Francesca McMaster

Experience

Francesca McMaster is a passionate historical archaeologist, with five years’ experience working on a range of high-profile projects in the Sydney Basin NSW. She has a First Class Honours degree in Australian Archaeology from the University of Sydney and has interests including contact archaeology, public archaeology, and research into the lives of women and children in the past.

Over the course of her career, Francesca has been part of several large-scale excavations within NSW, including sites of state and national heritage significance. Francesca has also authored various heritage assessments, historical archaeological assessments and contributed to excavation reporting. She has also had experience in the museums sector, she brings a well-round approach to her practice as a consultant and her understanding of material culture.

What attracted you to Extent?:

Two things attracted me to Extent - experience and teamwork. The extensive experience held by the staff and their reputation within the industry was a principal attraction for me. This experience is further enhanced by an impressive culture of teamwork at Extent. The passion in the team and the integral way that different expertise is woven into their work is representative of a group of people driven to provide positive heritage outcomes.

Associations & Memberships

• Australian Society for Historical Archaeology (member)

• Australian Archaeological Association (member)

• Returning Officer for the Australian Society for Historical Archaeology Committee

Areas of Expertise

• Archaeology

Skills & Services

• Heritage Advice

• Constraints and Opportunities Analysis

• Historical Archaeology

• Archaeological Assessments

• Research Designs

• Archaeological Surveys

• Salvage

• Excavation

Qualifications

Honours (I) in Archaeology, University of Sydney (2015)

Bachelor of Arts (Archaeology and Art History), University of Sydney (2014)

Francesca’s career highlights

This is a common question for archaeologists and I think I often disappoint with my very humble answer. At the beginning of my career, I was working in Parramatta on an early colonial site. I uncovered a sandstock brick stamped with a broad arrow, indicating its manufacture by convicts in the Government-run brickworks. The brick had a thumbprint in one corner where the maker had pushed the clay into its mould. This small mark of the individual who had made the object provided me with a real tangible sense of the people behind the objects I was excavating and has stuck with me ever since!

Publications and Presentations

Australian Archaeological Association 2016 Conference Review

Hawkins, R, and F McMaster. 2016. ‘Giving the Past a Future: Review of the 8th World Archaeology Congress 2016—28th August–2nd September Kyoto, Japan.’ International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology 1 (2): 159–167.

McMaster, F. 2015. ‘Archaeology and ethnography: reconsidering the role of ethnography in Australian archaeology’ Paper presented at the 2015 National Archaeology Student Conference, University of Sydney, Australia 14-16 August. Received honourable mention for Bruce Trigger prize for Archaeological Thought.

McMaster, F. 2019. ‘Raising the Roof; some early interpretations of roofing tiles uncovered at Robin Thomas Reserve, Parramatta’ Short paper presented at 2019 ASHA Conference, Port Macquarie.