This isn't archeological but...

Hexham bunyip folklore continues to intrigue as conservationists work to protect Australasian bittern

"One night well over a century ago three miners headed to Hexham Swamp, between Newcastle and Maitland, for an evening of wild duck hunting.

"But instead of finding ducks, they came across a terrifying creature with a tremendous roar 'like that of a lion' and two eyes like 'golden orbs in the night'.

"And so, the legend of the Hexham bunyip was born.

"That infamous night in 1879 may have become a local legend, but today this swamp creature is now rarer than ever and residents are trying to save it from extinction."

Before you tune out of this article, it relates to a bird which is now close to extinction around the world.

"It turns out the mysterious creature that scared the three miners in 1879 was a bird; the endangered Australasian bittern, also known as the 'bunyip bird'".

...

"The Australasian bittern is globally endangered, with fewer than 2,500 individuals estimated to be left in the world.

"It is also believed that more than 90 per cent of its habitat has been lost in Australia."

There is a dedicated wetlands area at the riverside suburb of Hexham which is about 15 minutes drive north of where I live in Newcastle, NSW.