There are unique patterns in the population history of Cape York that we have been able to uncover through our recent ARC funded research. It is emerging that these patterns would never be apparent from a study of the archaeological record alone. The story from human biology provides important new insights into the complexity of the Aboriginal past in the Cape, and can help point the way to developing a more reliable and comprehensive appreciation of the Australian past. We have now completed the first regional isotope map of Australia, showing the potential of Sr isotopes for reconstructing Aboriginal mobility patterns. Our published research on the genomic history of Australia (Malaspinas, Westaway and 74 others in Nature, 2016) provides important insights into the population dynamics of the Cape. Craniometric research has pointed to some potential connections with populations to the north, while archaeological excavations have extended the chronology of offshore island occupation in East Cape York. Of course none of this research would have been possible without the support of Aboriginal communities. Developing strong partnerships has been a critical component of this project. In this presentation, I will attempt to provide an overview of this large scale bio-anthropology project that really only begins to scratch the surface of our understanding of the complexity of the Cape.

Dr Michael Westaway is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University (Brisbane), working in the fields of Biological Anthropology and Archaeology. He obtained his PhD at the ANU in Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology in 2010. He has worked in and around his core disciplines for over 20 years, having been employed at Queensland Museum, Flinders University, NSW National Parks and Wildlife, National Museum of Australia and Aboriginal Affairs Victoria. His current funded research is in the Far North and Far West of Queensland.