As an archaeologist, Jennifer wants everyone to know she doesn’t work with dino­saurs! We dug deeper into what it takes to be an archaeologist in Tasmania.

Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I grew up about an hour outside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in a commuter and agricultural town called Maple Ridge. I live in Aus­tins Ferry in the northern suburbs now. Both places share some similarities in that they’re flanked by broad rivers, belts of agricultural land and enclosed by hills and mountains.

What does Latitude Heritage do and what’s your role? It’s a heritage and ar­chaeology consultancy—we specialise in Aboriginal and historical heritage assess­ments, research, archaeological excava­tions, heritage surveys, artefact analysis and the stacks of reports that go with that. The company started in Tasmania with me, but we now have three very skilled archaeologists in our Melbourne office and a very patient administration and logistics officer. As the director, I lead the company with input from all members of our team.

We’re small enough that between us we run a range of projects in Tasmania and Victoria, providing input into each other’s work to make sure we provide quality advice. We also work closely with some awesome Aboriginal Heritage Of­ficers here in Tasmania, as well as Regis­tered Aboriginal Parties and Traditional Owners in Victoria, to try and achieve good heritage outcomes. We work on unceded Aboriginal land, so making sure we engage properly with Aboriginal communities and their representatives is critical to our work.

What has been your favourite field job in Tasmania and why? Probably doing a heritage survey at an old coal mining and timber-getting settlement in southern Tasmania. I spent a few days surveying in the bush and finding the remains of old buildings, dispersed artefacts, water channels, and bridge footings which I was able to digitally record and map to help with their ongoing protection and broader management of the place. Excavations are great, but the peace you feel bushwalking and recording interesting finds is tough to beat (even with the leeches).

What is the most interesting or unusual item you’ve come across in Tasmania? The most surprising find was a scatter of approximately 1,800 artefacts underneath a building at Anglesea Barracks in Ho­bart. Many were scraps from goods likely provided by the British government to soldiers and their families between 1815 and 1828, including a mix of standard issue civilian clothing, military uniforms and boots. Very little clothing from work­ing class groups in the early nineteenth century survives nationally. The collec­tion has outstanding research potential!

What’s something about archaeology you wish more people knew? That we don’t dig dinosaurs – mostly because I feel like I’m constantly disappointing people when I tell them that dinosaurs are not in our remit. In a bigger sense, though, I wish more people understood that archaeology helps us understand the past for people usually marginalised or overlooked in written histories. It might seem like sorting and counting old bits of rubbish but what we can draw from the patterns in those things helps fill a lot of gaps in our understanding of the past.

Who do you admire? I admire a lot of the older female archaeologists and leaders in heritage that I’ve come to know over the years, many of whom are in Tasmania.

Favourite podcast or tv show? The Office (US version). Please don’t judge me, I worked in a few offices while I was in university and the characters hit a bit close to home.

Secret vice? Good ice cream (probably not a secret).

What are you reading now? A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda.

Do you have any pets? My family and I have a goofy and loveable black lab named Lola and a handful of pet fish.

What was your first job? I was a mini-soccer referee.

What are your daily news/social media habits? I try to get across key headlines in the local paper and ABC online then do my very best to avoid scrolling on social media.

Your favourite place in Tasmania for…

Breakfast: Plain Jane, Moonah.

Lunch: Yuzuka Japanese Restaurant, Moonah.

Dinner: Local Pizza, Berriedale.

Dream holiday destination? Patagonia (southern parts of Argentina and Chile) – it looks otherworldly in photos and is so interesting.

Favourite Tasmanian secret? I wish I had one that I could share…

Parting words? The world is an amazing and diverse place and learning about the past can teach us so much about it. The past really is key to understanding (and surviving) the present!