What archaeological projects are you working on at the moment?
I do not have the opportunity to do archaeology in my work, but experience in research and excavating helps immeasurably in delving into public service files and writing reports and briefings. I still work with Indigenous people and find the understanding of their past and current situations helps with my policy work. I am, however, President of the Canberra Archaeological Society and a member of the National Trust (ACT) Council, so I still keep my hand into cultural heritage management.

Tell us about one of your most interesting archaeological discoveries.
I am very short sighted so good at finding the minutiae and perhaps the irrelevant. I graduated from including used condoms and batteries in Pialligo Patsy’s collection (from the confounding carrot field) to discovering glass artefacts and quartz conundrums in ACT sites. I found a very tiny piece of string in the deposit from Blue Water Holes, my honours area, and was able to prove that it was made from a mountain plant species in contrast to the use of Kurrajong fibres at lower altitudes

Tell us about a funny/disastrous/amazing experience that you have had while doing archaeology.
While managing the identification and protection of heritage sites in the newly developing Gungahlin area of ACT I was called out to the discovery of damage to an Aboriginal site. After nearly being run over by a bulldozer and surviving racist innuendos, I managed to get the developer and the Aboriginal reps to discussion. We achieved a very good outcome for conservation of the site, which being a chert quarry had not sustained any visible damage, and included a playground and mural in the resulting park.

What’s your favourite part of being an archaeologist?
You meet such interesting people – I have yet to meet a dull archaeologist. Also the lead into historical and heritage organisations; I am proud to be a member of the Professional Historians Association and was on the History Council of SA before I moved back to ACT. I have also been a member of the National Aboriginal Sites Authorities Committee and the Task Force for the Return of Indigenous Cultural Remains, where I was able to use and improve my conservation knowledge.

Follow up reading:
My Honours thesis is at ANU and most of the rest of my productions are within the public service – not only inaccessible but probably incredibly boring. I’d recommend reading crime novels instead.