The Dream vs. Reality: Application and Examination of Anthracological Methodologies to Diverse North-Western Australian Archaeological Sites. Addressing the Problems and Potentials for Australian archaeology, including the important role of Acacia

This thesis establishes the importance and potential of anthracological application (wood charcoal analysis) to Australian archaeological studies through testing the transferability of international disciplinary standards to highly varied Western Australian archaeological sites. Even when applied to sites with poor preservation or low sample sizes, much new knowledge is still gained into past mobility strategies and landscape use. Covering the first application of Australian anthracology to a historic site (Bandicoot Bay), to one of the continent's oldest repeatedly occupied desert sites (Kamatukul), this thesis details intimate insights into past occupants' relationships with the landscape, and how these evolved through time.