Vicus

Vicus is a luminescence dating laboratory based in Yuggera Ugarapul Country, Brisbane, Australia We are based in Yuggera Ugarapul Country, Brisbane, Australia.

Vicus is a service-focused luminescence dating laboratory driven by curiosity and innovation. Our mission is to make powerful, innovative scientific dating more accessible to everyone. We are experts in single grain and rock surface luminescence dating, equipped with the latest technology and a purpose-built laboratory.

12/06/2026

Dose rate (Dr)

The rate of exposure to alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ) radiation from radioisotopes of potassium (K), uranium (U), thorium (Th), rubidium (Rb), and incoming cosmic rays (attenuated for depth below surface). Expressed in Gray (Gy) per thousand years (Gy/ka), (1 Gy = 1 Joule/kg).

💡Discover more in our Learning Hub: vicus.net.au/learning-hub

06/06/2026

Introducing the Vicus Sample Starter Kit 👀✨📦

Our starter kit is a comprehensive package that includes all tools and instructions you need to collect rock and sediment samples. It's the perfect addition to your field gear to ensure that you're prepared when key sampling opportunities arise.

It is also a great training package for fieldworkers that are still learning about sampling for OSL. Find the Sample Starter Kit at our shop and get started today!

vicus.net.au/shop/osl-sampling-starter-kit

03/06/2026

🔻 We’re lowering our prices!

Vicus was founded with a clear mission: to make powerful, innovative scientific dating more accessible.

Over our first year, we’ve streamlined our laboratory workflows, improved our systems, and found more efficient ways to deliver rigorous luminescence dating without compromising on quality, transparency or turnaround times.

As a result, we’re reducing the cost of our core services:
OSL Sediment Dating: A$2,900 → A$2,500 per sample
Rock Surface Dating: A$4,900 → A$3,500 per sample

This is part of our commitment to making high-quality geochronology more accessible to Indigenous groups, researchers, heritage professionals, consultants, and project teams.

View our updated prices and refund policy here: vicus.net.au/pricing

31/05/2026

We’re honoured to be invited to speak alongside Danggan Balun and Everick Heritage at the AIATSIS Summit this Monday.

Pictured: Official artwork for AIATSIS Summit 2026, Karulbo budjerum (Altogether dreaming) by Waylene Currie. It reflects deep connections to land, water, and people across Yugambeh Country, bringing to life the Summit theme: Our Truth. Our Power. Our Future.

29/05/2026

At Vicus, we’re committed to supporting Aboriginal communities in preserving, protecting, and understanding cultural heritage.

We recognise that access to specialist scientific techniques can be limited, particularly for community-led heritage projects. Where possible, we offer reduced or tailored rates for Aboriginal organisations, Traditional Owner groups, and Indigenous-led research initiatives. We also undertake selected pro bono work where our expertise can support community priorities.

This approach reflects our commitment to making scientific dating techniques more accessible, and to working in meaningful ways with Indigenous communities.

Pictured: Danggan Balun Country

26/05/2026

… and all you need is some sand!

“Luminescence dating is the only numerical dating technique available to archaeologists that can span the entire history of human occupation of Australia.”

20/05/2026

Yesterday we had the pleasure of attending the inaugural Queensland Archaeology Colloquium 🙌

Huge thanks to everyone who made it such a fantastic event, so many familiar and friendly faces. We had an amazing day and loved being part of it.

18/05/2026

Did you know that Luminescence Rock Surface Dating can be used to date artefacts, even in hyper-disturbed contexts like stockpiles? As part of celebrating National Archaeology Week we are sharing an exciting discovery from Vicus that has potential to change the discipline.

⛏️ When archaeological sites are heavily disturbed, sediments may be removed, mixed, and stockpiled, leaving little or no intact stratigraphy or original context. In these situations, lithic artefacts recovered from stockpiles are usually considered impossible to date using conventional approaches. Luminescence Rock Surface Dating (RSD) offers a new way forward by measuring signals preserved within the surfaces of stone artefacts themselves, allowing us to investigate when those artefacts were last exposed to sunlight and subsequently buried regardless of the integrity of the surrounding sediments.

Working together with the Yuggera Ugarapul People, artefacts recovered from stockpiled sediments at a site in Deebing Heights, QLD were able to be dated using a luminescence RSD approach. Results showed:
• Artefacts retained their burial signal, which was not contaminated by landscape disturbance or the process of sample collection
• Artefacts were discarded and buried throughout the Holocene, consistent with other sites in the Ripley Valley.

This is a major step forward for archaeological science and cultural heritage practice. By dating artefacts directly, we can recover chronological information from contexts once considered beyond dating. Luminescence RSD has the potential to transform how we investigate archaeological landscapes, regardless of their past disturbance, and recover stories that might otherwise be lost.

15/05/2026

One year down, and just getting started 🎉

Today we’re proud to celebrate Vicus’ 1 year anniversary 🎂 Thank you to our team and community for an incredible first year. We’re grateful to everyone who has supported us over the past year and helped shape Vicus into what it is today.

Here’s to the next chapter 🍾

06/05/2026

Do you want to better understand the history of your archaeological or environmental fieldsite? OSL can provide the age of your site as well as the timing of key transitions in climate or paleoenvironments.

At Vicus, we analyse sediment samples from a range of depositional environments and archaeological contexts including rock shelters, slopes, rivers, coastal environments, dunes, lakes, and glacial deposits 🏕️

For detailed instructions on how to take an OSL Sediment Sample for testing, visit Vicus’ Learning Hub. Pick up a sample kit from our online store and get started today.

Address

7/1311 Ipswich Road
Brisbane, QLD
4106

Website

http://vicus.net.au/

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