COASTAL CUSTODIANS Volume 2, Issue 6 November 2004

From the Editor: When choosing whom to interview for the Coastal Custodian, I am guided by my Elders and peers in the Aboriginal community. Our current interviewee comes highly recommended as a gentleman, a great mate, an exceptional role model and a joy to be around for his fairness and good (cheeky) humour. It is a privilege to introduce you to: Uncle Ted Davis I was named Edward Joseph Davis when I was born at �Kyalama� a private hospital in Hawdon Street, Moruya on the 15th day of August 1933. My father, Walter Davis was born at Orbost in Victoria on the 1st day of June 1907. He was a labourer and worked at several sawmills. His mothers� name was Edith. My mother, Elizabeth Jane (Brierley) was born in Moruya in 1912. Her mother was Catherine Brierley nee Duran and her father was Walter Brierley. They had four boys and six girls. My oldest brother Walter Roy Davis (Roy) married Amelia Anne Andy (Milly). Both are deceased. Roy drowned at Pambula in the early 1970�s. Their children are Ronald, Maureen, Robin, Douglas, Colleen, Lyle, Paul and Amelia (Mandy). My oldest sister Elizabeth Jean Davis (Jean) married Jack Squires. They had nine children. Billy, Daphne, Ernie, Margaret, Doris (deceased), David, Jimmy, Robert and Michael (deceased). Next is James (deceased). He married Alice Wadell, they had Susan and Steven. I am next in line; I had Elizabeth and Joanne with my partner Linda Cruse and raised her three

children from a previous marriage. They are David, Noel and Lillian. My younger brother Robert married Mary McGrath. Their children are Mackey, Robert, Wally (deceased) and Selena.

My sister Agnes married Bernie Cox. Their children are Bernard, John, Richard, Jane, Alicia, Darcy (deceased) and Joseph. They live in Queensland. Doris married Barry Moore; their children are Anthony, Irene, Ross, Donna, Dale and Beau. Catherine married Freddy Miller, their children are Catherine, Fred, Robert, Margaret (deceased), Elizabeth and the youngest Tanya. Yvonne married Greg Coe, they had a son Greg. Paulette married John Dutton; their children are John, Richard, Maria, Ronald and Kevin. As a boy I lived at Garland Town. We rowed across the Moruya River in a flat-bottomed boat called �Tom Thumb� that was built to take us to school. We moored the boat at Preddy�s Wharf

Coastal Custodians 1

then walked to the school at Newstead. My first teacher was Miss Hazel Mackintosh. Other kids at the school were Barbara and Warren Hutchings from Congo and Helen, Bruce and John Manning. Then the boys in the family went to St Mary�s Convent school to make our Holy Communion. We had to ride our bikes from Garland Town to Moruya. After a while they moved the old school from Newstead to Gundary oval. It�s now the Girl Guide Hall. I remember playing tennis with Orb Paul and Molly Dallas and her brothers at the sports ground at Garland Town. I left school aged fifteen to be a paddock boy on Norm Mackintosh�s farm on South Heads Road, Moruya. Work included ploughing paddocks, sowing sakhalin, beans, peas, corn and potatoes. Sewing, weighing and loading bags to be sent by truck to the Sydney markets. The seasonal pickers came in from everywhere including Nowra, Bega and Victoria. That�s when I met Linda Cruse. I was there till I was about nineteen. Then I worked at the Quarry for a short while helping to build the break wall when the train took the granite to the north side and a barge took the granite to the south side of the mouth to the Moruya River. I moved to Port Kembla to work on the wharves, where I worked for more then forty years, retiring in May 1992 at age sixty-five. I hold a Power crane and Front-end loader drivers� license and qualifications as a Deckman and Straddle truck driver. Work included loading shipping containers, driving a forklift and the mobile cranes on the cargo ships. My best memories were of my workmates, they were really terrific blokes. While in Wollongong I enjoyed playing lawn bowls, football, cricket, and darts and won a cup for tennis. I have travelled as far as Perth WA, Maryborough QLD and west to Hillston. I�ve even been to Bourke. After retiring I moved home to Moruya. I like to have a drink with my mates, socialising at the clubs, attending the Elders� luncheon every Friday at the Community centre in Moruya. I go on the community bus to Bateman�s Bay

shopping but most of all I like hanging around with my family.

Ted Davis

Inside this Issue

page

Introducing Ted Davis

1&2

Inside this Issue

2

Editors� Comments

3

Letters to the Editors

3 & 4

Office of the Registrar

5&6

Biamanga and Gulaga Handback - Independent Facilitator�s View

6, 7 & 8

Regional Managers Report &

9

Southern Aboriginal Heritage Unit Update

9 &10

NAIDOC �2004 Cobowra LALC

10, 11 & 12

South Eastern Aboriginal Regional Management Services (SEARMS)

13

Creeks of the Far South Coast - Find-a-word

14

Messages on Carved Wood

15

Media Release �Discovery Walks, Talks & Tours

16

Indigenous Knowledge in School Science

17

Creeks of the Far South Coast - Find-a-word answers

18

Calendar of Events & Subscription form

19

Coastal Custodians 2

Editors Comments

The interviews on the cover of Coastal Custodian of Aboriginal Elders have by all accounts had an impact on our readers. As is evident from the letters to the Editor and comments made directly to me in the community the majority of readers find them interesting, informative and a valuable contribution to the newsletter. However, some readers have expressed their concern about the information or lack of provided by the interviewee. This may be attributed to the memory of the interviewee on the day and /or their knowledge. I have not witnessed any measure of ill intent and believe the interviewees to be stating the facts, as they know them. On occasions interviews have been adjusted to include additional information but this is subject to time constraints in getting the newsletter to the printers. Once this process has started it is too late for alterations. If necessary, apologies and/or corrections can be made in the next addition. Readers that feel there is a need to clarify matters or provide more information are welcome to express so, in letters to the editor and/or take up the issue with the interviewee. The aim of the interviews of our Elders is to provide them with an opportunity to tell their story. I alternate between genders and try to cover a broad range of people both geographically and in life experiences. If you would like to nominate an Elder (or yourself) to be interviewed please feel free to contact me direct. Patricia Ellis

Letters to the Editor Dear Trisha, It is always a great pleasure to discover the latest issue of Coastal Custodians in the letterbox. I find the articles on the Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks Handback extremely informative and educational. They have given me a much greater understanding of the many and varied issues involved, as well as, the processes and protocols faced by the Negotiating Panel. It has been wonderful to follow the progress of the Djuwin Women�s Lore Council and the work they are doing. I would like to congratulate the new governing committee on their election; particularly Ashley Parsons from the Wallaga Lake community and those other young women who have been honoured by their elders by their election to the committee. Congratulations also, to those men and women who are working on the Aboriginal Heritage Studies throughout the South East, for their invaluable contributions toward ensuring the future protection of those places of cultural significance for future generations. Thank you. I would also like to thank those community Elders who have shared their life stories and family histories through the profile interviews. I have enjoyed reading them very much. Thank you very much for all your effort in coordinating and editing this important magazine Trish. It is invaluable to people, such as myself, who wish to learn and understand more about Aboriginal issues in the Southeast Region. Congratulations on a job well done.

Kerrie Ryan- Akolele 28/10/04

Coastal Custodians 3

Dear Trish, I was very pleased to receive my latest copy of Coastal Custodians. (August 2004). I enjoy reading the profiles of different South Coast identities and learning something of their lives, all of which is valuable historical information. I also want to express my regret at missing the NAIDOC barbecue this year. It�s always a happy, friendly event. Many thanks for Coastal Custodian. Very best wishes.

Cec McIlroy � Broulee 1/10/04 Dear Trisha, I am writing to let you know how much I enjoy reading Coastal Custodians. What a wonderful resource! I have learnt so much about the NSW South Coast and particularly about Indigenous people and their heritage. It�s good to read about the local people and keep up-to-date with the latest happenings. CC is also a great way for newcomers like me to communicate items of interest to your readers. I�m looking forward to the next issue. Thanks and keep them coming! Best wishes

Daphne Nash � Canberra 11/11/04 Dear Trish, As a subscriber to your newsletter �Coastal Custodian�, I am always glad to receive the latest edition. In particular I love to read the stories or recollections from our Elders of their lives. It always amazes me how people remember all the way back to their youth and all the relatives they have. Being a fair bit younger I sometimes struggle to remember what I did last year! So there will be no point interviewing me as an Elder. As a member of this huge Aboriginal community along the coast I know most of

the Elders and it is so interesting to read who is related to who and where people fit into the scheme of things. I particularly enjoyed reading Aunty Pam Flanders and Aunty Linda Cruse�s recollections, as they are two of the dearest ladies I know. So thank you for all the hard work you put into producing such a great newsletter. If it weren�t for the newsletter we�d never hear these great stories. Kind Regards.

Kerry Boyenga - Moruya 5/12/04 Dear Trisha,

I need to let you and the readers know that I missed out on some people when I did my interview in the August edition of the Coastal Custodian, Volume 2, Issue 5.

On my mother�s side, my mother had a baby brother. Jeff Tungai was adopted by our family when he was a toddler. Nanny Maggie and Grandfather Charley Carter let him keep the name �Tungai�.

On my father�s side, Uncle Ron was one of Dad�s brothers and Aunty Thelma Stewart who currently lives in Eden is one of his sisters.

I know there is a lot more to my story but I just wanted to touch on it briefly and give people a glimpse.

Oh, nearly forgot thanks Trish for the great newsletter, looking forward to the next one. Regards.

Pam Flanders - Wallaga Lake 5/12/04

DISCLAIMER

Information provided in the Coastal Custodian is not necessarily the views of the Department of Environment & Conservation (NPWS). NPWS takes no responsibility for errors or omissions of fact based on information provided by third parties.

Coastal Custodians 4

Coastal Custodians 5

Meeting between Aboriginal Negotiating Panel for Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks

&

Aboriginal Owners of Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks.

On the 8th September 2004 at the Narooma Golf Club, the Office of the Registrar held a meeting between the Aboriginal Negotiating Panel for Biamanga & Gulaga (ANPBG) and the *Registered Aboriginal Owners for Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks.

* A registered Aboriginal Owner is a person meeting the criteria for Aboriginal Ownership as defined in the Aboriginal Land Rights ACT 1983 The purpose of the meeting was for Registered Aboriginal Owners to talk with the ANP about issues to do with negotiating a lease for the Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks.

A special guest invited to attend the meeting was Mr Phillip Sullivan. Phil, a Ngiyampaa man, lives in Bourke and was the Chairperson for the Mount Grenfell Aboriginal Negotiating Panel (ANPMG).

The Mount Grenfell ANP finalised their negotiations for the lease back of Mount Grenfell Historic Site, near Cobar earlier this year. Formal joint management of Mount Grenfell is due to

commence early in 2005. Phil shared the experiences of the Ngiyampaa mob and the ANPMG in working through the lease negotiations. Phil’s suggestions to the ANPBG were:

• Be inclusive, not

exclusive. Include all family groups with an interest in the land.

• Work together - Be in agreement as one mob.

• Make decisions based on what is best for the

group/community rather than what is best for the individual. Leave personal issues at home.

• Decision-making by consensus, rather than majority of votes.

• Establish your own format for the lease and Plan of Management to ensure natural and

Guests included: Valma Hinton & her sons Barry & Kevin

Harriet Walker

Maria Harrison

Margo Darcy

Phil Sullivan

6

• cultural issues are seen as one, rather than separate.

• Remember that you are making decisions that will impact on your children's future.

• Ensure the National Parks are in a good condition before the Joint Management begins, including appropriate levels of Aboriginal staff.

• Go slow to ensure you do not miss important issues.

The Office of the Registrar hopes to organise future meetings between the ANPBG and Registered Aboriginal Owners as lease negotiation progress. This will be to assist the ANPBG in the negotiations. Remember:

• An Aboriginal Owner of land means an Aboriginal person whose name is entered on the Register of Aboriginal Owners. To have your name on the register you must have

a cultural association with Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks. • Joint

Management is where title to Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks is transferred to an Aboriginal land council(s), and leased back to the Minister for the Environment. Biamanga and Gulaga will run as a National Park under the care, control and management of a Board of Management. The Board is made up of a majority of Aboriginal Owners.

For more information contact the Office of the Registrar, Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) Free call on 1800 019 998 or Rachel Lenehan, 02 9219 0742 Kylie McLeod 02 9219 0725 Adam Black 02 9219 0748

Biamanga and Gulaga Handback - Independent Facilitator’s view

BACKGROUND As the independent Facilitator for the Biamanga and Gulaga Aboriginal ownership and leaseback negotiations, I have been asked by the Negotiating Parties to let people know how the negotiations are going.

The Negotiating Parties are made up of the Aboriginal Negotiating Panel representing Aboriginal Custodians (Owners), Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALC’s) with whom the special freehold title to the Parks will be vested, and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). I’m doing this by reporting on the

Parties’ progress and achievements regularly through Trisha Ellis’s wonderful quarterly journal – Coastal Custodians. These Coastal Custodians articles would not be possible without the great record keeping that Susan Donaldson is providing for the negotiation process. Susan, an anthropologist from Moruya, has been engaged by NPWS to keep the record of our negotiation journey. She is doing a wonderful job. Since the last Coastal Custodians in August 2004 (Volume 2, Issue 5), in which I reported on our meetings in June and August 2004, we have had two meetings of the Parties, our seventh meeting at Narooma in September and our eighth meeting held in November at Batemans Bay. This means over the year we have had meetings in Umbarra

Lou Davis

Georgina Parsons

7

(2), Narooma (2), Eden, Batemans Bay (2), Merimbula (Tura) and Bega – all the towns from which the Negotiating Panel were nominated by their community. Our next meeting of the Negotiating Parties is proposed to be ‘on country’ at Biamanga National Park in early February 2005 to which the Director General of NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Ms Jody Broun, has been invited. The Negotiating Panel and Land Councils have also had three separate meetings with their independent lawyer, Melbourne based Barrister Adam McLean, to discuss their negotiating position in relation to the lease – the first was a meeting to which all Aboriginal Custodians (Owners) and those Aboriginal people who have requested entry on the Register plus a range of other guests including Aboriginal people who have experiences in the handback of Mt Grenfell (near Cobar) were invited. The other meetings were held on the day after the Negotiating Parties meetings in Narooma and Batemans Bay.

Pictured: Mervyn Penrith, Shirley Foster & Kathy Jones HOW WE START EACH OF OUR MEETINGS We start our meetings by paying our respects to each other, to the land, to the Aboriginal Custodians of Biamanga and Gulaga and to the tireless efforts of Aboriginal people who have worked so hard to get us to this point where we are sitting down together to negotiate the handback of Biamanga and Gulaga.

Pictured: Lorraine Naylor & Lionel Mongta SEVENTH MEETING ON 9 SEPTEMBER 2004 AT NAROOMA Major achievements of our seventh meeting were: • Agreement on the contractual arrangements

for the appointment of independent lawyer Adam McLean to independently represent the interests of the Negotiating Panel (Aboriginal Custodians) and to the extent that this is consistent with that representation, the Wagonga, Merrimans and Bega Local Aboriginal Land Councils;

• The appointment of Karen Lee as the Negotiating Panel’s Co-ordinator;

• Legal advice from Adam McLean that the Negotiating Panel could take comfort in the fact that they were not effecting Native Title rights or that of future claimants by negotiating a lease for the hand back of Gulaga and Biamanga National Parks;

• Confirming the outcomes of the meeting of Aboriginal Custodians (Owners) and those Aboriginal people who have requested entry on the Register plus a range of other guests including Aboriginal people;

• Collaboration amongst the Parties on the suggested approach to be taken for the renewal of the leases and licences of the towers etc. on Mt Mumbulla in Biamanga National Park;

• Collaboration on an approach for the inclusion of certain road and access trails within the Gulaga National Park that are currently not within the Park but vested in the NSW Minister for the Environment;

• The need to involve the Negotiating Parties while the lease is being negotiated on the

8

development of major strategies such as Fire Management Strategies etc. and

• Kathy Jones, Glenys Kelly & Vivienne Mason

• An understanding that it is the Board of Management of each of the Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks (to be made up of a majority of Aboriginal Custodians (Owners) that makes decisions on how the rental, licence/lease monies are spent on the management of the parks; and

• An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Management, Minister for the Environment, NPWS and LALCs once the parks are handed back.

Pictured: Preston Cope, Lenore Fraser & Tim Shepherd EIGHTH MEETING ON 11th NOVEMBER 2004 AT BATEMANS BAY Major achievements of our eighth meeting were: • In response to a draft lease prepared by the

Negotiating Panel in collaboration with their independent lawyer Adam McLean, dated 27 October 2004, there was general agreement from NPWS to a majority of the clauses of this draft lease. The agreed clauses were mostly of a procedural nature and many are

required by the National Parks and Wildlife Act to be included in the lease. There are still a range of very important parts of the lease to be negotiated – for instance rent, jobs and training, and cultural heritage management issues; and

• The principles and a preferred arrangement for the various representations on the Boards of Management for Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks.

Dave Tout, Mary Duroux, Violet Parsons & Karen Lee THE NEGOTIATION JOURNEY CONTINUES The agreement amongst the parties to the “nuts and bolts’ sections of the draft lease is a very significant achievement and one that the Negotiating Parties are justifiably proud. It provides a very positive basis for progress and hopefully finalisation of the lease in 2005 – and handback of the Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks to their rightful Aboriginal Custodians. I look forward to reporting the continuation of the significant achievements and great successes of the Negotiating Parties in 2005. On behalf of all involved in the Biamanga and Gulaga negotiation process we wish you and your families a very happy and peaceful Christmas. Mike Williams Independent facilitator for the Biamanga and Gulaga Negotiating Parties Michael Williams & Associates Pty Ltd Tel: (02) 9460 3164 Fax: (02) 9925 0493 Mob: 0408 104 030 E-mail: mikewill@bigpond.net.au

9

Regional Managers

Report

This will be a short one, as the editor really needs my words, as her deadline approaches. The highlight for me since the last Coastal Custodian has been the progress we have made in the Gulaga Biamanga negotiations. From where I sit the November meeting in Batemans Bay was really good. We’ve made a lot of progress and we are starting to work through issues really well around the table. I’ve said this before but I reckon it’s really important – we all want the same thing – the Mountains handed back to the right people. We’ve now finished up for the Christmas break and will meet again in February. At that time we’ll start on some of the bigger issues to be discussed, such as one board or two, how much rent and what the rent can be spent on. The good progress that we’ve made is really due to the efforts and commitment of the negotiating panel. The panel had met on the day before our joint meetings to work through their views on the lease. By doing this before the meeting we’ve been able to make good progress on the day. Thanks very much to all who have been involved. In other news, Chris Griffiths is now working on the Eurobodalla Cultural Heritage Study and he’ll be spending a lot of time talking to people and recording information over the next few months. He’s also still doing a bit on the Bega study. Down south the Bega and Eden communities have been working with an author called John Blay in mapping traditional pathways through Country. At the moment it has concentrated on the coastal and escarpment areas in the South, but it may well be extended to the Monaro and Mountains areas. We’ve also started work on an Memorandum of Understanding with the Eden Lands Council.

We should be able to sort out a few issues that have been around for a while, but more importantly develop some ideas and agreements on where we can work together. Helping with Cultural Tourism may be one example. Otherwise for the National Parks we’re gearing up for summer. It’s a bit hard to tell what the fire season will bring. Early in spring it looked bad, we brought forward our fire fighting preparation by a month. It then rained and it looked good for a while, but it’s now getting hot and dry and we’ll just have to wait and see. That’s all for me, I wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and I hope to see you in the New Year. Tim Shepherd Regional Manager

Southern Aboriginal Heritage Section Update

Hello everyone, it has been awhile since I have provided an article in the Coastal Custodian newsletter. I was on holidays during the last edition, living on yellow belly fish and kangaroo out at Bourke. However, all goods do come to an end and I am back. There have been a number of changes within the Department of Environment & Conservation and in particular the Cultural Heritage Division. The major change is that we will be refocussing our attention on positive outcomes in Aboriginal Heritage Management, rather then putting all of our energies into environmental assessment and impacts upon Aboriginal Heritage. Our focus will be on the following: Investigation of Aboriginal Place proposals; Repatriation of Aboriginal skeletal remains which are being held within the various museums and institutions in Sydney; building partnerships and relationships between the Parks Service and Aboriginal communities; undertaking and participating in Regional Aboriginal Heritage

10

Studies at the local government level and carrying out Aboriginal heritage site protection and information gathering. In relation to the above, our priority programs over the next 12-18 months will be the finalisations of Aboriginal Heritage Assessments associated with Brou Lake (north of Narooma) and Lambie Gorge (Cooma), Aboriginal Place Nominations; South Coast Repatriation Program involving Aboriginal communities within the Nowra, Jerrinja and Ulladulla LALC’s; working with the Parks Service to develop better and improved ways of involving Aboriginal people in the management of our parks system; direct involvement in the Bega & Eurobodalla Shire Council Aboriginal Heritage Studies; and Aboriginal heritage programs such as site rehabilitation of Broulee Scarred Tree, a cultural camp in the Nowra area, Aboriginal heritage booklets at Wagga Wagga (female) and Tumut/Brungle (male), and a ground penetrating radar investigation at the former Delegate Aboriginal Reserve cemetery. One of our other biggest priorities will be the integration of Aboriginal heritage and heritage values across other parts of the new Department. This will be a challenge because these other parts do not see Aboriginal heritage as part of their core responsibilities. However, the Section and Cultural Heritage Division are reminding these parts that anything to do with the environment will have some affect upon Aboriginal heritage. These opportunities will seek to raise the level of understanding and awareness in what the Department needs to consider in regard to the environment. I will aim to keep you informed of our progress in regard to integrating Aboriginal heritage throughout the Department. This is bye for now until the next edition. Best wishes, Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year to you and your families. See ya next year. If you would like to contact me about any Aboriginal heritage matters please call on (02) 62989736. Gary Currey Manager, Southern Aboriginal Heritage Section Cultural Heritage Division

NAIDOC - 2004 Cobowra Local Aboriginal Land Council provided the venue for the 2004 NAIDOC Celebrations – Community Open Day on Sunday 19th September. The theme for this year was: “Our Community, Our Future, Our

Responsibility” Activities included an Opening/smoking Ceremony where Elders formed a guard of honour to welcome guests and visitors to Country

Stalls included the NSW Fire Brigade, the NSW Police Services, Department of Education and Training, Department of

A young enthusiast

11

Community Services, Illawarra Institute of TAFE, South Eastern Aboriginal Regional Management Services, Contrary Mary Wimmins Refuge (Moruya) and the Department of Environment & Conservation (NPWS).

The Gunyus (MPS Boys dance group) Cultural Activities included Basket Weaving, Rope Making, Ochre Painting, manufacture of shell hooks, spears and clap sticks. The Gunyu’s (Moruya Public School boys dance group) and the Googanyalla’s (Moruya Public School girls dance group) performed the cultural dances including the welcome dance.

The Googanyalas (MPS Girls dance group) Activities throughout the day included a Photo Display of the 2003 NAIDOC celebrations, a Wall of Fame where children did a profile of their Aboriginal hero or heroine, colouring in and/or badge

making. Other popular activities were the Camel Rides, Jumping Castles, Sack Races, Egg & Spoon Races, the Mini Farm & Mr.

Camel rides Whippy were very popular for all ages and everyone enjoyed the BBQ Luncheon and Show Bags. The number of people who attended was in excess of 500 and by all

accounts a great day was had by all. The Cooks Ron Nye, Maryanne Nye and Iris White Sincere thanks must go to the organisers and supporters for a job well done. A special thank you to Margaret Harris for coordinating the project.

Norman Parsons Co-ordinator

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NAIDOC – 2004 SNAPSHOTS

Aboriginal Hero/Heroine Wall of Fame

Our only casualty

Face painting

Aboriginal profiles - Colouring contest and badge making. Mini Farm below

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South Eastern Aboriginal Regional Management Services (SEARMS)

Official Launch , Aboriginal Elders Ball and NAIDOC dinner. Elders and community members from Ulladulla to Narooma attended the official launch of South Eastern Aboriginal Regional Management Service (SEARMS), the newly established Aboriginal property management service. SEARMS combined their launch and hosted the Aboriginal Elders Ball & NAIDOC dinner. Community achievement awarders were presented on the night.

Aunty Stella McCarron pictured here with Muriel Slockee, kicked the evening off with the official welcome to country and Alex Webb Senior Project Officer

Sustainable Development with Aboriginal Housing Office (pictured) talked on the SEARMS creation and future. Tom Slockee Chairperson SEARMS talked of positive changes SEARMS will have in the community. The Community Awards were held to recognise those who have made a significant contribution within the community. Recipients of awards on the night were nominated by SEARMS’ 5 partner organisations.

Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council Community Achievement Award to Fred Carriage.

Bateman’s Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council Community Achievement Award to Lana Callaghan

Budawang Aboriginal Corporation Community Achievement Award presented to Violet Parsons

Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council Community Achievement Award presented to Angela Nye

Cobowra Local Aboriginal Land Council Community Achievement Award presented to Aunty Mary Duroux

Narrama Carers award: Barbara Lee Memorial Carer of the Year Award present by Linda Lee to William Bodae.

Tom Slockee thanked the SEARMS staff for organising the night with a good time being had by all.

SOUTH EASTERN ABORIGINAL REGIONAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES (SEARMS) can be contacted through their freecall number

1800 138 425.

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Creeks of the Far South Coast Find-a-word

C O W D R O Y T R U N K E T A B E L L A Y L A R A G U N N U W C U D B U G G A L N I T F C A B B A G E T R E E R E E D Y E T E R E M I C U R R O W A N R H C M N M T R O C U L L E N D U L L A I A O O C A L F G O L L A W L E R S I N M N O G H L E A S U L A C H P A W M T D B G L E S L D L H R E B A I U W A C T A I I A N T O R L O S N I N T N O P C L R D N G D S W O M L E D L D T K L E A E A G G O O H E M U L E E B L A A U N R B H E R L U E S E N O R R A A K L M G D U V E O I R E A D G W B E N G E L L O Y M I W C T A P L A E R O E N A R Y A N S B C A K E N S T R R I R S U N S B U M B O T M I B E T W Y A G A T T A M E R I N G O B A R L A A B R H N O L R M A L A B A R A N I S T T A I T G N E I W C A N D O I N G D O I E C E S A E Y R B O B U N D A R A G N O R K E L L Y S A B E T U N G A B E E Y N

* Find the hidden message Aragunnu Back Benandarah Bengello Betungabee Billa Bilba Bobundara Borang Bridge Bumbo Burrimbidgee Cabbagetree Candlagan

Candoin Coolagolite Cowdroy Cudbugga Cullendulla Currowan Cyne Mallowes Dromedary Hanging Rock Kellys Kianga Lawlers Lynchs Little Bumbo

Little Dromedary Frogs Hollow Malabar Mccardys Meringo Mogendoura Mullenderee Mungerarie Narira Nelson Nutleys Punkally Racecourse

Reedy Ryans Saltwater Sheepstation Stoney Trunketabella Victoria Wamban Wapengo Waterfall Whittakers Wrights Wolumla

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Messages on Carved Wood If you go for a stroll up Queen Street, in Moruya during business hours, you may just be lucky enough to see Frank Carberry carving out a message on poles situated at the front of the Cobowra Community Development Employment Program office.

Pole 1 depicts the People of the land and features the family, with man, women and children facing into the sun. They are standing on rocks with spirits of ancestors reaching up to the sky, which is represented by stars and the moon. Pole 2 represents hunters and gatherers and the animal kingdom with a koala, 2 goannas, 2 kangaroos and a snake around the bottom. Pole 3 depicts the ocean and movement toward the sea with an octopus, fish, lobster and shellfish.

Peter Deakin Acting CEO of Cobowra CDEP said “We are fortunate to have a skilled wood carver/artist in our community”.

Cobowra CDEP are pleased to support Frank and other participants to develop their skills and achieve their goals in life. The poles aside from being artistically pleasing represent an important part of the living Aboriginal Culture within this community and gives a positive profile in identifying the CDEP office as an Aboriginal Service. Frank started on the Cobowra CDEP poles in June of 2004 and hopes to finish in December 2004. Franks’ other works have been with: • Bryan Carrick

of Auzpicious Arts, which included the reconciliation poles that decorate Moruya streets. These poles were commissioned by the Eurobodalla Shire Council.

• Carvings at the Boomerang Meeting Place with the South East Aboriginal Legal Service in a voluntary capacity to help young offenders.

• Works in Canberra and other places in the region.

• Smaller carvings and wood burning. Frank can be contacted through the Cobowra CDEP on 02 44740806.

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MEDIA RELEASE

NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FAR SOUTH COAST REGION

DISCOVERY WALKS TALKS AND TOURS

SUMMER PROGRAM 2005 JANUARY 4th – JANUARY 25th

It’s summer. Holiday time. The days are longer and milder and it’s fun to explore the outdoors with a National Parks Discovery activity. They are fun, easy to do and for the whole family. The Rangers have thought out some great locations and activities, ranging from exploring the bush, games and stories, looking at crabs and creatures in the muddy wetlands and if you are still up and running a spotlight adventure at dusk. There is a wide range of new activities this year.

Canoeing on the Bombala River, well known for its platypus habitat, will be one of the highlights. If history is more what you are looking for, there is the colourful tour of the Davidson Whaling Station or the historic Merimbula Wharf. Or join our Aboriginal presenter on some bushtucker cuisine.

When is it all happening? From the 4th of January until January 25th. Pick up a program from the National Parks office in Merimbula, Narooma, Bombala or the Tourist Information centre’s at Eden, Bega, Bermagui and Merimbula. Programs are available from the end of December It’s wise to book early. For more information contact the Merimbula National Parks office on 64955 000 or 1300 361 606

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Creeks of the Far South Coast Find-a-word Answers

Legend

Legend

Key to Legend

Aragunnu 3à2âØ Little Dromedary 2à2âÚ Back 2à17âÚ Frogs Hollow 4à3âÚ Word starts Benandarah 15à2âÚ Malabar 9à17âØ à Across Bengello 5à13âØ Mccardys 13à7âÚ â Down Betungabee 9à20âØ Meringo 9à16âØ Ø Word Direction Billa Bilba 7à3âÚ Mogendoura 19à4âÚ Ú Word Direction Bobundara 9à19âØ Mullenderee 6à4âÚ Borang 5à13âÚ Mungerarie 3à10âÚ Bridge 18à15âÚ Narira 8à15âÚ Bumbo 10à15âØ Nelson 19à14âÚ Burrimbidgee 16à1âÚ Nutleys 7à13âÚ Cabbagetree 5à3âØ Punkally 10à7âÚ Candlagan 8à7âÚ Racecourse 5à1âÚ Candoin 10à18âØ Reedy 16à3âØ Coolagolite 18à4âÚ Ryans 9à14âØ Cowdroy 1à1âØ Saltwater 1à12âÚ Cudbugga 12à2âØ Sheepstation 20à9âÚ Cullendulla 5à5âØ Stoney 6à15âÚ Currowan 8à4âØ Trunketabella 8à1âØ Cyne Mallowes 1à1âÚ Victoria 15à12âÚ Dromedary 2à8âÚ Wamban 16à13âÚ Hanging Rock 17à4âÚ Wapengo 12à7âÚ Kellys 2à20âØ Waterfall 3à1âÚ Kianga 17à14âÚ Whittakers 9à6âÚ Lawlers 7à6âØ Wrights 4à13âÚ Lynchs 20à2âÚ Wolumla 11à8âÚ Little Bumbo 14à5âÚ

Resources: Land & Property Information Topographic & Orthophoto Maps (Bega, Murrah, Bermagui, Central Tilba, Narooma, Bodalla, Moruya, Mogo & Nelligan.

The Jumping Castles @ NAIDOC 2004 Celebrations Cobowra LALC Moruya

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Calendar of Events

December

Wednesday 21st School Holidays start

Saturday 25th Christmas day

Sunday 26th Boxing day

St Stephens Day (Ireland, Italy & Germany)

Monday 27th Christmas Day Holiday

Tuesday 28th Boxing Day Holiday

January

Saturday 1st New Years Day

Monday 3rd New Years Day Holiday

Wednesday 26th Australia Day

Friday 28th School starts back

February

Tuesday 8th Shrove Tuesday

Wednesday 9th Ash Wednesday & 1st Day in Lent

Chinese New Year (Rooster)

Subscription details Please fill in the following details to receive your copy of future quarterly newsletters and forward them to:

Trisha Ellis Aboriginal Project Officer

Parks Service Division Department of Environment & Conservation

PO Box 282 Narooma NSW 2546

Telephone: 02 44760846 Facsimile: 02 44761793 Mobile: 04 28660432 Email:

trisha.ellis@npws.nsw.gov.au

Name: ___________________________ Address: _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ Postcode: _________ State: _________ Telephone:______________________ Facsimile:_______________________ Mobile:_________________________ Email:__________________________ Note: Photocopies of back issues available on request

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