Researchers' Diaries

Corioli Souter (Curator) and Jim Stedman (Assistant Curator)

Corioli Souter: Curator, Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Museum Jim Stedman: Assistant Curator, Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Museum

Corioli Souter (Curator) and Jim Stedman (Assistant Curator) participated in the Kimberley fieldwork as representatives from the Western Australian Museum's Department of Maritime Archaeology.

Jim Stedman writes:

The last time that the WA Museum's Department of Maritime Archaeology conducted extensive fieldwork along the Kimberley coast was during the 'Wreck Inspection North Coast (W.I.N.C.)' expedition in 1978.

The 2009 fieldtrip was an excellent opportunity to conduct site inspections, as well as to follow up on the Museum's previous work in the region.

Highlights of the trip included:

• visiting the Aboriginal rockshelters at Widgingarri, where sailing vessels are depicted alongside, and sometimes overlying, the Wandjina paintings;
• undertaking a magnetometer survey at Langgi, where oral histories have placed the location of an historic shipwreck;
• and conducting a site inspection and assessment at Camden Harbour, failed pastoral settlement and location of the Calliance (1865) shipwreck.

The experience of working with biologists was both interesting and rewarding. Corioli and I assisted with gathering underwater samples off Adele Island, and with the sorting and storage of the samples back on-board the boat. At Government Camp, Camden Harbour, a team of biologists participated in the archaeological site inspection, relocating historic features and recording their GPS coordinates.

Photograph is the Calliance (1865) shipwreck, ballast mound with Mount Lookover to the West (by J.Stedman).

The fieldwork was a great success and was carried out efficiently and safely thanks to the assistance of all of the team members and crew aboard the vessel Kimberley Quest II.

Calliance (1865) shipwreck, ballast mound with Mount Lookover to the West

Photo: J.Stedman

Copyright Western Australian Museum.

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