Clontarf Hill
- Site type: Ceremonial, Mythological, Artefacts/Scatter (Camp, Hunting Place, Natural Feature)
- Evidence type: Both Archaeological and Ethnographic
- Site ID: 18322
- Coordinates: 383417mE, 6450405mN, Zone 50 (Reliable)
Clontarf Hill, previously known as Hamilton Hill, is bound by Healy Road to the south and Clontarf Road to the north. The attributes of the site are given as ceremonial, mythological, an artefact site, a hunting place and a natural feature.
It sits currently on the Interim Register of the DIA and the site file has ‘Open’ access status. A member of the Independent Environmental Nyungars, who grew up in the Fremantle area, reports he went with his father as a young child to Clontarf Hill to catch rabbits, and during these occasions he saw a group of “full blooded” Aboriginal people camped on the hill (Jones 2000:1).
Site 18332 Clontarf Hill, a limestone and sand hillock, is possibly the only remaining high point in the southern part of Fremantle. The view from Clontarf Hill takes in the Indian Ocean and offshore islands.
Aboriginal Heritage Act in Western Australia
- Site type: Artefacts/Scatter
- Evidence type: Archaeological
- Side ID: 121
- Cooordinates: 383909mE, 6444039mN, Zone 50 (Reliable)
The Cockburn Lighthouse site (was first recorded by Sally McGann (on behalf of Quartermaine Consultants) in 1996, during an archaeological investigation for Aboriginal sites at Lake Coogee, Thomsons Lake and Kogolup
Lake for Water Corporation. The archaeological scatter was found on an exposed sandy area next to a dirt track, east of a quarry (McGann, 1996). The site consists of a surface scatter of around 100 pieces of fractured porcelain, within a 32cm x 16cm area. McGann (1996) notes that the scatter “Appears to be an isolated incident”, and that “All artefacts are from the same vessel.” Approximately 14 metres south of the scatter there was also found one flaked insulator (core), with no associated debris. McGann reported in 1996 a minimal level of vehicle disturbance to the site area, which sits on the Cottesloe Sands and had a sparse cover of sand plain flora.
A survey by Clune & Raaff in 1997 attempted but was unable to relocate the Cockburn Lighthouse archaeological site, ‘although an extensive investigation was made in the reported location’ (1997: ii). Their report does, however, emphasise that ‘the site possibly continues to exist’, and recommends that it be taken into account when assessing and conducting any development in the vicinity.
- Site type: Mythological
- Evidence type: Ethnographic (associated Archaeological)
- Side ID: 15840
- Coordinates: 383895mE, 6444044mN, Zone 50 (Reliable)
McDonald, Hales and Associates (1997) recorded Site 15840 (Cockburn Road), during a survey conducted under the Aboriginal Heritage Act (1972) with Nyungar Elders.
The site is the locus of a Nyungar narrative concerning the acquisition of fire, in a study undertaken in relation to developments at Jervoise Bay.
(Cockburn Road) is registered as being Mythological and is associated with a limestone ridge mentioned for its proximity to archaeological sites. The account given for recording and registering the site has resonance with the two early accounts of Armstrong in 1837 and Moore in 1884, quoted by Brown (1983) as supporting the site ‘Indian Ocean’ (ID. 3776).
- Site type: Mythological
- Evidence type: Ethnographic
- Side ID: 3776
- Coordinates: 372552mE, 6445470mN, Zone 50 (Reliable)
This site was reported by Brown (1983) and listed in 1985, and relates to two mythological narratives concerning the creation of Cockburn Sound and the offshore islands, especially Rottnest.
One dreamtime story was recorded by Armstrong in 1836 and the other by Moore in 1884.
Armstrong is quoted as follows:
They [the Aboriginal people] state, as a fact handed down to them from their ancestors, that Garden Island was formerly united to the main, and that the separation was caused, in some preternatural manner by the Waugal.
Moore observed in 1884:
The natives (sic) have a tradition that Rottnest, Carnac and Garden Islands once formed part of the mainland. …the ground split asunder with a great noise, and the sea rushed in between….
The ACMC (Resolution 2004/082) recently resolved to reassess and evaluate site 3776 (‘Indian Ocean’) as ‘Not a Site’ under the Aboriginal Heritage Act (1972), but further resolves that the site may be restored at any time if and when further supporting information comes to hand.
With its recent re-mapping (ACMC Resolution 2004/083), site 3776 now reaches the mean high water mark of the coastlines of Garden, Carnac and Rottnest Islands and of the corresponding mainland.
- Site type: Mythological
- Evidence type: Ethnographic
- Side ID: 20866
- Coordinates: 384750mE, 6443650mN, GDA94, ±10m, Zone 50 (Reliable)
The mythological significance of the Lake Coogee site encompasses all of Lake Coogee itself.
The mythological creation of Lake Coogee is mentioned in relation to a site called ‘JBE#1’ recorded by McDonald, Hales and Associates in mid-1997 during a survey of the Jervoise Bay area. According to an Aboriginal consultant for that survey, the myth concerns a sparrow and a hawk that flew to the round hole in the earth where the moon rested during the day. This hole is located in the vicinity of North Lake. The two birds stole fire from the moon in the form of a firestick.
They flew along the limestone ridge near the ocean. The bush caught fire. The moon called his uncle, the ocean, to help. The ocean rose and extinguished the fire. Nyungars were drowned and the lakes in the area were formed, including Lake Coogee (McDonald, Hales and Associates 1997:28-30).
- Site type: Artefactual
- Evidence type: Archaeological
- Side ID: 15838 & 15839
- Coordinates: 384116mE, 6444399mN, Zone 50 (Reliable)
The Lake Coogee 2 site (ID 15839) was first recorded in 1997 during an archaeological survey by G. Clune and P. Raaff (on behalf of McDonald, Hales & Associates, commissioned by Halpern Glick Maunsell) of the areas of land and sea within the Jervoise Bay Infrastructure Planning Study Precinct which were being proposed for development. The 1997 survey located two new Aboriginal archaeological sites ‘situated on the southwest and northwest side, respectively, of Lake Coogee’: Lake Coogee 1 (ID 15838) and Lake Coogee 2 (ID 15839).
Lake Coogee 1 was found on the western side of the Cockburn Road realignment, which was, then under proposal. The site was located on a firebreak, and the material was noted eroding out of windrows formed to the side during construction of the track. The material of Lake Coogee 1 scatter consists of four quartz artefacts, 3 within 1-2m of each other, and the fourth some 20m to the north. The site was reported to be highly disturbed, ‘but the large size of the artefacts suggests that smaller material may be located nearby beneath the surface’ (1997: i).
Lake Coogee 2 was found in the centre of the then-proposed Cockburn Road realignment, the coordinates originally reported as 384561E, 6442510N (Clune & Raaff 1997: i). Their report states:
The lighthouse adjacent to Cockburn Road lies on a bearing of 282.5° north-west of the site. The site consists of approximately 103 quartz artefacts, and lies just beyond an existing gravel road and adjacent to a derelict fence line. The scatter has suffered disturbance from rabbit and human activity. (Clune & Raaff 1997: i-ii)
The Lake Coogee 2 site was ascribed by Clune and Raaff a higher degree of significance than that for Lake Coogee 1, …as the former site is one of a small handful of moderate-sized sites…located in the Karrakatta Sands of the Spearwood dune system. The site is therefore rarer than LC-1 and appears to have undergone less disturbance. (Clune & Raaff 1997: ii)
Aboriginal community representatives, who were consulted in relation to this survey in 1997, regarding the significance of the archaeological material, expressed the desire to have it preserved if at all possible, and further requested that the area be monitored during construction due to what the report confirms to be the potential for there to be sub-surface material (especially burials).
The Lake Coogee 2 site lies outside the present Cockburn coast PDA, approximately 3km to the south. However, the close proximity of this site to the Cockburn Lighthouse site (ID 121) (albeit also outside the PDA boundaries) ‘could indicate that the sandy stretch situated in the lee of the large limestone ridge to the east was a favoured camping area at least in the recent past’ (Clune & Raaff 1997:13), giving further weight to reports of the significance of the surrounding area, including the Cockburn.
- Site type: Man-Made Structure (Camp)
- Evidence type: Both Archaeological and Ethnographic
- Site ID: 3707
- Coordinates: 382501mE, 6449352mN, Zone 50 (Reliable)
Site 3707 (Rob Jetty Camp) was first reported by O’Connor, Bodney and Little (1985) as a camping area located in the sandhills to the south of South Beach, in the vicinity of Catherine Point where camps were situated between the Bradford Kendall Pty Ltd Iron Foundry and Robb Jetty. According to O’Connor et al. (1985) early records indicate that the area was used as a camp area and was still in use by Aboriginal people from outside the metropolitan area at the time of recording. Like other long established fringe camps, O’Connor et al. considered the area likely to have been a traditional camping area.
The site is on the Permanent Register and the file has ‘Open’ access. The Register indicates that the site is currently mapped as being approximately 1.2 km long, its width no greater than 100m.
O’Connor et al (1985) note that the area is known to have been used for Aboriginal camping from about 1910, and that, “although Perth Metropolitan Aboriginal people no longer camp here, it was noticed that Aboriginal visitors from the Kalgoorlie region were living among the sandhills.”
Though the sands driven by winter winds cover most evidence of human occupation, making individual camps hard to distinguish, in the deeper inter dunal swales, campfire ashes, domestic refuse and the remnants of temporary shelters have been observed (O’Connor et al. 1985: 83-85). The site is also listed as containing a man-made structure and this is almost certainly due to O’Connor et al. reporting of the presence of remnants of temporary shelters.
McDonald conducted archival research on behalf of Ethnosciences in 2003, which found that Makin (170) had identified an Aboriginal campsite adjacent to “The Smelters” to the south of Fremantle. However, the report goes on to say that the available evidence suggests that the Robb Jetty Camp and Makin’s “The Smelters” camp are in fact one and the same.
According to O’Connor, Bodney & Little (1985) (DIA report ID 102670), the Robb Jetty Camp site (ID 3707) has been used as a campsite since approximately 1910. In the 2003 study by E. McDonald for the proposed South Beach Village development (see DIA Report ID 20805, summary below), discussions with the project’s proponents revealed that Robb Jetty Camp was located to the south of the ANI Bradken Foundry land (Lot 1815 Island Street) and they could not recall anybody camping within the boundaries of the foundry property.
AIC also conducted a survey in 2003, involving consultation with representatives from the Combined Metropolitan Working Group (CMWG) NTCs, in which Site 3707 (which will be impacted by the present proposed re-development plans for the Cockburn coast) was identified by the Aboriginal informants as extending from the mouth of the Swan River to Warnbro as the area is part of the well-used coastal ‘pad’ or route and had previously been used for camping and hunting.
- Site type: Mythological
- Evidence type: Ethnographic
- Site ID: 15841
- Coordinates: 382346mE, 6444228mN, Zone 50 (Reliable)
Woodman Point (site ID. 15841) is an ethnographic site recorded, along with theCockburn Road site (ID. 15840), in 1997 by McDonald, Hales & Associates, during a survey under the Aboriginal Heritage Act (1972). The Woodman Point site is registered as Mythological and described as being of ethnographic importance. The McDonald, Hales & Associates report which mentions the account given for recording and registering the site also mentions another version previously recounted in work by Bates (1985) and Wilson (1972) and notes the thematic similarity. It was stressed that no development be allowed to impinge on the site.
The possibility of encountering skeletal material was of concern to the Nyungar people consulted, as the dune areas may have been used for burials.