Now, as other evidence appears of Aborigines living much more sedentary and complex lifestyles than previously imagined, the stone houses of western Victoria call no longer be ignored. Ms Ross said archaeologists and historians had begun taking an interest and re-assessing such evidence only in the past decade. For example, recent studies of skeletal material had produced evidence of sedentary occupation by Aborigines living in villages along the Murray River, she said. However, they did not starve. Therefore, they did something about their food shortages.
Evidence suggests that they planted crops of yams and grass along the Murray.
The white man has conveniently forgotten the evidence of Aborigines planting crops. But Governor Grey, of Western Australia, whose boat on one occasion was wrecked on a river trip, described seeing acres of yam fields. Ms Ross said there was ample evidence of desert Aborigines, after gathering grass seeds for flour-making, then scattering seeds on the ground for new growth next season. In Arnhem Land, Aborigines habitually left yam tubers in the ground for next year's harvest. Archaeologists have found evidence of food storage by Aborigines in the Sydney region.