FPC’s sandalwood contractors are finding more than just dead sandalwood in their operations following the discovery of an old Aboriginal camp site in Kalgoorlie.
Operations Officer Trevor Donaldson said Eddie Beaman, a Traditional Owner and one of FPC’s Sandalwood Dreaming contractors, was out at the Yakabindi Station looking for dead sandalwood and came across a very old Aboriginal camp site.
“Upon further looking, Eddie also found an old boomerang wedged into the ground,” Mr. Donaldson said.
In the photos you can see the trees lined up to make the camp structure as well as the carvings of the boomerang.
“The campsite isn’t close to a water source so whoever was here seemed to be just moving through the area and set it up for rest,” Mr. Donaldson said.
A second camp site was also discovered, which indicates the possibility of a family of two.
“I can’t say for sure, but the site looks over 100 years old,” Mr. Donaldson said.
Trevor with a little help form Senior Forester Planning and Silviculture Jason Pember, went to the site to record and register the area and artefacts.
“I am still in the process of learning how to record and register sites, so this was the first site I have been involved in and it was a great opportunity,” Mr. Donaldson said.
Once it is registered it will be put on maps as a sacred site and become a Cultural Heritage listed protected area. Traditional Owners will care for the site by stopping work in that area if any work was to happen there.
The artefacts will most likely be collected by the Traditional Owners and possibly moved elsewhere for safe keeping.
