On the balance of evidence, peopling of Parramatta, Sydney, Australia, occurred after the Last Glacial Maximum: A reply to Quinn et al. (2023) and Owen et al. (2024)

A recent synthesis of archaeological investigations in the centre of Sydney has proposed that initial peopling of this part of southeast Australia focussed on the Hawkesbury-Nepean River system, and only utilised the broader region following the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in response to demographic packing, ameliorating climate and/or coastal inundation. Two new publications, Quinn et al. (2023) and Owen et al. (2024), have proposed a pre-LGM occupation at two sites along a relatively minor river system at Parramatta and thereby question this model. Both Quinn et al. and Owen et al. propose that a small number of stone artefacts and/or ochrous materials found in lower units of sandy alluvium adjacent the river reflect activity prior to 30,000 years ago. In contrast, we review known geomorphological and soil processes common within this deposit and suggest that this material culture has been subject to displacement, movement and/or modification. When applied, these suggest that neither site has evidence of pre-LGM activity, and the broader regional model therefore remains valid.