The Archaeology of Mitakoodi Country, Cloncurry, NW Queensland

The Mitakoodi peoples of the Cloncurry River (the 'River People') and region, have a rich and diverse archaeological history unknown to the rest of Australia.

They are the custodians of the famous basalt axe quarries which along with the Kalkadoon (Mt Isa) axe quarries have been foremost as a regional stone source, supplying high quality stone axes to many
language groups throughout Australia via the 'Channel Country' and its complex social exchange network system.

The Mitakoodi peoples are also the custodians of the white ochre dreaming ceremonial and initiation sites, large and small tangible man made monuments and structures scatted throughout the harsh spinifex landscape.

With the permission and blessing of the Mitakoodi Elders, this paper presents publicly for the first time, the full diversity of the archaeology of the Mitakoodi peoples and the challenges they facing in managing their sites in the Cloncurry