Since 2011 Dr Vincent Clark and Associates have been engaged by Lend Lease Communities to assess, record and provide management recommendations for the cultural heritage values within their residential development “Atherstone” at Melton South. The Atherstone development is adjacent to the picturesque Toolern Creek and located on Victoria’s western volcanic plain, which is characterised by shallow deposits of distinctive red soils.

The Wurundjeri Tribe Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council and the Boon Wurrung Foundation have both been consulted throughout the process of preparing the CHMPs, which to date have covered various stages of the residential development, the creation of wetlands and an Active Open Space precinct.

Large scatters of lithic artefacts have been identified on the ground surface, with a wide range of raw materials present, including silcrete, quartz, greenstone, tachylite, and quartzite. Axes, grindstones, bladelets and scrapers are present within the assemblage. The variety of tools, materials and the extent of the scatters suggest that the Toolern Creek landscape has been utilised by Aboriginal people for thousands of years prior to European settlement.