Platypus Rockshelter (KB:A70), S.E. Queensland: stratigraphy, chronology and site formation

Abstract

Platypus Rockshelter is an archaeological site within a double-chambered weathered cavity in conglomerate cliff on the Brisbane River some 60km from the city of Brisbane.  It was originally recorded by Richard Robins in 1976 during archaeological impact work associated with the building of the huge Wivenhoe Dam on the Brisbane River just upstream from Fernvale. A small fossicker's hole revealed stratified cultural deposits which were considered to warrant salvage excavation before the site was drowned by the dam waters.  This project was subsequently undertaken by J. Hall and archaeology students from the University of Queensland between November 1977 and July 1981.  In 1985 the dam waters rose sufficiently to cover the site.  This paper is the first of three in this issue of QAR which report the findings from Platypus Rockshelter and deals primarily with the site's stratification, chronology and formation.Â