Drone laser scanning finds three unregistered Aboriginal rock shelters in Blue Mountains
In short
- Drone LiDAR scanned rugged Blue Mountains bushland that is hard to search on foot.
- The team found three previously unregistered Aboriginal rock shelters with red hand stencils and stone artefacts.
- The work was done with the Dharug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation to document the sites accurately.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
Many cultural sites in rugged country go unrecorded because they are hard to reach on foot. Drone LiDAR offers a way to map such ground from the air, and this survey found three shelters that were not on any register. Ongoing work will test whether the method suits other Australian landscapes.
From Times of India
Researchers utilized drone technology to discover three previously unregistered Aboriginal rock shelters in the Blue Mountains region, revealing significant cultural heritage. Collaboration with the Dharug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation ensured accurate documentation of red hand stencils and stone artifacts. This innovative approach may improve archaeological surveys in difficult-to-navigate areas, thereby preserving cultural heritage. Ongoing efforts will assess the method's applicability to different Australian landscapes, ensuring continued protection.
