Ice Age footprints: Cave discovery reveals ancient life in Australia

Archaeologists have found clear evidence of Ice Age human life in one of Australia’s coldest regions, challenging long-held ideas about survival in extreme climates.

Australian archaeologists working in partnership with First Nations community members have uncovered definitive evidence of Ice Age occupation in one of Australia’s highest and coldest environments, challenging long-held assumptions about human resilience in harsh climates.

The discovery, made at an ancient cave in the Blue Mountains known as the Dargan Shelter, marks the highest-elevation archaeological site in Australia to show evidence of human activity dating back 20,000 years. While the Blue Mountains and its many rock shelters have been inhabited for more than 30,000 years, the Dargan Shelter is located at the highest elevation showing evidence of human activity.

Located at 1,073 meters above sea level, the shelter was found to contain nearly 700 stone artifacts, including cutting tools and a sandstone grinding slab that may have been used to fashion wooden or bone tools such as needles or spear points. At the time of its earliest use, the area was seasonally frozen and treeless — conditions previously believed to be uninhabitable by Ice Age peoples on the continent. Yet new findings show repeated human use of the cave, with hearth features and a well-preserved sequence of activity spanning millennia.

The research, published in Nature Human Behaviour, was led by Amy Mosig Way of the University of Sydney and Australian Museum, along with Gomeroi knowledge holder Wayne Brennan, who initiated the study to bridge scientific research with First Nations knowledge. The team worked in collaboration with custodians from Dharug, Wiradjuri, Dharawal, Gomeroi, Wonnarua, and Ngunnawal communities, reaffirming the long-standing Indigenous connections to the landscape.

“This new evidence aligns Australia with global data that shows glacial landscapes were not necessarily natural barriers to early human movement and occupation,” Way said. “Until now, we thought the Australian high country was too difficult to occupy during the last Ice Age. Yet, despite the harsh conditions, our research demonstrates people were moving in and through this high elevation landscape, which is approximately 400m above the tree line.”

Professor Philip Piper of the Australian National University noted the remarkable preservation of the site, which made it possible to construct a detailed chronology of use over 20,000 years. The results strengthen ongoing efforts to integrate Indigenous knowledge with scientific methods in heritage conservation.

“It was the excellent state of preservation that enabled us to construct such a robust chronology for Dargan Shelter spanning the last 20,000 years,” Piper said.

Although the Blue Mountains is a UNESCO-listed area for its natural significance, the researchers and community members involved in the study are calling for increased recognition and protection of its cultural heritage as well. Brennan, who also mentors Indigenous students in archaeology, hopes the collaboration will encourage further discoveries and protections that honor the cultural and scientific importance of sites like Dargan Shelter.

The study not only extends the timeline of highland habitation in Australia but also amplifies the role of First Nations cultural custodians in archaeological discovery. Dharug community members Leanne Watson Redpath and Erin Wilkins, co-authors of the research, described the cave as part of a living cultural identity.

“Our people have walked, lived and thrived in the Blue Mountains for thousands of years and we knew the cave was there. It is not only a tangible connection to our ancestors who used it as a meeting place for sharing, storytelling and survival, but is a part of our cultural identity. We need to respect and protect our heritage for the benefit of all Australians,” Watson Redpath said. 

“While there’s no certain way of identifying which groups accessed the mountains in the deep past, it is likely that multiple groups were connected to this country," said Wilkins. "Today, Dargan Shelter is considered by local custodians to represent a family space of high cultural significance."

Reporting by TMX

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