In 2019 the Visions team had two field camps on the Carson Plateau and escarpment, the first led by UWA in June and the second, in collaboration with the Kimberley Dating project, led by Monash University with the Université de Savoie. In total, 146 new sites were recorded: 31 with rock art, 26 with evidence of grinding, 61 lithic scatters, 60 quarries, 14 stone arrangements, two ochre sources and two post-contact sites. Fourteen rock art sites were recorded in detail, and two sites were excavated (one by UWA and one by Monash). 11,065 photographs were taken and catalogued. Subsequently, a smaller field team based out of McGowan’s Beach, immediately north of Kalumburu, undertook a variety of archaeological, anthropological and outreach activities.
Traditional Owners Ian Waina, Gareth Unghango, Michael David Morlumbun and Aidan French assisted the UWA team with all aspects of fieldwork across June 2019. Rowan Waina assisted the Monash University/Universite de Savoie team at the excavation of a site previously recorded by Graham Walsh on the top of the escarpment. Bernadette Waina assisted the UWA team based at Kalumburu with surveying and recording women’s sites. The Balanggarra rangers again provided invaluable assistance in transporting Traditional Owners and helicopter fuel to the remote field camps.
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