MrWayne Brennan

Senior archaeologist and First Nation Mentor. Gulamada Project co-director at The University of Sydney, School of Humanities, Discipline of Archaeology. BA Archaeology.

I am currently a Doctorial candidate at the University of Sydney with my research focusing on ceremonial practices and cultural mapping in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA) in NSW. I am of Gamilaraay decent and still strongly practice my lore and culture.

My main area of research has been in rock art and engravings, and I am now currently working on a project with the Dharug Custodians Aboriginal Corporation (DCAC) in the Blue Mountains, the Gulamada project, recording and documenting rock art. This involves a close examination of the archaeological record, intense surveying, reviewing ethnographic information as well as the gathering of oral histories from both indigenous and non-indigenous people from the Blue Mountains Region. I am Co Director of the Blue Mountains Rock Art Project with Prof Paul Tacon (Griffith University QLD). I am also in a research partnership with Dr Amy Way (University of Sydney) in a three-year high altitude ARC archaeological project which starts in August 2026 and runs for three years.

I have also had extensive experience in community consultation and developing interpretation education and training programs for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage in NSW. This has been mainly through my work with National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) both here in the Blue Mountains and other regions of the NPWS.

I have over 40 years’ experience working in archaeology and cultural heritage both in Australia and the USA, having undertaken diverse tasks such as field survey, site recording, excavation, rock art recording, conservation, repatriation, risk management and development of training programs. I have devised research designs and budgets, managed projects and fieldwork teams, and worked in various cultural heritage roles for NPWS and OEH, as well as an independent consultant. I am conversant with legislation and policy surrounding cultural heritage and have extensive experience liaising with Aboriginal groups, traditional owners, government agencies and developers. I have jointly published extensively in various academic journals in Australia and internationally.