Gone with the Wind, Waves, and Walking: Prioritizing Research at Vulnerable Archaeological Sites in Coastal Zones

Climate change, rising seas, and encroaching public camping are escalating threats to cultural heritage places along much of Australia’s coastline. For the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation of southeastern Victoria, Australia, the documentation, research, and management of vulnerable coastal archaeological sites is a key priority. Here, we present the results of archaeological excavations undertaken at the Brataua site complex in Wellington Shire, Victoria. Despite site loss through coastal erosion, agriculture, and recreation, the excavation results revealed that people repeatedly visited the area for at least 3000 years for shellfishing and to obtain local quartz pebbles for stone tool manufacture. These findings call for a refinement and rethinking of the regional archaeological sequence established by pioneer researchers in the 1960s–1980s. They highlight the importance of storytelling in places that are highly vulnerable and in danger of destruction within a matter of years, months, or even weeks.