Vandalism of Aboriginal sites at Marandoo
The cave at Marandoo in Western Australia, where evidence has been found of occupation going back 18,000 years, has been vandalised by heavy equipment.
In the past six weeks a drilling rig has put a hole through the ground above the cave, which went through the roof to the floor, damaging deposits and evidence of occupation that has yet to be properly excavated. Archaeologists were to conduct "salvage" work in the cave, but Hamersley Iron, the company that owns the Marandoo lease, has made excuses which have prevented any work being carried out. The cave is located in the centre of a proposed iron ore mine.
Additional vandalism includes the destruction of the front of the cave, presumably in the hope that it would collapse. A railway sleeper has also been wedged into a crack in the ground above the cave. It was hit into the crack so firmly that it is now stuck, leaving no doubt that the objective of the vandals was the destruction of the cave. The damage is on such a scale that it could only have been done with heavy machinery.
The archaeological significance of the site lies in the date of occupation found in a preliminary excavation. 18,000 years ago the area was arid and inhospitable, posing a number of questions about the reason for Aboriginal people being there.
This vandalism has not been reported by the WA Aboriginal Sites Department, and represents the first step in the destruction of a large area of land in conflict with the wishes of the local Aboriginal people, represented by the Karijini Association.