The PastMasters
Reliquiarum nihil sine peregrinis - Without Relics there are No Pilgrims
Since our first expedition in 2013, The PastMasters has grown as an informal association of heritage professionals and knowledgeable associates - drawn from across the wide scientific and geographical realms by common interests in exploration of Australia's past and most particularly the proto-historical contact with foreign voyagers that permeates traditional cultural teachings. Our guiding methodology is to work with Aboriginal people to combine oral history records with western scientific process - in a shared-learning 'history making' experience for the benefit of all Australians.
Pandora Archive
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Our Principal Sponsors
Minelab Metal Detectors
We are working with Minelab & MD experts to integrate metal detection into normal archaeological process and to encourage responsible private practice by encouraging a portable antiquites scheme - similar to the UK.
PastMasters welcomes those who wish to contribute to the collaborative history building project. Our objective is to bring together the widest possible range of perspectives and experiences to investigate historical anomalies - delve into the memories, archives and oral histories, apply technologies and techniques from other industries and applications - participate in sensitising Yolngu Rangers, Norforce personnel and people on country to the abundant archaeology and to provide a panel of experts to advise on finds and newly exposed sites, so that together we may solve the mysteries of Arnhem Land.
The PastMasters
Dr. Ian McIntosh
Professor Ian McIntosh Co-founder
A Co-founder of Past Masters - Australian anthropologist Ian McIntosh PhD is an adjunct professor in anthropology at Indiana University's Indianapolis campus where he lectures in cultural anthropology and reconciliation from a global perspective.
An applied social scientist, Professor McIntosh is a former Managing Director of the Harvard-based Indigenous rights organization Cultural Survival Inc., and the former senior editorial advisor to the Cultural Survival Quarterly, the world’s premier journal focusing on the rights, voices and visions of indigenous peoples. Professor McIntosh has published two books and over 100 articles on Indigenous issues and conflict resolution. In 2010 he was named a Rotary International World Peace Fellow.
Professor McIntosh has worked extensively in Aboriginal Australia, especially in North-east Arnhem Land as a linguist and educator. In West Arnhem Land he was Regional Anthropologist with the Northern Land Council; the foremost Aboriginal land rights and advocacy group in northern Australia. Prof. McIntosh, an adopted member of the Wangurri clan, has intimate knowledge of the people, land and culture of the Yolngu (Aborigines) of NE Arnhem Land and maintains strong ties throughout the region.
A Co-founder of Past Masters - Australian anthropologist Ian McIntosh PhD is an adjunct professor in anthropology at Indiana University's Indianapolis campus where he lectures in cultural anthropology and reconciliation from a global perspective.
An applied social scientist, Professor McIntosh is a former Managing Director of the Harvard-based Indigenous rights organization Cultural Survival Inc., and the former senior editorial advisor to the Cultural Survival Quarterly, the world’s premier journal focusing on the rights, voices and visions of indigenous peoples. Professor McIntosh has published two books and over 100 articles on Indigenous issues and conflict resolution. In 2010 he was named a Rotary International World Peace Fellow.
Professor McIntosh has worked extensively in Aboriginal Australia, especially in North-east Arnhem Land as a linguist and educator. In West Arnhem Land he was Regional Anthropologist with the Northern Land Council; the foremost Aboriginal land rights and advocacy group in northern Australia. Prof. McIntosh, an adopted member of the Wangurri clan, has intimate knowledge of the people, land and culture of the Yolngu (Aborigines) of NE Arnhem Land and maintains strong ties throughout the region.
Michael Owen
Michael B. Owen Co-founder
As principal of the Top End Heritage Services, Michael Owen specializes in Cultural Heritage and Community Engagement. He has over 40 years experience of working in remote Aboriginal communities across Northern Australia. In the early 1990's he was the founding CEO of Miwatj Health which was created to introduce resident medical expertise into remote communities to maximise the benefits of early diagnosis through screening and surveillance augmented by the first networked 'live' patient information system.
A combination of bush experience with a passion for history, led Michael to develop the ‘Community Engagement in Heritage Strategy’ for north-east Arnhem Land – unique in being of actual interest to Aboriginal people. As part of this strategy, Michael completed a Macassan Sites Mapping, Imaging and Management Report for the NT Government and been appointed to the Northern Territory Heritage Council.
He is called 'the history man' by the Yolngu which reflects his role as the historian/archivist for the group as well as managing the photographic record of expeditions. As the PastMasters webmaster, the images are taken by him unless otherwise attributed.
As principal of the Top End Heritage Services, Michael Owen specializes in Cultural Heritage and Community Engagement. He has over 40 years experience of working in remote Aboriginal communities across Northern Australia. In the early 1990's he was the founding CEO of Miwatj Health which was created to introduce resident medical expertise into remote communities to maximise the benefits of early diagnosis through screening and surveillance augmented by the first networked 'live' patient information system.
A combination of bush experience with a passion for history, led Michael to develop the ‘Community Engagement in Heritage Strategy’ for north-east Arnhem Land – unique in being of actual interest to Aboriginal people. As part of this strategy, Michael completed a Macassan Sites Mapping, Imaging and Management Report for the NT Government and been appointed to the Northern Territory Heritage Council.
He is called 'the history man' by the Yolngu which reflects his role as the historian/archivist for the group as well as managing the photographic record of expeditions. As the PastMasters webmaster, the images are taken by him unless otherwise attributed.
Tim Stone
Dr Tim Stone is an independent Consultant Archaeologist, Geomorphologist and Geochronologist with over 25 years experience in cultural heritage management and academic research. He holds both a Bachelors and Masters degree from the Australian National University and a PhD from the University of Melbourne. His Masters research undertaken on the Weipa shell mounds developed methods for distinguishing Aboriginal shell middens from natural shoreline deposits. The landscape history of the Murray River was the subject of his PhD. Here, he specialized in optically stimulated luminescence & other radiometric dating techniques. His research has been published in a international academic journals & popular magazines including Australian Geographic & Australasian Science. In 1988, he was engaged by the Aboriginal Sacred Sites Protection Authority to map sacred sites in the Cape Wilberforce area of north east Arnhem Land important to the Warramirri clan, in particular David Burrumarra and Terry Yumbulul, one of the senior traditional owners of the Jenson Bay site. During the course of this work & long association with Yolngu peoples Dr Stone has gained a deep appreciation of the region & its rich cultural diversity.
MIchael Hermes
Archaeologist Michael Hermes [BA {hons},Grad.Dip.Ed, M.Litt] is currently an archaeological consultant to development companies in Queensland, where he identifies, records & assesses Indigenous & historic heritage places.
This often involves managing large teams conducting excavations & detailed field recording. He has previously worked in remote Aboriginal communities in east Arnhem Land teaching in bilingual schools & also in western Arnhem Land and the Center, teaching cultural heritage management to Kakadu and Uluru Indigenous Park Rangers for Batchelor College.
In the 1990’s he was involved in training Indigenous heritage rangers in Hobart for the Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service. Michael has a broad range of archaeological & community liaison experience in Qld, the NT, Tasmania and SA spanning more than twenty years.
Michael also has a Grad.Dip Ed from Charles Darwin University & Masters in Cultural Studies from the Central Qld University.
This often involves managing large teams conducting excavations & detailed field recording. He has previously worked in remote Aboriginal communities in east Arnhem Land teaching in bilingual schools & also in western Arnhem Land and the Center, teaching cultural heritage management to Kakadu and Uluru Indigenous Park Rangers for Batchelor College.
In the 1990’s he was involved in training Indigenous heritage rangers in Hobart for the Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service. Michael has a broad range of archaeological & community liaison experience in Qld, the NT, Tasmania and SA spanning more than twenty years.
Michael also has a Grad.Dip Ed from Charles Darwin University & Masters in Cultural Studies from the Central Qld University.
L>R Ian McIntosh, Mike Owen, Tim Stone, Michael Hermes - a Matt Cupper image Hopeful Bay 2018
Terry & Clely Yumbulul
Terry & Clely Yumbulul of Gunyangara near Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsular.
Terry Yumbulul, traditional owner of the Wessel Islands group which includes Wigram, Cotton and Truant Islands. He is a highly accomplished artist who has been featured in major galleries across the globe. He is the son of Burramurra who was friend, mentor and key informant to Past Masters Co-founder Ian McIntosh. Clely hails originally from the southern Italian city of Brindisi - she and Terry have been married for many years, some which were spent living on Wigram Island. Clely has a profound fascination for history and archaeology as well as a fine understanding of Yolngu and balanda systems. Both Terry & Clely work for Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation.
Terry Yumbulul, traditional owner of the Wessel Islands group which includes Wigram, Cotton and Truant Islands. He is a highly accomplished artist who has been featured in major galleries across the globe. He is the son of Burramurra who was friend, mentor and key informant to Past Masters Co-founder Ian McIntosh. Clely hails originally from the southern Italian city of Brindisi - she and Terry have been married for many years, some which were spent living on Wigram Island. Clely has a profound fascination for history and archaeology as well as a fine understanding of Yolngu and balanda systems. Both Terry & Clely work for Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation.
Sandy Horne
Sandy Horne is a research assistant at the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning. After a career as a desktop publisher she gained her Bachelor of Arts (majoring in History and Classical Studies) from the University of Adelaide in 2012. With research interests in Australian history and migration and as part of an Arts Internship, she produced a substantial report in 2011 on Dutch migrants in South Australia which was published by the Netherlands Embassy in Canberra. She was awarded a Summer Research Scholarship in 2011-2012 during which she gained experience in research techniques with much of her work contributing to a book chapter by Paul Sendziuk. In addition, she produced four transcriptions for the Stalin's Poles oral history project at the National Library of Australia. She has assisted academics across three disciplines with research for several book chapters and has authored three magazine articles and one newspaper article in her own right. Sandy co-authored a book chapter 'Housing in South Australia' in State of South Australia: turbulent times which was published in October 2013 and her first journal article will be published in May 2014.
Daryl Wesley
Dr. Daryl Wesley, is with Flinders University in Adelaide after relocating from ANU in Canberra. Since 1992 Daryl has worked in various roles studying, researching, and managing Indigenous archaeology and cultural heritage in Australia's Northern Territory. He completed his Masters in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies at CDU on the archaeology and management of Indigenous cultural heritage places in Litchfield Park and the Reynolds River. His research interests include stone tool technologies, Indigenous settlement pattern analysis, and rock art recording. Major projects have included the repatriation of ancestral human skeletal remains to Aboriginal communities and, of special interest to the Past Masters, culture contact between Indonesians (Macassans), Europeans, and Indigenous communities in north western Arnhem Land near the Goulburn Islands and the Wellington Ranges.
Peter Lane
Peter Lane
Peter is a South Australian based numismatist with over 50 year experience. He has been the Honorary Numismatist at the Art Gallery of South Australia for some 8 years.
He has lent specimens for a number of public institutions including the WA and SA Maritime Museums, SA Museum, Migration Museums in SA and Victoria, Mint and Barracks Museum Sydney, and the Manly Art Gallery.
He is a numismatic expert examiner under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986.
A regular author on Australian numismatics for referred publications and has presented conference papers in Australia and New Zealand. Peter has been a member of the Past Masters since 2013 having participated in the Ancient Coins in Arnhemland Expedition.
Peter is a South Australian based numismatist with over 50 year experience. He has been the Honorary Numismatist at the Art Gallery of South Australia for some 8 years.
He has lent specimens for a number of public institutions including the WA and SA Maritime Museums, SA Museum, Migration Museums in SA and Victoria, Mint and Barracks Museum Sydney, and the Manly Art Gallery.
He is a numismatic expert examiner under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986.
A regular author on Australian numismatics for referred publications and has presented conference papers in Australia and New Zealand. Peter has been a member of the Past Masters since 2013 having participated in the Ancient Coins in Arnhemland Expedition.
Bob Sheppard
Bob Sheppard - studied archaeology at the University of Western Australia and completed the honours programme (archaeology) in 2013. In 2017 he completed a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Anthropology at UWA. From 2013 to 2015 I was project manager for the Barrow Island Archaeology Project and responsible for on island logistics. In 2016 he assisted Jun Kimura and Ian McCann in the search for evidence of the San Francisco (1606) wreck at Iwawada , Japan.
He has been working with archaeologists since 1987 including staff from the Maritime Archaeology Department and the Conservation Department of the Western Australian Museum. Sites include VOC terrestrial sites associated with the Zuytdorp (1712), Batavia (1629) and Vergulde Draeck (1656) as well as post-colonial historical sites including the Perseverant (1841), the Bunbury whalers, the Deadwater wreck, convict sites, Dundee Beach, Marchinbar Island, and the Perth Deanery.In 1998 I was a co-finder of the intact St Allouarn (1772) annexation bottle on Dirk Hartog Island and in 2008 I provided expert geophysical survey services to Dig International and La Trobe University at the site of the Kelly gang siege site at Glenrowan.
He has been working with archaeologists since 1987 including staff from the Maritime Archaeology Department and the Conservation Department of the Western Australian Museum. Sites include VOC terrestrial sites associated with the Zuytdorp (1712), Batavia (1629) and Vergulde Draeck (1656) as well as post-colonial historical sites including the Perseverant (1841), the Bunbury whalers, the Deadwater wreck, convict sites, Dundee Beach, Marchinbar Island, and the Perth Deanery.In 1998 I was a co-finder of the intact St Allouarn (1772) annexation bottle on Dirk Hartog Island and in 2008 I provided expert geophysical survey services to Dig International and La Trobe University at the site of the Kelly gang siege site at Glenrowan.
Matt Cupper
Dr. Matt Cupper - is an independent Consultant Archaeologist, Geomorphologist and Geochronologist with over 25 years of experience in cultural heritage management and academic research.
Matt has a wide range of experience in cultural and natural heritage management and an academic background in archaeology, geology and botany, including a PhD in the palaeoecology and early Aboriginal occupation of the Darling River. He has 16 years experience as a consultant archaeologist and an excellent track record of producing workable outcomes for private industry and government clients.
Of particular relevance is his extensive project experience in Aboriginal cultural heritage management for the resource, energy and infrastructure sectors.
Matt has a wide range of experience in cultural and natural heritage management and an academic background in archaeology, geology and botany, including a PhD in the palaeoecology and early Aboriginal occupation of the Darling River. He has 16 years experience as a consultant archaeologist and an excellent track record of producing workable outcomes for private industry and government clients.
Of particular relevance is his extensive project experience in Aboriginal cultural heritage management for the resource, energy and infrastructure sectors.