Traditional owners and leading archaeologists hope a five-year exploration project will uncover a rich history and find connections between Aboriginal communities across a huge stretch of Western Australia.
Baiyungu elder Hazel Walgar said within her traditional land of the Ningaloo coast there was evidence of trade with groups from other parts of Australia.
"Artefacts from my traditional area, Ningaloo, are found in the Central Australia, artefacts like the marnargee, the baler shell, and we find cutting tools in our area that don't come from here," she said.
"Those artefacts come from inland, from Martu country."
Researchers for the archaeological project are working with ten different Indigenous communities and corporations to gain a deeper understanding of the connections.
The study will cover an area spanning from Exmouth, through the Pilbara region and right out to the Western Desert.
Seeking the earliest evidence
Team leader and University of WA laureate chair in archaeology Peter Veth said they were interested in all time periods, including the last ice age.
He said the main focus would be exploring for the earliest evidence of people entering the deserts of northern WA.
"We think that probably happened as early as 60,000 years ago, if not earlier," Professor Veth said.
"The remarkable thing that's panning out now is that some of the earliest dates for occupation for the whole of Australia are coming from the deserts, from the arid zone.
"From areas in the Little Sandy Desert, from the edge of the Great Sandy Desert, from the Pilbara, and from places like Barrow Island."
He said they were sites that would have been "desert or desert-edge" 50,000 to 60,000 years ago.
"If we can establish that people have moved comfortably into the deserts and are using the resources and they're socially viable that early, that's globally significant," Professor Veth said.
The importance of archiving
Ms Walgar said it was important to archive evidence to help provide a record.
"[It's about] learning about our people and keeping it going for our generation to the next generation, keeping that connection, walking in the footsteps of our ancestors, our people now that's gone," she said.
Ms Walgar said her family members had been a part of previous projects.
Only a fraction uncovered
Professor Veth said previous research had so far explored only a fraction of what was available.
"We know there are hundreds of other caves that were likely occupied and most of the Cape Range has not been systematically surveyed," he said.
The team is expecting to begin intensive fieldwork in May, with areas that can provide a rich record to be targeted.
"The old ancient limestones of Cape Range are really good at preserving things like beads, organics, timber, even plant remains that often doesn't survive," Professor Veth said.
"You can build up a pattern of the old climate, the old environments."
For more on this story, watch Ningaloo Nyinggulu, coming soon to ABC TV and ABC iview
