It all started with a visit to the high school where I used to be an English/History teacher.

I went to spruik the Young Archaeologists' Program to the Head of Humanities. While I was there, she mentioned that teachers are in desperate need of a book on Ancient Australia, a unit that focuses on the Indigenous past. In response to this, I started a blog (askthearchaeologist.wordpress.com) which explains the key terms for Ancient Australia in a way I thought teachers might find helpful.

Then, in July this year, I presented a 1-hour seminar on Ancient Australia at a state history conference, and the same question was asked: Why wasn’t there a textbook about Ancient Australia yet? Where could teachers access quality and comprehensive resources about this elusive topic?

I began a thorough investigation into currently available resources and soon learned why teachers found the textbooks so unhelpful.

There’s virtually nothing available.



In fact, several popular history textbooks barely even mention Ancient Australia. The best information I could find had been written in consultation with a top museum curator, and while the resource is of high quality, it, too, is lacking the depth needed to teach such a vast and layered topic.

It was at this point that I decided to address the problem and write a book.


WHY I CHOSE SELF-PUBLICATION
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As soon as I decided to write this book, I knew I had to self-publish. Going through "traditional" publication routes was going to take too long. Teachers need this information now, not in one or two years.

It's also important that I have the freedom to include as many illustrations as I think is necessary (many publishers have limited image quotas, and I want to include loads of pictures - after all, it has to appeal to kids as well as their teachers!).



I also want some say in the book design and format. While I'm not a great designer by any stretch of the imagination, I have firm views about how I want the book to unfold chronologically and visually, and I suspect a mainstream educational publisher would not permit an author to enjoy the level of creative input that I will give to this book.




WRITER VS TRANSLATOR
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With this project, I see myself not so much as a writer or educator, but more as a translator and guide. The bulk of information about Ancient Australia is locked away in archaeology reports and academic journal papers. And which teachers have time to sift through a hundred articles on an unfamiliar subject then create engaging lessons for an 8-week unit? None that I know.


THE BOOK'S PROGRESS SO FAR
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"Ancient Australia Unearthed" is well underway, with a draft nearly complete. It will be a unique book – the first of its kind – that uses archaeology to teach Australia’s ancient history. While the primary purpose will be educational, I feel that the aesthetics of the book are equally, if not more, important than the text. It would be so easy for my book to become boring, and I’m determined to prevent that from happening. This is why I’ve chosen to crowdfund – so that I can invest in great design and illustrations to make the book both educational and beautiful.

PLEASE JOIN ME ON THIS JOURNEY AND HELP UNEARTH THE FASCINATING HISTORY OF ANCIENT AUSTRALIA!

IS THIS BOOK A TEACHER RESOURCE OR A STUDENT TEXTBOOK?

I intend to have 2 versions of Ancient Australia Unearthed, the first one being the student text. I will (eventually) publish a teacher resource, with additional information, activities, links, project instructions, and even some experimental archaeology! My aim is to have this ready shortly after the student book, but I'll have to see how I'm going for time. It will definitely become available at some stage, I promise!

THERE AREN'T MANY AUSTRALIAN HISTORY BOOKS SUITABLE FOR HOMESCHOOLERS' NEEDS, AND IN THOSE WE USE, THE CHAPTERS ABOUT PRE-SETTLEMENT ARE SO-SO AT BEST AND "RIP THE PAGE OUT" AT WORST. COULD YOU MAKE SOME OF YOUR CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES EASILY ADAPTED FOR HOMESCHOOLERS?

The activities and questions are designed for students to complete by themselves or in small groups, but there's no reason why these can't be adapted for homeschool students. After all, this is still a work in progress, and I am very happy to receive feedback at this stage because I still have elbow room to alter things according to students' and teachers' needs!

WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU HAVE FOR INVOLVING TRADITIONAL OWNERS IN THE PREPARATION / REVIEW / APPROVAL OF MATERIAL THAT YOU ARE PREPARING?

In terms of the book as a whole, it is designed to cover Australia's prehistoric past in quite a broad archaeological sense to "map" a general chronology for the past 60,000 years. The Year 7 history lesson time allocation for 'The Ancient World' unit (which includes topics like the 'out of Africa' theory) amounts to around 10% of the year, equating to 4-6 weeks. Not much time at all! Hence the need for a broad but succinct overview of our rich and complex continental history.

In terms of site-specific material within that chronology, I have already begun the process of requesting advice and feedback from a number of experts, including traditional owners, to ensure that the textbook information is both accurate and respectful.

WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING WITH AN EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHER?

Believe me, I wish I could! It would make my job way easier. Unfortunately, most large publishing houses, while they produce great materials, take a long time to do so, and teachers need this information now, not in 2 years.

Plus, I want some creative control over the book design and layout, as well as the number of images included. Most publishers have image quotas, which just doesn't work for me. So for now, I have to settle for self-publication.