—A Long and Short History of this Cultural Landscape with Reference to Rock Art, Stone Features, Excavations and Historical Sites Recorded across the Dampier Archipelago between 2014 and 2018
A comprehensive analysis of Murujuga Cultural Landscape reveals significant insights into the long and short history of Aboriginal cultural heritage in Western Australia. The study, conducted between 2014 and 2018 across the Dampier Archipelago, integrates rock art, stone features, excavations, and historical sites to unravel the dynamics of this landscape. Key findings highlight the resilience and continuity of Aboriginal traditions despite environmental changes, providing a robust framework for the continued protection and understanding of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The research approach combines multi-disciplinary methods, including archaeological surveys, artifact analysis, and historical documentation, offering a nuanced perspective on the cultural significance and temporal layers of Murujuga.
Stone artefacts on the seabed at a submerged freshwater spring confirm a drowned cultural landscape in Murujuga, Western Australia
Researchers have uncovered five ancient stone artefacts at a submerged freshwater spring site (WH1) within the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, part of Western Australia's Dampier Archipelago. This discovery, situated 14 meters below the intertidal zone in Flying Foam Passage, suggests human occupation during the Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene, predating current sea levels. The study highlights the archaeological significance of submerged springs and demonstrates how advanced survey techniques—such as those used here—can reveal cultural landscapes in tropical geomorphological environments like mangrove coasts or reef systems. With thousands of potential drowned sites likely existing on tropical continental shelves down to 130 meters below sea level, this work underscores the untapped potential for underwater archaeology and its broader implications for understanding past human adaptations.
Without them – what then? People, petroglyphs and Murujuga
Murujuga, a culturally significant landscape with one of the world's largest concentrations of petroglyphs, has been successfully managed and protected through collaboration between five Aboriginal language groups and the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC), despite historical conflicts in Australian rock art research. Unlike other regions marred by professional-amateur rivalries, Murujuga's preservation efforts have thrived due to political cooperation and partnerships with Traditional Owners, leading to its inclusion on Australia's National Heritage List (2007) and the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List (2020). The landscape's spiritual significance and unique stone arrangements, recognized through decades of advocacy, underscore the importance of Indigenous custodianship in safeguarding cultural heritage amid industrial pressures.
Seeing and managing rock art at Nganjarli: A tourist destination in Murujuga National Park, Western Australia
Nganjarli, a key site within Murujuga National Park and the Dampier Archipelago National Heritage Place, has been identified as a primary destination for tourism due to its rich rock art, shell middens, and artifact scatters. The study reveals that Nganjarli has functioned as an aggregation locale over time, with archaeological evidence indicating early occupation phases. Innovative scientific approaches, including digital imaging and geochemical testing of lithic artifacts using X-ray fluorescence, have been crucial in interpreting the site's cultural significance. These findings, along with targeted shell harvesting patterns, have been integrated into upgraded tourist facilities to enhance visitor experience while respecting the cultural values and aspirations of Murujuga custodians.
The integrated cultural landscape of North Gidley Island: Coastal, intertidal and nearshore archaeology in Murujuga (Dampier Archipelago), Western Australia
Recent archaeological research at Murujuga, Western Australia, reveals that Indigenous Australian cultural landscapes extend beyond modern shorelines into submerged and intertidal zones. The study demonstrates that sea-level fluctuations during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) exposed vast coastal areas, which were later inundated as sea levels rose. Submerged sites, such as those in the Cape Bruguieres channel and Gidley Islands, provide evidence of past human activity, including rock art engravings, grinding patches, quarries, and upstanding stones—some now located in intertidal zones. By integrating aerial, pedestrian, and intertidal surveys with subtidal data, researchers have reconstructed a continuous cultural landscape that spans both terrestrial and submerged environments, offering new insights into the depth and resilience of Indigenous Australian maritime traditions.
Aboriginal artefacts on the continental shelf reveal ancient drowned cultural landscapes in northwest Australia
Researchers have uncovered Australia's first confirmed ancient underwater archaeological sites off the Murujuga coastline, revealing evidence of drowned cultural landscapes submerged by rising sea levels. Two key sites were identified: Cape Bruguieres, with over 260 lithic artefacts at depths up to -2.4 meters, and Flying Foam Passage, linked to a submerged freshwater spring at -14 meters. Using advanced remote sensing techniques and predictive mapping, the study analyzed artefact conditions and geomorphological data to determine that these sites were inundated no later than 7000–8500 years ago. The findings highlight significant differences between underwater and onshore lithic assemblages, supporting the chronological interpretation. This groundbreaking work establishes new strategies for detecting submerged archaeological targets and underscores the urgent need for legislative protection of Australia's vast drowned landscapes, which hold critical clues to its ancient human history.
Protecting past, present and progress: the reality of coexistence with National and World Heritage properties
A study on Murujuga, also known as the Dampier Archipelago, reveals that coexistence between industrial operations and cultural heritage can yield significant benefits while posing substantial challenges. The research highlights that formalizing and enumerating heritage values enhances targeted management, stakeholder collaboration, impact assessment, and a values-driven approach. However, it also identifies difficulties such as increased regulation, activism, and reputational risks. Despite these challenges, the study notes that certain structures inherent in heritage listing can be leveraged to mitigate these issues. The findings underscore the potential for positive outcomes when balancing industrial development with the preservation of cultural landscapes.
Seeing the Landscape: Multiple Scales of Visualising Terrestrial Heritage on Rosemary Island (Dampier Archipelago)
A combination of photogrammetry, LiDAR, and microphotography reveals the potential for remote sensing techniques to document and reconstruct Aboriginal stone structures on Rosemary Island (Murujuga), offering insights into their distribution and resilience to sea-level rise. The study highlights how these methods can be used to detect similar submerged features in adjacent waters, while also acknowledging challenges posed by naturally rocky and spinifex-covered landscapes. Topographic LiDAR surveys conducted before and after a wildfire further demonstrate the utility—and limitations—of such techniques for understanding terrestrial heritage in dynamic environments.
Murujuga, Northwestern Australia: When Arid Hunter-Gatherers Became Coastal Foragers
Research at Murujuga, a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape in northwestern Australia, reveals the transition of arid hunter-gatherers to coastal foragers during the early Holocene. The study provides evidence for Australia's earliest domestic stone structures, dated between 8063 and 7355 cal BP, on Rosemary Island, challenging assumptions about island abandonment and recolonization. By integrating a 47,000-year occupation sequence from the Pilbara region with predictive models of sea-level rise, the research offers insights into how mobile arid hunter-fisher-gatherers adapted to changing seascape dynamics. This work not only advances our understanding of human adaptation in coastal environments but also contributes to the broader narrative of insular abandonment and resilience.
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