All rights reserved. Recognised nationally for its outstanding natural and cultural values, Carnarvon Gorge protects unique and significant plants and animalsmany of them relics of cooler, wetter times. Carnarvon's traditional owners are the Aboriginal Inggarda, Baiyunga, Thalanji, Malgana and Thudgarri people. Most were not paid wages, just given basic foodstuffs, tobacco and a set of clothes. The main Aboriginal population centre in the Gascoyne region, Carnarvon, has most generally been recognised as lying within Yinggarda territory. The 'Nor-West Seafoods' converted the whaling station into a factory for processing prawns, Shark Bay banana prawns to be exact. In 1772 the French explorer Saint-Alouarn saw smoke coming from Dirk Hartog Island and his crew found what they believed was evidence of fires and a ceremonial area on the island. Thayadi, thayirri snake By the 1930's the Gascoyne area had over 1.4 million head of sheep, with the town serving as a port and supply depot, for the surrounding pastoral industry. There would have been a resurgence of mangroves and shellfish when the sea reached its present level 7,000 to 4,000 years ago. The ochre stencils at Carnarvon are some of the finest examples of this type of Aboriginal imagery in Australia. The centre features a permanent exhibition, touring exhibitions, caf, gallery, Artist-in-Residence program, conference and meeting rooms, an ethnobotanical garden and gift shop. Geraldton WA 6531 Aboriginal names given to buildings and institutions in the town are usually recognisable as Yinggarda words (for example the Cultural Centre is called Gwoonwardu Mia which is made up ofguwinywardu, the name of the Gascoyne River at Carnarvon andmaya meaning house). It is thought that Mitchell named the ranges after the Caernarfon Ranges of Wales. Cattle breeds are mostly Brahmin crosses, and the majority of local properties finish their cattle in Winter and Spring on forage crops such as oats. Unfortunately European settlement resulted in many Aboriginal languages not being used regularly. Thaamarli Tamala Station Wurrinyu girl, young woman Alannah MacTiernan, Minister for Regional Development, after the commemoration event in Carnarvon on 9 January 2019, which marked 100 years since the Lock Hospitals commenced operations of the coast of Carnarvon. Bandana Station who ran Sunset Shows and have switched toaccommodation in 2017 with the establishment of Sandstone Park. These join the Fitzroy River, which meets the coast near Rockhampton. Colonial history specific to Carnarvon Gorge can be glimpsed in the place names of certain locations. Gantharri grandchile, grandparent The tribes inhabiting the headwaters of the Fortescue, Ashburton, Gascoyne and Murchison districts and the Upper Murchison and Goldfields areas appear to have extensive highways running East and West or N.E. The dreaming says that the rainbow serpent Mundagurra created Carnarvon Gorge as he travelled through the creek system, coming in and out of the water, and carving the sandstone as he travelled. Entry Prices to Permanent Exhibition, includes touring exhibition: Adults: $10.00 Please enter your Client Log-in user name and password for access to the Special Client Booking Facility. Unable to continue its journey downwards, the water moves sidewards along the sandstone and escapes through breaks, seeping out at places such as the Moss Garden and at other springs within the gorge. Bilyunu baby Birlirung everlasting daisy Looking like ill-tended orchards, these are leucaena plantations. The western heritage centred around Carnarvon Gorge is quite rich and, like the indigenous heritage, is a major theme during Australian Nature Guides' Day Tours. Since the original gazettal, much land has been added to the reserve and it is now known as Carnarvon National Park, of which Carnarvon Gorge is but a section. Ngaya wattle Over the last fifty years, a large community of Wajarri people has grown in Carnarvon and to some extent retains a separate identity within the wider community. Buthurru sand Alan Dench also lists among their northern neighbours the Baiyungu, Maia, Tharrkari and Warriyangga, while stating the Malgana lay to their south, and the Wadjarri to their east. While visitors to the park usually associate Aboriginal history with the park's rock art sites, the connection for Aboriginal people is with the entire landscape. [7] }, White colonial occupation of Yingkarta lands began in 1877 when the indigenous population was estimated to number some 2,000 people. Since the early 1980s there have been attempts to offer instruction in local languages in primary schools in Carnarvon with varied success. In our Local History Room, access to digital microfilm, free internet searching and online access to the popular Ancestry database are available for use during Library opening hours by arrangement at the front counter. This email address is being protected from spambots. This is Shark Bay. The Department of Environment and Science acknowledges Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land. Geraldton: Yamaji Language Centre 2003. Carnarvon Gorge's rock art sites are thought to have been in use for at least 3,650 years. Following is a list of Malgana words and their English translations: Yamaji Aboriginal person For the first time, the Aboriginal history of the region takes pride of place as part of a rich and vibrant history of the Gascoyne. The Aboriginal population of Carnarvon numbers about 1,500 individuals. Later, de Freycinets artist Jacques Arago recorded a tense encounter between a group of Aboriginal people and some Europeans at Cape Peron. Mardirra pink snapper The most underrated aspect of the Carnarvon Gorge experience is the indigenous cultural heritage, obvious at sites such as the Art Gallery and Cathedral Cave. They are scattered over many Aboriginal communities in the northwest of Central Australia. There are three claimant groups in this region; the Malgana, Nanda and Gnulli. Yinggarda country lies to the west of a line that separates tribes who performed circumcision (to the east) from those that did not (to the west). This will be one hundred years to the day since the last person was removed from the islands and the hospitals closed. The human history of Carnarvon Gorge is long, and often mysterious. For all other enquiries, comments and complaints, please contact us. About 250 different Aboriginal languages were spoken when Europeans first settled in Australia, including three in the Shark Bay region: Malgana, Nanda and Yingkarta. The mine would become one of the world's highest bulk solar salt producers. The patients and their families often had little idea where they were or why they were taken from their traditional country. Small-pox (moonnangno)was common among them.[8]. Malcolm and Mary Anne recorded a number of extensive interviews in Carnarvon, Onslow and Hedland with senior men and women from the Tharrkari, Kurrama, Banyjima, Kariyarra and Nyamal . The situation was defused with singing, dancing and an exchange of gifts. Carnarvon Gorge, gorge in southeastern Queensland, Australia, on the eastern slopes of Carnarvon Range of the Great Dividing Range. Woodgamia Community is a small community in the Gascoyne Junction township with a small number (10 15) of permanent residents. Many people living in the Gascoyne region today can confidently identify themselves as, for example, Yinggarda, Bayungu or Tharrgari, despite the fact that knowledge of the traditional languages is sparse at best. Most recently, theWajarri Yamatji Part D and Wajarri Yamatji Part E claims were determined in July 2021. Thaaka shark Photo credit: Robert Ashdown Queensland Government. The Department of Environment and Science collects personal information from you, including information about your email address and telephone number. Geraldton WA 6531 The reports of both explorers made the public aware of the area's permanent water, leading settlers to take up blocks in Central Queensland and sparking off two decades of open aggression between local indigenous groups and the newcomers. Jabi small dragon lizard in the town itself. There are currently no park alerts for this park. Bandana Station first diversified into tourism byrunning popular Sunset Shows on the property at atime when they were alsoswitching the property over to organic production. There are about 130 registered Aboriginal heritage sites in the Shark Bay area including quarries, rock shelters, burial sites and large scatters of discarded shells, bone and other food-related artefacts known as middens. What makes Carnarvon unique. Bangga, barnka goanna Fortunately by the 1960's whaling ceased and the station was sold to the Nor-West Whaling Company (later to be renamed the Nor-West Seafoods). Hospital records were poorly kept but about a third of the patients admitted to the lock hospitals are thought to have died on the islands. They were present in that form due to the land management practices of the Bidjara and Karingbal peoples. The village contains residential dwellings and recreation facilities. While the community currently faces significant social challenges, there are important social and community initiatives being driven by members of this community in partnership with local non-government organisations and the Shire of Carnarvon. Evidence of thousands of years of Aboriginal life remains at sites associated with ceremonies and the stories of ancestral spirits. So proud of the town's successful banana industry, the local tourist bureau even bought a 10m yellow banana, which now stands on the corner of Robinson Street and Boundary Road. There are numerous native title claims and determinations within the Gascoyne region. Carnarvon's traditional owners are the Aboriginal Inggarda, Baiyunga, Thalanji, Malgana and Thudgarri people. In doing so he passed through the traditional territory of a number of Aboriginal groups, including the Maya, the Yingkarta and the Warriyangka. In 1858 British surveyor Henry Denham mentioned Aboriginal huts. Brown settled on Boolathana station and Brockman established Brickhouse station. This project was funded by Royalties for Regions A Western Australian Government Program and Lotterywest. They might once have had such a system which had broken down or they might merely be trying to adapt themselves as well as possible to the social organisation of the neighbouring tribes. The camels were used to transport wool from the stations to the port ( One Mile Jetty ), ready for export. The same water, still flowing from the rock, has drawn people to Carnarvon Gorge for many thousands of years. It is currently operated by WA Museums under a funding agreement with DPIRD. Jalyanu grass Some motifs were used by both Bidjara and Karingbal. Population numbers swell seasonally. In April 2019, the Thiin-Mah Warriyangka Tharrkari Jiwarli People were formally recognised by as native title holders of an approximately 6,804 square kilometres land area within theShires of Ashburton, Carnarvon, and Upper Gascoyne. The relevant PBC is Malgana Aboriginal Corporation. They closed stations down simply by killing large numbers of livestock and their attendant shepherds. Aboriginal people first inhabited Shark Bay some 30,000 years ago and moved to and from the area in response to changing sea levels and availability of fresh water and food. Archaeologically and anthropologically, these sites are of international significance, containing examples of stencilling techniques considered to be the most sophisticated of their kind in the world. The settlers were then free to pursue their agricultural aspirations and the bushland began to recede before their saws and axes. Rugged ranges and rough terrain made this area difficult for early European explorers. Wulyibidi Peron Peninsula The prisoner patients were said to have the non-specific diagnosis of venereal disease, although there are many questions about the reliability of this diagnosis. The Yingkarta people, also written Inggarda and Ingarda, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Gascoyne region of Western Australia . Of these, the Malgana and Nanda peoples claim was determined in 2018. Walgu sandalwood fruit and tree Map of circumcision and subincision boundaries (from here). The gorge, sometimes called "The Grand Canyon of Queensland," is about 20 miles (32 km) long and 150 to 1,200 feet (45 to 370 m) wide, with vertical sandstone walls rising 600 feet (180 m). Local material culture was quite sophisticated, and much knowledge of it can be gleaned simply by observing what has been stencilled at the art sites. Modern aims include Catchment preservation - the headwaters of five major catchments lie within the Park's boundaries, feeding into the Fitzroy, Murray-Darling and Lake Eyre Basins. Tourism is now a major industry in the Park as Carnarvon Gorge alone sees 65,000 visitors per annum. The Department of Environment and Science is committed to respecting, protecting and promoting human rights, and our obligations under the Human Rights Act 2019. The encroachment by Europeans into Shark Bay from this time would have seen the beginning of changes to traditional Aboriginal life. Gregory returnedto Perth with fair reports about Carnarvon. We will only use your information for this purpose. Wilyamaya tip of Heirisson Prong. The German Commander of the Kormoran, who was one of the survivors, remained adamant that the ship, fully ablaze, simply drifted off. Aboriginal people were employed to patrol station boundaries, crutch and shear sheep, trap dingoes and foxes, repair mechanical equipment, build fences and yards, sink wells, and break in horses. On the drive into Carnarvon Gorge, many visitors' interest is piqued by an odd crop grown in paddocks on the creek flats. There are three Aboriginal communities in the Gascoyne Region, two remote communities located within the Shire of Upper Gascoyne and one town-based community in East Carnarvon. They knew the names of the sections of the Maia and Warienga [Warriyangga] tribes and every man claimed membership of a particular section. Geraldton: Yamaji Language Centre 2003. Some Aboriginal workers were taken by force. Yamaji. TheLieutenant was aboard the whaling vessel, the "Russell", and landed on the mainland (present dayCarnarvon) to explore the area. Copies can be purchased from: The Yamaji Language Centre Bush medicines were readily available, as is mentioned in the section on Carnarvon Gorge's flora. In 1932, a 26,300ha section of the gorge was declared as national park, after lobbying by the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland, which had organised expeditions into the area. Aboriginal Business Development Forum 2020, Kanyara languages: comprising Baiyungu as well as Dhalanyji, Purduna and Binigura, Kartu languages: comprising Yinggarda, Malgana, Wajarri as well as groups Badimaya and Nhanda, Mantharta languages: comprising Tharrkari as well as Thiin, Jiwarli and Warriyangka. ), Aborigines of the west: Their past and their . As a result the Gascoyne is now home to Aboriginal people from many language groups from around the State. High country to the south was named 'The Ranch', possibly by cattle duffers, while side-gorges were perfect for 'lying low'. A high protein, perennial fodder crop. These initiatives create local economic, training and employment opportunities, as well as generating environmental and cultural outcomes. Following the pursuing battle the Kormoran also sank. In 1858, twenty years after Lieutenant Grey's first exploration, the area was explored once more by Francis Gregory who was looking for suitable grazing land for the government. The Malgana People were granted native title in December 2018 over approximately 28,800 square kilometres of land and waters around the World Heritage listed Shark Bay. Along with his friend, Keith Anderson, the Gascoyne Transport Company was born. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over Carnarvon % Carnarvon Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia; Did unpaid domestic work (week before Census Night) 350: 56.9: 33,333: 55.3: 328,022: 59.9: Provided unpaid care for child/children (during two weeks before Census Night) 180: 29.5: 18,072: 30 . It was believed that over 600 whales were killed per season. Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge (formerly Oasis Lodge). . Yiba sister Wanamalu cormorant European setters followed soon after, with grazing runs established in the area in the 1860s. Recently, this idea has been strongly challenged by archaeologists reexamining the findings of those early excavations using modern techniques and technology. Gardu man The Lock Hospital Tragedy Memorial 'Don't look at the Islands' wasofficially unveiledat theCarnarvon Heritage Precincton 17 April 2019 by the Hon. Documentation of traditional Aboriginal resources by early explorers and settlers, together with recent developments in medicinal uses has contributed to homeopathic and culinary commercial ventures. In 1986 the Lock Hospitals were registered as protected areas under the Aboriginal Heritage Act. This multi-award winning permanent interactive exhibition unites and reflects the culture and stories of the five Aboriginal language groups of the region; Yinggarda, Bayungu, Malgana, Thadgari and Thalanyji. Jurruna pelican Yamaji (or Yamatji) is the name used to identify Aboriginal people in the Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia.