What's on: Travel Program: Australian Museum Members Rock Art Community Project

Exploring and documenting Aboriginal Rock Art in conjunction with the Protect Australia’s Spirit campaign. 

Event Type:

Special event

Date:

21 September 2013 to 28 September 2013

Location:

Off-site

Admission:

$3090 per person (Single Supplement: $170) based on a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 16 full paying passengers.

About the trip

West Arnhem Land is home to some of the world’s oldest artistic heritage - and it is still thriving to this day. For more than 25,000 years the Aboriginal peoples have recorded every aspect of their life and culture on the rock walls and shelters of the rugged escarpment.

The images vary from a record of extinct fauna, such as the Thylacine, through various climate changes to historical visitors such as Macassan seafarers, early European explorers and contact with settlers. Images of local animals and plants provide an encyclopedia to local people whereas the spiritual dimension of the country is recorded in the images of the Dreaming spirits and beings.

This priceless heritage can be found across Australia, unfortunately much of the rock art is also under threat. Working with Australia’s eminent rock art researcher, Professor Paul Tacon, this trip aims to visit, experience and record some of the great rock art sites of West Arnhem Land.

Local traditional owners will provide a unique insight in to sites rarely seen by visitors. This exclusive adventure will also support the efforts of the “Protect Australia’s Spirit’ campaign to record and protect Aboriginal rock art.

About your leader

The “Protect Australia’s Spirit” campaign is led by Professor Paul S.C. Taçon FAHA FSA with the support of a range of Indigenous Australians and celebrities. Taçon is Australia’s first Chair in Rock Art Research and Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology in the School of Humanities, Griffith University, Queensland and a Visiting Fellow, Research School of Humanities and the Arts, ANU (Canberra).

Protect Austalia’s Spirit is one of the Unit’s most important projects. Prof. Taçon has conducted archaeological and ethnographic fieldwork since 1980 and has over 77 months field experience in remote parts of Australia, Canada, China, India, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, southern Africa, Thailand and the USA. Extensive field expeditions have been undertaken in rugged, wild areas of the Northern Territory and Wollemi National Park, NSW, Australia.

Taçon co-edited The Archaeology of Rock-art with Dr. Christopher Chippindale (1998 and republished 4 times) and has published over 175 academic and popular papers on prehistoric art, body art, material culture, colour, cultural evolution, identity and contemporary Indigenous issues.

Prof. Taçon has made key archaeological discoveries in western Arnhem Land (NT) and Wollemi National Park (NSW) that have been published in journals and also have made world headlines. This includes not only the origins of the Rainbow Serpent (1996) but also the earliest evidence of warfare in the world (1994), significant new Arnhem Land Rock Art sites (1995, 2008), outstanding Rock Art discoveries in Wollemi National Park

Trip Highlights

• Renowned bird watching areas of Fogg Dam
• Travel to Ubirr, one of the greatest rock art sites of Kakadu
• Explore and document art and archaeological sites in the Malarrak Complex
• Meet local Maung Aboriginal Traditional owners and learn of their artistic heritage and culture
• Enjoy a wildlife cruise on the East Alligator River guided by local Aboriginal leaders
• Explore art sites around the Nourlangie Massif
• Investigate the Nanguluwarr Shelter and some of the less visited and rarely seen rock art
• Swim amongst the freshwater rock holes above Barramundi Falls

What’s included

• donation to Protecting Australia Spirit campaign to protect rock art
• Specialist Rock Art researcher as expedition leader
• 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners
• professional wilderness guide(s)
• all group camping equipment including tents, swags for sleeping, stoves, cooking and eating utensils
• all Land Council Permits, National Park and camping fees
• emergency communications and group first aid kit
• 4WD transport from Darwin
• 1 night pre tour accommodation in Darwin at Darwin Central Hotel (or similar)

How to book

The full itinerary & booking form can be downloaded here.

Bookings can also be taken over the phone by calling 02 8270 8400 or 02 9320 6225. Please note that this tour is designed exclusively for Australian Museum Members and all participants are required to join. For more information on Membership please call Australian Museum Members on 02 9320 6225 or join online now.
 

 

Last Updated: 10 December 2012