‘cultural mis-interpretation’ at Mt Warning

Millie Boyd was a highly respected Aboriginal elder in Northern NSW. She is widely recognised as the last "Gulgan" or keeper of the mountain and its tribal folklore. In this recording from 1977 she talks to NPWS anthropologist Howard (Harry) Creamer about the mythology around Mt Warning.

Millie Boyd calls Mt Warning "Wulambiny Momoli". This has the meaning of 'scrub turkey nest', a `djurebil' or increase site where hunting is forbidden so that Brush-turkeys may replenish their numbers. If you look at the profile of Mt Warning from the north, you can see the Turkey sitting on its nest. The profile is a dead ringer for the turkey distinctive shape- head, back and tail! There it is sitting on its nest; the caldera. It is plain as day. No wonder this view inspired the story. In the foreground lies Wollumbin the warrior lying on his back looking at the stars. It is the Mountain on James McKenzie's property. It's name stolen by NSW Lands and incorrectly applied to Millie's Turkey..

The distinctive shape of Mt Warning - A turkey sitting on its nest.

In the foreground lying on his back looking at the stars is Wollumbin the warrior, the Mountain on James McKenzie's property.

NPWS have completely excluded all mention of the Bird Lore stories of Millie Boyd in its portrayal of the Aboriginal history of Mt Warning and the surrounding area. For 20 years they have ignored other cultural groups with intimate links to the Mountain. With great shame you won't find the stories of Millie Boyd in any of the Park Literature or public information.

According to its governing ACT Section 30K (2) management of Aboriginal NPWS have a responsibility to:

2) An Aboriginal area is to be managed in accordance with the following principles—

(a) the conservation of natural values, buildings, places, objects, features and landscapes of cultural value to Aboriginal people in accordance with the cultural values of the Aboriginal people to whose heritage the buildings, places, objects, features or landscapes belong,

In removing Millie's Stories from history NPWS have failed in their responsibilities and are complicit in ‘cultural mis-interpretation’ at Mt Warning.

We asked Harry Creamer about climbing Mount Warning and he added this comment:

"I can confirm that during my field research with Aboriginal elders in the Northern Rivers, Northern Border Ranges and Tweed Valley areas (1973 to 1987), I did not hear them ask that the walk to the summit of Mount Warning be closed . I am also disappointed that neither NPWS or Heritage NSW (local, region or head office), never asked me for my views on this matter. I am still around and these days I am active in cultural heritage repatriation of my work to local Aboriginal communities across New South Wales”.

Comments

BOMBSHELL DOCUMENT LEAK - WCG MEETING MINUTES 2011-2024

WCG MEETING MINUTES 2011-2024 We have been given access to minutes of meetings of the Wollumbin Consultative Group between 2011 and 2024. On the basis of the minutes it is clear the time for an independent public inquiry into management of Mt Warning National Park and the entire NSW Parks estate is long overdue. Documents are made available as a matter of deep public interest in current management practices in our National Parks. What is happening at Mt Warning will be occurring in other Parks across NSW as NPWS continue to push for and develop handback and lease agreements of our public parks. In our view these plans are divisive: they prevent public involvement in managing public land, they will add considerable cost to managing our parks, and they will result in further irrational bans and limits on public access. NPWS: "Custodians are looking at ways to progress handback at the June meeting. We envisage it will take 10-15 years for handback across the whole state."...

NSW NATIONAL PARKS HANDBACKS - PROCESS HAS STARTED

NSW NATIONAL PARKS HANDBACKS - PROCESS HAS STARTED: Welcome to the new Apartheid People also said that Aboriginal knowledge holders need to have a role in determining the appropriate activities that can be carried out on Country/in parks. People called for equal or majority Aboriginal representation on any joint management governing body, with a view also put forward that the governing body should consist of Aboriginal people only. A view was also put forward that the land should be restored to how it was at the point of first contact – pre colonisation. This view went to the extreme of saying Healthy Country means the removal all things that were not present in 1788, including all buildings, introduced species and other infrastructure. NPWS' busy bureaucrats are in process of negotiating handover of our National Parks to private interests. The plan will potentially see every National Park in the state handed over to as yet unknown Aboriginal groups then leased...

Mt Warning closure - 4 years of lies and misinformation

Mt Warning closure - 4 years of lies and misinformation March 30 (Easter Saturday) marks the 4-year anniversary of the "temporary" closure of the Mt Warning summit track. Some thoughts and rambled musings below. I spoke with Ben Fordham about the anniversary on the Ben Fordham Breakfast show on 2GB. Ben's response a classic: "If you want to climb, just climb it!" Link to that interview HERE . 4 year anniversary of bureaucratic madness We know the exact date of the closure thanks to bushwalker: Tertia Starr Maynard, who posted a photo of a note left on her windscreen by NPWS rangers to the reopen Facebook page . It was dated and read “NPWS advises Wollumbin National Park is closing from today due to covid19. Gate is not locked but please close behind you as you exit. Thanks NPWS.” Photo by T Maynard - the last walkers out. In the 4 years since, after other parks were reopened, Mt Warning remained closed and the reason for the temporary closure morphed to in...

Right to Climb

Search This Blog