Dave Johnston director of Aboriginal Archeologists Australia initiated the new approach and said he was excited about involving the community. He says the key is engagement with the respective Aboriginal communities to have mutually beneficial projects.
The Archaeological dig is taking place at a site Aboriginal Elders remember from their younger years as a campsite.
The project is part of Archeology student Steve Skitmores Masters project.
"Most archaeology jobs in Australia are about doing preliminary surveys before development ('contract archaeology') to ensure that important sites are not impacted. Most of the time, this goes well and can lead to events being altered if sites are found. But, sometimes they aren’t altered, and recognised sites have their listings removed to allow development to go ahead."-Dave Johnson
He said that listeners might remember the controversy around Bibra Lake
Sydney Light Rail
The Butterfly Cave
He said that Archaeologists based in research institutions often have a different focus, but there is also controversy around certain actions which have not been great for Indigenous control of heritage such as:.
Community Archaeology looks to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as active members of the research team, which just as much control of the projects as non-Indigenous (and even Indigenous archaeologists from other Country) researchers. This is the key difference. It's about project direction, control and who holds the power".
