Ancient footprints connect Aboriginal students to lost giants

Their educational journey has extended beyond the classroom, encompassing visits to ancient rock art located 720 kilometers from their school and fieldwork mapping prehistoric footprints along the state’s west coast. The students are learning about the megafauna that once roamed the region, including giant kangaroos, large duck-like birds, and creatures like Protemnodon, Genyornis, and Diprotodon, which became extinct at least 15,000 years ago. The largest of these kangaroos stood 2.7 meters tall and weighed approximately 240 kilograms.

School principal Mark Prince explained that the field trips are part of a broader learning program that includes classroom study and participation in a state conference in Adelaide. Kristian Coulthard, a Flinders Ranges tour operator and Adnyamathanha man, emphasized the importance of connecting students with their ancestral heritage through these discoveries. He led the students to Yura Mulka, a petroglyph site showcasing interactions between First Nations people and megafauna.

“The art site was about my ancestors’ interaction with megafauna. It was an engraving site that my ancestors carved,” Coulthard said.

Palaeontologist Aaron Camens, collaborating with Coulthard, hosted a field trip to Fowlers Bay, explaining that while fossils are rare in the area due to the coastal environment, footprints can be preserved in hardened sand layers. These footprints reveal traces of kangaroos, diprotodon, and large birds.

“From year to year, they might be buried in sand or they might be exposed, depending on what’s happening with the number of storms,” Camens said.

These footprints, likely dating back 120,000 to 130,000 years, offer a tangible link to the ancestors who coexisted with these megafauna. Students are also learning to analyze track patterns to estimate animal movement speeds, incorporating advanced mathematical concepts.

Two students were selected to present their findings at the 2026 Aboriginal STEM Congress (YASTSA) in Adelaide. Their work integrates the South Australian curriculum with cultural knowledge, scientific expertise, and insights from authors and park rangers. The school plans a showcase for parents and families later this term.