Howitt Lecture: Dating Australia’s oldest rock art

Presented by the Royal Society of Victoria & the Geological Society of Australia, Victoria Division

Australia hosts the world’s oldest continuing culture, and Aboriginal rock art represents one of its most significant records of knowledge. These paintings and engravings remain of deep importance to Aboriginal people today and provide valuable evidence for researchers seeking to understand long-term human-environment interactions. Yet one of the greatest challenges in rock art research is determining age. Without knowing how old the paintings and engravings are, it is difficult to understand how the artworks relate to past changes in climate, environment, or culture. In this talk, Dr. Helen Green will outline the latest scientific techniques used to establish the age of Australia’s oldest rock art, and the innovative, multi-disciplinary projects that bring together traditional Indigenous knowledge and Western science to deepen our understanding of these remarkable cultural records and how we might protect them into the future.

Light refreshments will be available.

Please note, the venue is a historical building and has stair-only access, and a flight of stairs up to the theatre room and amenities. If you have any questions or concerns about accessibility, please reach out to the RSV team at rsv@rsv.org.au

Dr Helen Green is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, a Rock Art Australia Research Fellow, and Chair of Rock Art Australia’s Science Advisory Council.

Her research specialises in developing and applying innovative dating techniques to better understand the age and preservation of Australian rock art, with a particular focus on radiocarbon dating and the impacts of environmental change. Helen works in close partnership with Traditional Owners, community organisations, and interdisciplinary research teams to co-design projects that advance both scientific knowledge and cultural priorities. Over the past decade, her work has been supported by major fellowships, competitive grants, and philanthropic funding, and she continues to play a leading role in building collaborative research frameworks that support the protection and understanding of Australia’s Aboriginal cultural heritage.