Aboriginal archaeological site prediction model for City of Maribyrnong

4.4Aboriginal archaeological site prediction model for City of Maribyrnong

The City of Maribyrnong formed a major part of the territorial boundaries of two Woi wurrung and Bun wurrung clans, the Marin balug and the Yallukit willam. Accounts from early Victorian explorers, pastoralists and ethnographers have conveyed information about the practices and traditions of these clans. We know, for example, that the ford which lies directly outside the north-east boundary of the Council Boundary, generally known as Solomon’s Ford, was a place used by Aboriginal people for fishing. Joseph often saw Aboriginal people spearing fish near his property and Grimes saw people fishing from Solomon’s Ford when he sailed with a party up the Maribyrnong in 1803. Alfred Solomon’s son also witnessed corroborees when a boy, and had many dealing with one of the clans when he lived on the Maribyrnong. Nearly forty years later, George Augustus Robinson noted a number of ‘native ovens’ near present day Grimes Reserve, which he presumed was “a favourite resort” (in Presland 1977: 1). Such accounts illustrate that the Maribyrnong River valley was an important part of the Kulin Nation, and a favourite camping ground for Aboriginal people. They also indicate that the Maribyrnong River was an important focus, providing a rich and varied source of foods and permanent fresh water.

The pattern of Aboriginal archaeological sites within the study area, although scant, reflects this dependence on major waterways. Although a very small number of sites have been previously recorded within the City of Maribyrnong, the high density of sites in the Upper Maribyrnong valley and throughout Melbourne’s western region suggest that prior to the extensive industrial development which has defined the study area since the mid to late 1800s, there would have been a wealth of sites present. One indication of this is an observation by Solomon’s son Joseph, who said of the local Aboriginal people who he witnessed in the vicinity of his property. “They appeared to be always on the move from one part of their tribal territory to another in search of food” (Flynn 1906: 6). This suggests that campsites would be frequently relocated within clan territories, leaving the more visible elements of sites, stone artefacts, as markers of their movements.

4.4.1Predictions for site location

The site prediction model for the City of Maribyrnong is as follows:

Alluvial terraces might feature sites such as stone artefact scatters or isolated artefacts as these landscape features are raised above the flood plain, and would have provided dry ground close to water and food resources. Terraces might also feature intact, in situ archaeological deposits including stratified stone deposits, faunal material, hearths or burials where they coincide with undisturbed sections of the Maribyrnong River valley or Stony Creek.

The banks of the Maribyrnong River would originally have been lined with Red Gum, some of which are likely to have featured Aboriginal cultural scars and possibly carved trees. Scarred trees are less likely to have featured along Stony Creek, as Grimes’ observations of the creek in 1803 were of a “few trees by the seaside; behind, a level plain to the mountain” (in Shillingslaw 1878: 21).

Hill slopes below valley escarpment

The steep hill slope below the escarpment of the Maribyrnong valley might feature surface artefact scatters or isolated artefacts, particularly in eroded areas. Such sites are unlikely to be intact; and are probably a factor of erosion of the above escarpment which has caused dislodgment and down slope movement of artefacts. These artefacts are more likely to be exposed, and hence recorded, in areas of improved ground visibility such as eroded sections of hillside.

The hill slope might also feature outcrops of worked silcrete, or quarries, as these generally occur below the rim of the escarpment, “as boulders, or pavements of silcrete on hill slopes, adjacent to the edges of basalt flows” (Webb 1995:12). These quarries are likely to be associated with related debris, such as resultant stone scatters from the reduction of silcrete nodules, or blocks.

Escarpment

The rim of the Maribyrnong valley escarpment and a distance from the edge of up to 400 metres is likely to feature stone artefact scatters and isolated artefacts. Areas of the escarpment which have a more gentle decline to the valley floor might be more likely to feature sites as they offered an easier route down to the river. Sites might also be found where the escarpment offers good vantage points over the river. Sites may also be a feature of the rim of the escarpment as it would have provided a good travel route above the river.

As Rhodes (1990) noted during the City of Keilor archaeological survey, there is likely to be a limited amount of archaeological material on the plains, it is expected to be found in close proximity to water such as swamps, and site distribution probably reflects a series of transient, short term campsites.

Grimes and Hoddle both recorded the lower reaches of the Maribyrnong near its junction with the Yarra as swampy, and Grimes noted the presence of many birds in this area when he sailed past present day Footscray (see Section 3.0). Sites might originally have been present in this area around swamp margins, where Aboriginal people might have camped to exploit the rich bird and aquatic species.