Ningaloo research to tell 60,000-year-old story as new technology uncovers deeper past

[Judi Lynn]

ABC Pilbara / By Louise Miolin and Verity Gorman
Posted 1 day ago



Scientists say the caves on the North West Cape near Ningaloo are a prime location for research.(Supplied: University of Western Australia)

The Ningaloo coast is famed for its idyllic beaches and diverse wildlife. But that's not all it has to offer.

According to a group of scientists, the area is a prime location for research into human life up to 60,000 years ago.

Archaeologists from the University of Western Australia this week completed a seven-week dig — the first in a series of excavations planned for the Nyinggulu Archaeology Project, which is expected to span several years.

Archaeologist Peter Veth said the area around the North West Cape was uniquely set up to offer valuable insight into the past.

"Of the whole coast of Australia, this shelf is the steepest, so it's the ideal sampling point to record tens of thousands of years of marine resource use, the local ecologies, and the human habitation pattern," Professor Veth said.

More:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-06/ningaloo-research-will-tell-60-000-year-old-story/100116262