Rock Art Australia

Rock Art Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country across Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Science Advisory Council Workshop

Wednesday 11th November

8:30am - 5:00pm

Building Partnerships for Conservation, Research and Impact

COMING SOON: Digital Workshop Booklet

Workshop Venue

Workshop: Uni House at the Woodward
Level 10, Melbourne Law School, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton VIC 3053

Accommodation Information

The Essence Hotel

609 Swanston Street, Carlton

The Essence Hotel is located 5 minutes from Uni House and a tram stop on Swanston Street.

Rock Art Australia have secured a discounted rate for Workshop delegates until the 26th of October. If you would like to take advantage of this rate, please email simone@rockartaustralia.org.au .

Essence Hotel Carlton Website

We invite you to join us for a RAA Public Lecture followed by a drinks reception

First Peoples and Rising Seas: Rewriting Australia’s Deep History

by Prof Chris Clarkson

Tuesday 10th November

Lecture 6:00pm-7:15pm (doors open 5:45pm)

Elisabeth Murdoch Building (building 134. G06 theatre)

The University of Melbourne

Parkville, VIC, 3052

A drinks reception will follow in the adjoining courtyard until 8:30pm

BOOK HERE

This talk explores how and when the first people reached Australia, and how they responded to major environmental change.

Northern Australia, particularly Arnhem Land, preserves some of the richest rock art and longest archaeological records in the country. Sites such as Madjedbebe demonstrate human occupation by at least 65,000 years ago, providing a critical benchmark for understanding global human dispersal.

The landscapes these early populations inhabited were very different from today. During the last Ice Age (22-18,000 years ago), lower sea levels exposed a vast continental shelf linking northern Australia to New Guinea and extending toward Southeast Asia. As the climate warmed, rapid sea-level rise flooded this landscape, transforming coastlines over relatively short timescales. These changes likely reshaped population distribution, economies, technologies, and rock art traditions.

Current research in western Arnhem Land, supported by Rock Art Australia and conducted in partnership with Manilakarr Traditional Owners, Njanjma Rangers and the Northern Land Council, investigates how people adapted to these shifting environments using archaeological, environmental, and rock art evidence. The project is co-designed with Manilakarr Traditional Owners and contributes directly to their Healthy Country Plan through heritage documentation, ranger training, and development of long-term management strategies.

Instructions for Presenters

You may bring a USB on the day-please ensure your file is uploaded ahead of your session.
A laser pointer will be available on the day.
Please notify us in writing if you do not wish a prsentation PDF to be available for view on the RAA website after the workshop.

Workshop Program

Morning Session

8:30am-12:30 pm

8:30-9:00 AM
9:00- 9:25
Welcome to Country
Ken Wyatt (Chair of the RAA Board) & Fiona Menzies (RAA CEO)
9:25-9:40AM - Dr. Helen Green
State of RAA Research

SESSION 1: Research In Progress - Lightning presentations

9:40-10:40am
This session includes three 10 minute lightning presentations + 5 minutes for Q&A. Presenters will provide a brief update on their projects to date and feature key learnings and insights that have emerged so far.
9:45-10:00am: Prof. Bruno David (Monash Uni) & Russell Mullett* (GLaWAC)
Before and after the Last Ice Age: GunaiKurnai archaeology along the Snowy
10:05-10:20am: Dr. Damien Finch
Rock Art Dating Project
10:25-10:40am: Dr. Kasih Norman
Human Response to Dramatic Post-Ice Age Climate Change: Indonesia
MORNING TEA (10:40-11:00am)
(Photo: Dr. Damien Finch and Aughie Unhango)
SESSION 2: Breakout Session - Research Partnerships

11:00-11:45am
Participants will break into small groups to reflect on their experiences of research partnerships, exploring what works well, the challenges encountered, and opportunities to strengthen collaboration.
Discussions will consider how we can build and sustain respectful, meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships between researchers and Indigenous communities, and identify practical ways to improve how we work together in future.
SESSION 3: Newly Supported Research

11:45am -12:15pm
11:45-12:00pm Stevie Skitmore
Groote Archipelago Songlines Archaeology Project (Yinuma Songline)
12:00-12:15pm Dr. Sam Boone
Quantifying the Life Cycle and Vulnerability of Kimberley Rock Art Shelters
1:55-2:10 Dr. Ursula Frederick
Oombulgurri’s Many Stories
(Photo: The team working on plants and women’s knowledge celebrating revisiting Angwurra in Groote Eylandt’s central plateau. Warnumamalya Traditional Owners Shirley Yantarrnga, Simone Yantarrnga and Liana Wurramarra, with Jalen Green (ANU) and Asia Sutton (HeliOps). Credit Ian Ostericher)

12:30-1:30: Lunch and Poster Walk

Workshop Program

Afternoon Session

1:30 pm-5:00 pm

SESSION 4: Community Impact Showcase

1:30-2:40pm
We will break into two groups for our Community Impact Showcase with 10 minutes transition between sessions.
GROUP A
1:30-2:00pm: Dr. Louise Shewan and Dr. David Barnes
VR Research at the Kalumburu School including VR Headset demonstration.
2:10-2:40pm: Dr. Tony Keeble, Bernadette Waina, Ian Waina, Melissa Waina, Dorothy Djangara with students from the Victorian Outdoor Ed School presentation and discussion of Pathways Canvas.
GROUP B
1:30-2:00pm: Dr. Tony Keeble, Bernadette Waina, Ian Waina, Melissa Waina, Dorothy Djangara with students from the Victorian Outdoor Ed School presentation and discussion of Pathways Canvas.
2:10-2:40pm: Dr. Louise Shewan and Dr. David Barnes
VR Research at the Kalumburu School including VR Headset demonstration.
AFTERNOON TEA: 2:40-3:00PM
(Photo: Tara Donation, Augie Unghango and family with Louise Shewan and Pauline Heaney trying out VR headsets, 2025)
SESSION 5: Research on the Horizon

3:00-4:05pm
This session will focus on future RAA projects and partnerships and will consist of two lightning presentations (10 minutes +5 minutes for Q&A) followed by a pannel discussion.
3:00-3:15pm: Dr. Jacob Bongers
Ancient Baaka, Living Culture (Barkindji Project)
3:15-3:30pm: Prof. Chris Clarkson
Human responses to post-glacial sea level rise at Red Lily, Arnhem Land
3:30-4:05pm Prof. Michael Petraglia, Dr. Kasih Norman and Dr. Mahsa Alidoostsalimi
Centre of Excellence panel discussion with RAA supported Fellows.
(Photo: View north over Red Lily lagoon at the start of the wet season. Credit: Chris Clarkson)
SESSION 6: Shaping the Next Decade of RAA Research

4:05-4:45 PM
An interactive panel discussion will be led by Dr. Helen Green to discuss topics including long-term partnerships, Indigenous priorities, enduring research programs, conservation outcomes and RAA’s role in these areas.