Qualifications and Memberships
Master of Archaeology and Heritage, Leicester University, UK
Member of the Association of Consulting Archaeologists
Member of the Australian Archaeologists Association
Member, Board of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Sydney
Member of the British Society of Master Glass Painters
Board of the Abbey Museum (Emeritus Director and Senior Curator)
Queensland Wader Study Group
Awards
Centenary Medal, Royal Historical Society of Queensland, 2020 for leadership and service in the promotion and preservation of history
Clem Lack Oration by Royal Historical Society of Queensland 2015
Certificates
General Safety Induction White Card
Current medical health assessment
Industry Safety Induction (ISI)
RACQ 4WD course
Publications
Strong, M.K., 2020. Glorious Glass. Stained Glass in the Abbey Museum Collection. Board of the Abbey Museum, Caboolture, Queensland.
Thursday, R.H., B.K. Diggles, CL. Gillies, Michael K. Strong, R. Kerkhove, S.M. Buckley, R.A. King, V. Smythe, G. Heller-Wagner, R. Weeks, F. Palin & I. McLeod. 2020. ‘Charting Two Centuries of Transformation in a Coastal Social-Ecological System: A Mixed Methods Approach’. Global Environmental Change, Vol 61, Mar 2020.
Strong, M.K. 2016. ‘John Ward: The Man Who Collected Houses’. British Archaeology (May June 2016): 34-41.
Strong, M.K. 2016. ‘One Ring to Rule Them All. Towards Understanding the Plethora of Bora Grounds in Southeastern Queensland.’ Queensland History: Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland, February 2016, Vol. 22, No 12.
Strong, M.K., 2009. Predictive Landscape and Cultural Environmental Modelling of the Blackfellow Creek Focal Area, Lockyer Valley, for SEQ Catchments Healthy Waterways Project, Brisbane: South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership.
Strong, M.L. 2006. Unexpected Treasures: Highlights from the Abbey Museum. Board of the Abbey Museum, Caboolture, Queensland.
Strong, M.K., 2005. Historical Assessment of the Spring Gully Coal Seam Gas Project, Durham Downs district, Bungil Shire, Queensland, Origin Energy, Milton.
Skills
- Project management
- Consulting archaeology and cultural heritage assessments
- community empowerment and upskilling
- Ranger training programs
- Landscape archaeology
- Predictive landscape modelling
- Reconstructing cultural landscapes
- Ethnobotany and environmental awareness
- Museum curatorship
Michael has a successful history of managing hundreds of heritage projects, both large and small since 1994. As a result, he has established a leading reputation in Queensland as a landscape archaeologist and a cultural heritage manager.
Michael’s current research interest is in developing an environmental predictive model that holds significant advantages in understanding traditional clan boundaries, site locations, as well as reconstructing lost cultural landscapes for Aboriginal communities, government agencies, and environmental planners.
Michael has developed a professional relationship with more than 30 Aboriginal communities throughout Queensland, where he has undertaken archaeological projects including training and upskilling workshops.
The Royal Historical Society of Queensland awarded Michael the prestigious Clem Lack Oration in 2015 for his studies on Aboriginal bora grounds published in 2016. The RHSQ awarded Michael its Centenary Medal in 2020 for leadership and service in the promotion and preservation of history.
He was the Director of the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology from 1986 to 2012 and instigated the highly successful Abbey Medieval Festival.
ooRecent Keynote Projects
The Lakes Proposed National Park 2023 Major scoping study for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services Gudjala (Ngrragoonda) Aboriginal Corporations, which resulted in significant discoveries of cultural sites.
Brisbane Airport Corporation 2022-2023
White Rock-Spring Mountain Conservation Estate 2022-2023
Greenvale Defence Project 2022 ongoing Major scoping study over 450,000 sq km for the Department of Defence on behalf of the Gugu Badhun and Gudjala (Ngrragoonda) Aboriginal Corporations. This resulted in the discovery of a major stone arrangement and hundreds of sites.
Hell’s Gates Dam Investigation, 2020-2021
A major scoping study undertaken over the proposed inundation area covering nearly 25,000 hectares for the Hells Gates Dam Business Case for Townsville Enterprises Ltd and SMEC on behalf of Gugu Badhun and Gudjala (Ngrragoonda) Aboriginal Corporations.
Kabi Kabi First Nation Shell Midden Recording Project, 2019- 2020
Comprehensive site recording and training project in Pumicestone Passage for Kabi People.
MIRVAC 2017-2019
Survey, predictive modelling, mitigation, and reporting for a major urban development project at Greenbank, Logan.
NEXUS Silver Coin Hoard 2017-2018
Management, historical research, and reporting of 5671 silver coins from a 19th century hoard – the largest Commonwealth and Royal Mint hoard in Australia.
Beaudesert Town Centre Bypass 2015-2016
Survey and excavation of six test pits on the proposed Beaudesert Bypass for the Mununjali People.
Gidarjil Ranger Training Program 2015
Training program with Care for Country Rangers and Elders.
Toowoomba Second Range Crossing 2014-2016
Archaeologist for Queensland’s largest road project for the Western Wakka Wakka (Beattie family) and Jagera Daran.
Cultural Heritage survey of Littabella National Park 2013
Undertaken in conjuntion with the Gidarjil Aboriginal Rangers as a training and cultural landscape immersion program.
