Jamie Rachcoff

Jamie Rachcoff is an Archaeologist/Heritage Advisor with over a year’s experience in the Victorian heritage management industry. Before becoming an archaeologist, Jamie spent a decade working in community and stakeholder engagement roles in the private sector and local government. The decision to change careers was fuelled by a longstanding passion for archaeology.

Jamie is passionate about the centering of First Nations perspectives and ensuring traditional worldviews and voices are at the forefront of archaeological practice. He is also fascinated by cultural landscapes, the physical and intangible relationships between archaeological places and their surrounding environments, and what they can tell us about past (and present) societies. He had the opportunity to explore these themes through recent research on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, where he investigated and prospected for Aboriginal earth rings using remote sensing data.

Jamie has led and supported archaeological projects including urban and residential subdivisions, developments and renewable energy initiatives, as well as large salvages. His Master’s research developed expertise in GIS, mapping and remote sensing, and he is also skilled in the preparation of CHMPs, Preliminary Aboriginal Heritage Tests (PAHTs) and due diligence assessments, Aboriginal and historical site recording (including dry-stone walls), lithic analysis, and archaeological illustration.

In his spare time you’ll most often find Jamie binging on RuPaul’s Drag Race, producing and DJing electronic music, spending quality time with mates, reading, playing video games and cuddling his adorable rescue greyhound, Chase.

Education and affiliations

• Master of Professional Archaeology, La Trobe University, Melbourne (2023)
• Bachelor of Arts (Ancient World Studies, Media and Communications), University of Melbourne (2012)
• Certificate of Engagement, International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Australasia (2016)
• Member, Australian Archaeological Association Inc. (AAA)
• Member, Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology (ASHA)

Publications, presentations, and articles

• Kurpiel, R., Spry, C., Rachcoff, J., Penzo-Kajewski, P., Jones, K., Freedman, D., Meredith-Williams, M., Armstrong, B., Jones, R., Wandin, A., and B. Mullins. 2022. Sunbury Rings Cultural Landscapes Project: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) investigations at Holly Green Mound. Excavations, Surveys and Heritage Management in Victoria. 11. pp. 7-13.
• Rachcoff, J., R. Kurpiel, M. Meredith-Williams, R. Jones,  B. Mullins,  A. Wandin and C. Spry. 2023. Prospecting for earth rings on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, Victoria using airborne LiDAR. Poster presentation to the 2023 Australian Archaeological Association Conference. Gold Coast, Queensland. 9 December 2023.