David Frankel is emeritus professor of archaeology at La Trobe University. He was awarded the Rhys Jones Medal for Outstanding Service to Australian Archaeology in 2015.

'Frankel has provided a compendium of information about Aboriginal sites from seven geographical regions that lie between the Murray River and the sea – from the coast to the high country; from the semi-arid Mallee to the well-watered Koorong; from the Central Murray to Budj Bim – compiled into a very readable overview of archaeological data.'

• List of figuresAcknowledgementsPrefaceIntroduction: jigsaws and the past1. The first three quarters2. Time and place at Gariwerd3. Along the Victorian coast4. Either side of longitude 141°E5. Lands of Ngurunderi6. The central Murray7. Dry country and wet8. About Budj Bim9. Into the high country10. Chains of connection11. Approaching the present12. Changes Dates and a timelineFurther readingWorks citedIndex