Underwater Archaeology

7.5 Conclusion

Contrary to commonly held perceptions, the study of underwater cultural heritage in Australia is not restricted to historic shipwreck sites. Across the breadth of the country, there is a rich heritage of submerged archaeological sites that represent a range of human interaction with the sea, inland rivers and lakes. These sites vary in age from recent history to those of great antiquity. They are sites of significance to a number of cultural and other community groups including Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, European and other migrant communities. Much of the archaeological work on these sites to date has been restricted to those submerged sites that are periodically exposed, either through tides, drought or through the management of artificial water storage facilities. There has been less work on permanently submerged sites. However, archaeologists working at Lake Jasper, on aircraft sites in the Northern Territory and Western Australia and excavations of the seabed associated with wharves and jetties around the country have clearly demonstrated the potential for a wealth of information to be gleaned through the archaeological investigation of these sites.

Work to date has been carried out by archaeologists with a variety of specialisations and experience - including Aboriginal, historic and underwater settings. These studies illustrate the need to combine a variety of skills and perspectives in order to gain the best outcomes for future site management, academic research and public information. This opens up new challenges and possibilities for archaeological endeavour and hopefully will lead to new insights and an increasing body of published material that will assist in improving cultural heritage management practices as well as public awareness, enthusiasm and support for their protection.