Stories Written in Sand: Sediment Archives from the Wudjari Ancient Coastlines Program, Recherche Archipelago

We all know Esperance has some of the best sand in the world, so we thought it was about time we looked a little more closely at what makes ours so special – because behind every grain lies a remarkable geological and cultural story. As part of the Wudjari Ancient Coastlines Program, sediment grab samples are being collected from across the Recherche Archipelago to investigate the history of one of Australia’s most spectacular coastal landscapes. Laboratory analyses examine grain size, shape, sorting, mineral composition, shell fragments, microfossils and organic material preserved within the sediments. Together, these characteristics provide valuable evidence for reconstructing sediment sources, transport pathways and the dynamic processes that have shaped the coastline over thousands of years. All the details can be found here.