Woolford, Nathan (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, University of Queensland)

A Mound of Data: A Preliminary Investigation of the Seven Mile Creek Mound through an Analysis of Species Diversity and Intra-Specific Size of Shellfish Recovered

The Seven Mile Creek Mound (SMCM), located on the coast of central Queensland just south of Gladstone, has been dated to 3,904 cal BP. The site is one of the earliest open archaeological sites on the Queensland coast and demonstrates high levels of marine resource exploitation. The SMCM reveals a pattern of discrete site use that terminates abruptly after only 300 years of occupation. As part of a larger study, intra-specific size and species diversity of shellfish were examined to explore possible reasons for site abandonment. Preliminary results suggest dramatic changes in the shellfish assemblage through time, including a change in species representation and shell size.

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