
460 RECORDS OF THE S.A. Museum 
(RC.3), This is the largest of these three sites, situated on a well blown-out 
roadside area at the north-west corner of the Purner settlement. Its surface has 
been well turned over by travelling stork, Only a few pieces were collected here 
and probably most material of interest is hnried beneath the disturbed sand. The 
site, however, provided one feature of special archaeological interest, which is 
described later in the geological notes, 
The country adjacent to these sites has long been settled and the land to the 
east and north intensively cleared, But nearby is the Reedy Creek Range, whieh 
ig still extremely well-clad mostly with indigenous vegetation and is kmown to 
have supported native animals of many kinds (see Part IIT). Reedy Creek 
itself, before the days of drainage, was actually a series of connected swamps lying 
just east of the range and constituted a permanent and almost: continuous water- 
way for many miles to the north-west in the direction of Kingston and beyond. 
In general this region was obviously well-supplied with food and water. 
NanauLta (MR, 1), This site in Section 122, Hundred of Maynrra, has 
apparently heen much used as a source of clean sand for local building purposes. 
But even now, a few Hint flakes revealing previous aboriginal oceupation can be 
found. Several pieces were removed from the sand '‘chfft’’ face, a few feet belaw 
the crest of the sand vidge, which in this region is associated with the Millicent 
limestone ridge. In the past a few wellavorked implements have heen collected 
here. [his likely that this site once formed a snitable camp location, Situated on 
the sheltered eastern side of a well-imbered ridge, it is also adjacent ta the nearby 
Hats which had a group of large important fresh water springs. ' Thus it was 
well favoured for food, water, aud timber for dwellings and implements. 
Discugson. From the foregoing accounts, the following main points may 
be stated, 
The territory under review has for a long time undoubtedly been a well- 
watered terrain, possessing 4 pleasant subtemperate climate with considrable 
vegetation and consequently abundant animal and bird life. It could, om the 
whole, be lnoked on as suitable for the support of aun appreciable population of 
aborigines. In winter, however, wideapread inundation of much of the country 
must have been a limiting factor to comfort and travel, Wor besides the almost 
eontinuous lake system between the Woakwine Ratige and the sea (from Robe 
dow to the south-east end of Lake Bonney), wide areas of the Hundreds of Mt. 
Muirhead, Mayurra, Kennion, Symon, and Bray were vast expanses of swamp in 
the wet season. Sach conditions were probably a limiting factor to population, in 
spite of the varied topography and abundance of vegetation and wild life, 
Thus, considering the usual custom of aborigines restricting themselves to 
recognized ‘‘heats’’, it was likely that groups tended to be localized, and not in 
large numbers. This localization has already been suggested in the observations 
vecorded by Camphell (1934). It also seems likely that whatever food supplies 
were available, protracted winter conditions would restrict the groups in this 
district to 4 somewhat settled life and nomadism was on only a limited. scale. A 
study of the area and distribution of camp sites suggests that groups of natives 
could have lived, for example, on certain portions of the Woakwine Range, and 
there, with visits to nearby lakes and swamps and to the not. distant. ocean shores, 
secured a fairly stable, though perhaps at times, precarious, existence. 
The above suggestions appear to be borne out by the existence of large camp- 
site areas, for example, at the Bullock Island and Woakwine Station sites: these 
gave the impression of having been extensive, permanent camps, fayourably 
situated on the eastern, sheltered side of the range, On the other hand, and taking 
weather and other etivironmental conditions into account, it seems likely that the 
coastal sites (Cape Buffon and Lake Frome) were more of a temporary nature and 
used only in the warmer and drier times of the year. 
