Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Cultural Significance of Coastal Trees and Forests
3. The Drowning of Forests
4. Methodological Approaches in Studying Drowned Forests
4.1. Marine Geoarchaeological Techniques
4.2. Proxy Data for Landscape Reconstruction
5. Examples of Drowned Forests as Sites of Cultural Significance in Australia
5.1. Shea Creek
5.2. Lake Jasper and Other South Coast Sites, Western Australia
5.3. Wharton Beach, Southern Coast of Western Australia
“This research program, under cultural leadership, is multidisciplinary, and that means the integration of our knowledge in understanding place, landscape and change—this is our cultural discipline, and our way is mapping and managing our cultural corridors—that are linked together by special places—following the pathways of our Ancestors, including the now submerged places and pathways.”Dr. Ron “Doc” Reynolds, Wudjari Elder and Senior Cultural Advisor to ETNTAC.
5.4. Badger Beach, Narawntaup National Park, Tasmania
5.5. Kurra Kurrin
6. Overview and Conclusions
“We want our grandchildren to see Country the way our Ancestors did, it is our way of life—healthy country means healthy mob”,Jeremy Smith, ETNTAC Tjaltjraak Healthy Land and Sea Program.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
1 | See also Uncle Doc and Elders tell the story of Wudjari ancient coastlines|Indigenous. (https://www.indigenous.gov.au/stories/uncle-doc-and-elders-tell-story-wudjari-ancient-coastlines, accessed on 10 June 2025). |
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Ward, I.; Guilfoyle, D.R.; Reynolds, D. Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape. Heritage 2025, 8, 256. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8070256
Ward I, Guilfoyle DR, Reynolds D. Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape. Heritage. 2025; 8(7):256. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8070256
Chicago/Turabian StyleWard, Ingrid, David R. Guilfoyle, and Doc (Ronald) Reynolds. 2025. "Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape" Heritage 8, no. 7: 256. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8070256
APA StyleWard, I., Guilfoyle, D. R., & Reynolds, D. (2025). Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape. Heritage, 8(7), 256. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8070256