Ocean deathscapes – The placement and contestation of vernacular memorials on the Australian coastline

Abstract

This paper explores unauthorised vernacular memorial markers in two case study locations on the Australian coastline. The first site is the rock headland at Burleigh Heads, situated on the Gold Coast, Queensland. The second is the rock breakwater at the ocean entrance of Evans River at Evans Head, on the North Coast of New South Wales. Plaques, painted text, and memorial objects have been placed upon rocks adjacent to the ocean. Exploration of the space through a walking ethnography brings forth questions and discussion about placement, representation and authorisation. This speculative inquiry engages current scholarship on vernacular memorials, particularly those in coastal regions. The themes of identity, inscription, contestation, and presence set a framework for this discussion.

Empirical data from each case study is gathered through textual analysis, photography, and reflective writing. Comments from personal interviews and online discussion groups creates a further understanding of why the memorial markers exist in these spaces, the impact on the mourners, and their ability to evoke a range of responses from community members.