Godden Mackay Logan

Windang is located on the shoreline of Lake Illawarra.  Aboriginal people have occupied the shores of this lake for thousands of years, creating places and sites of significance from shell middens and stone artefact sites to Aboriginal burials.  The lake is known as an important location for Aboriginal people for both ceremonial and traditional activities.

Located on the dunes adjacent to the lake, the Windang Bowls Club recently decided they wanted to redevelop their land. As part of this project, GML quickly established that the site had potential for buried Aboriginal archaeological material and developed a method for testing and determining the locations of these deposits without disturbing the development site. 

Working in collaboration with the club, GML undertook consultation with the local Aboriginal communities and obtained a Section 90 excavation Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW) from the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW).  The aim of the archaeological work was to identify the depth and location of the buried dune system (with the potential for Aboriginal sites) and avoid it during site development. 

The excavation program—which involved members of the local Aboriginal community—comprised augur holes to establish the presence, extent and significance of the sand dune, as well as any Aboriginal objects in the area of archaeological potential.  The excavation recovered an Aboriginal hammer stone, some redeposited shell midden and provided specific information on the levels of historical fill across the site. 

GIS modelling of the site’s stratigraphy has also provided the club with specific information relating to how deep building foundations can be sunk—thus allowing the club to avoid the sand sheet and any potential Aboriginal archaeological deposits during development.

Location: Windang, NSW
Client: Club Windang
Project Type: Archaeological test excavation to avoid impacting Aboriginal heritage