The gold rush at the end of the nineteenth century in south-eastern Australia resulted in the mobilization and re-deposition of vast quantities of tailings that modified the geomorphology of the associated river valleys. Previous studies of contamination risk in these systems have either been performed directly on mine wastes (e.g., battery sand) or at locations close to historical mine sites but have largely ignored the extensive area of riverine alluvial deposits extending downstream from gold mining locations. Here we studied the distribution of contaminant metal(loids) in the Loddon River catchment, one of the most intensively mined areas of the historical gold-rush period in Australia (1851–1914). Floodplain alluvium along the Loddon River was sampled to capture differences in metal and metalloid concentrations between the anthropogenic floodplain deposits and the underlying original floodplain. Elevated levels of arsenic up to 300 mg-As/kg were identified within the anthropogenic alluvial sediment, well above sediment guidelines (ISQG-high trigger value of 70 ppm) and substantially higher than in the pre-mining alluvium. Maximum arsenic concentrations were found at depth within the anthropogenic alluvium (plume-like), close to the contact with the original floodplain. The results obtained here indicate that arsenic may pose a significantly higher risk within this river catchment than previously assessed through analysis of surface floodplain soils. The risks of this submerged arsenic plume will require further investigation of its chemical form (speciation) to determine its mobility and potential bioavailability. Our work shows the long-lasting impact of historical gold mining on riverine landscapes.

The preservation of soft tissue in the archaeological record is a rare phenomenon, especially in temperate contexts. Despite this, brain material is sometimes preserved in temperate climates, even in the absence of other soft tissue survival. However, little has been published on such finds. Archaeologists understandably have minimal experience in handling soft tissue, which may lead to brain material being left under-studied, or potentially unrecognised in situ. As such, there is a need to improve awareness of the preservation of brain material to further its identification, recovery, and analysis in the archaeological record. This paper examines preserved brain material identified in 8 of 77 unmarked colonial burials dating from the mid-to late-nineteenth century in New Zealand. This New Zealand case study provides an opportunity to consider brain preservation in archaeological contexts, and a means to study both in-life health and burial environment conditions. The preserved brain material was analysed macroscopically and microscopically using histological techniques to assess whether in vivo structures were preserved or pathogens affecting the individuals’ health could be identified. Analysis revealed that all preserved brains were diagenetically altered by the burial environment macroscopically in the form of shrinkage, fragmentation, colour change, and incorporation of exogenous microorganisms. Microscopically, neural structures were not observable in the tissue, however in five cases vasculature might be preserved. Preserved vasculature in archaeological contexts may prove useful in the investigation of blood-related disorders, such as sickle cell disease, aneurisms, and blood clotting. Spirochetes (bacteria responsible for multiple diseases in humans, including syphilis) were observed in one individual; however, this analysis could not determine if these were a species which would have caused pathology in life or a species endogenous to the soil and incorporated after death. Importantly, no correlation between macroscopic and microscopic preservation was apparent, serving as a cautionary tale for archaeologists who may wish to analyse brain material in the future – microscopic analysis is necessary to fully assess preservation.

Ballarat's mining history is celebrated, but less known is the environmental damage to local waterways. Ballarat's goldmines were amongst the richest in Australia, and they all sent their waste into the Yarrowee River. An interdisciplinary approach that integrates documentary evidence with insights from archaeology and geomorphology reveals the effects of mine waste on the river during the nineteenth century and how those effects continue to be felt. Deposits of mine tailings remain on the floodplains from Ballarat East downstream to Inverleigh and the junction with the Barwon River. Historical perspectives provide crucial context for understanding lasting changes to the Yarrowee and its catchment and how the effects of goldmining continue to have lasting impacts on heritage, ecosystems, and river health.

Industrial-scale metal mining has long been a feature of developing economies. Processing ores to recover minerals has generated large quantities of waste rock, tailings and contaminants. Mining-related deposits, along with associated soil and water geochemistry, river modifications and other environmental changes, are a product of the nature, scale and intensity of past operations. These artefacts of historical mining create anthropogenic landscapes that extend far beyond individual sites due to the dispersal of mine waste by rivers and pose enduring threats to human and ecosystem health. Their presence and significance, however, are often overlooked by heritage and environmental managers. To be acknowledged as artefacts of the historical mining industry, landscape features must be identified and characterised with reference to the human activities that triggered their formation. This requires an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates anthropogenic landscape change at a regional scale. In this paper, we integrate archaeological, geomorphological and geochemical evidence to identify and analyse mining-related changes to the Loddon River valley in Victoria, Australia. Nineteenth-century gold mining caused extensive erosion of creeks and gullies and mobilised sediments that filled channels and spread over floodplains. In addition, tailing deposits concentrated arsenic at levels significantly above environmental background conditions. Recognising these legacies of historical mining is vital to understanding mining heritage and to managing healthy rivers, environments and communities.

This paper was included in the ninth issue of Excavations, Surveys and Heritage Management in Victoria and was presented at the annual Victorian Archaeology Colloquium held at La Trobe University on 1 February 2020.

The Second World War in the Pacific has left a legacy of over 3800 wrecks on the ocean floor. These wrecks contain thousands of tons of oil and pose a risk to the marine environment. Estimates of current corrosion rates show many wrecks are at risk of structural collapse. However, the scale of threat posed by potentially polluting wrecks (PPW) to coastal ecosystems in the Pacific is largely unknown, due to the lack of data to inform risk. This paper presents a strategy aimed to prioritise, manage, and mitigate negative effects of oil spills posed by PPW in the Pacific, using an example in Chuuk Lagoon. Wrecks are assessed and prioritised by means of risk characterisation. Wrecks are surveyed using photogrammetry to assess hull integrity. Finally, recommendations are made for the production of bespoke management plans and risk reduction strategies that work towards safeguarding marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

Urbanisation is a transformative process that can dramatically reshape land surfaces. Archaeologists working in urban environments are often required to relate the outcomes of this process to the archaeological record. This is particularly true for pre-European Aboriginal cultural heritage, where the enduring presence of pre-contact ground surfaces has important implications for cultural heritage management. Accurately predicting which parts of a city have increased or decreased in elevation historically could provide archaeologists with a new means of assessing archaeological potential. In this paper we present a methodology for modelling historical landscape change using nineteenth century topographic maps and GIS. To demonstrate the approach, changes in elevation between 1853 and 1895 were modelled across Melbourne’s central business district (the Hoddle Grid). The results of that modelling were then related to contemporary heritage inventories. When coupled with historical research, this form of landscape modelling could produce valuable insights about city formation, industrial era activity, and the ways city dwellers domesticate space in the Anthropocene.

Climate change poses a formidable site management challenge to coastal archaeologists and heritage planners. To manage its impacts, multi-scalar assessments are being employed that incorporate spatial technologies such as GIS, LiDAR, and GPS. While these technologies provide a powerful means of identifying susceptibility and tracking impacts, their ability to direct site management is limited by the accuracy of their incorporated archaeological geospatial data. Without current information regarding the location, condition, and extent of sites, spatial analyses cannot readily adapt to changing site conditions or drive site-specific management. To address this issue, this paper sets out a methodology that combines field survey with GIS-based spatial analysis to track erosion and inundation's impact on coastal sites. This approach is applied to Blueskin Bay, New Zealand, where 26 sites were visited and had Differential GPS (DGPS) data collected of their visible archaeological features. The inclusion of this geospatial data into the GIS-based Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) tool and Sea Level Rise (SLR) model allowed sites to be considered on a scale much finer than conventional computer-based impact assessments. Ultimately, this fine scale approach has the capability of driving better, more informed site management.