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On
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Frank
Howarth Walk
Wonga
Wetlands learning place
My favourite place
Frank
Howarth Walk
Frank
Howarth and Matthew Kelleher
of theAustralian Museum.
Photo: Peter Bennett
Dr Matt
Kelleher talks about
Aboriginal fish engravings that point
to a nearby fishing area.
Photo: Shand Smith
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JUDITH
BENNETT, NPA Secretary, went on the first NPA Celebrity Walk,
which was led by Frank Howarth.
It was
a delightfully cool November day when Frank Howarth and Dr
Matthew Kelleher of the Australian Museum led an NPA walk
to interesting points at Middle Head, Sydney.
Matt, an archaeologist, has worked with Aboriginal people
to complete a study of the pre-European uses of the area.
Matt pointed out how the military uses of the area in the
last 200 years have impacted on what was once a rich array
of rock art on the headland.
Middle Head provides a vista to the heads of Sydney harbour
to the east and well up the harbour to the west. Middle Head
has been both a treasured place for Aboriginal people, and
a strategic site for military purposes since early European
settlement.
It was encouraging to see how bush regeneration programs commissioned
by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust have been improving
the area. It is a credit to both professional and volunteer
bush regenerators.
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Matt
points to part of a fish engraving,
most of which was removed when
the gun trenches were dug
at Middle Head in 1877.
Photo: Shand Smith
Engraving
on edge of trench
reads “VR 1877”.
Photo: Dr Matt Kelleher
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The new walkway
through Georges Heights is delightful, providing stunning vistas
of the Harbour and leading to interesting spots such as the former
stevedoring training area and the tea rooms occupying the former
gunners' quarters.
Thanks to Frank and Matt for leading this varied and fascinating
walk from Chowder Bay through the national park and back along the
new Georges Heights walkway.
Wonga
Wetlands learning place
The Wonga
Wetlands Women's Area.
Photo: Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Corporation |
Albury
Wodonga Aboriginal Corporation has established a unique project
at Wonga Wetlands, 5 km west of Albury, to raise community understanding
of Aboriginal culture and the environment.
The Wiradjuri Winnagganna-da - Wiradjuri Learning Place - model
campsite was established through a grant from the NSW Environmental
Trust, which supports exceptional environmental projects.
The Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Corporation sought funding for
the project under the Trust's Protecting our Places program,
established to help Aboriginal people care for their environment
and land, which are culturally significant to them. |
This model of
a traditional Wiradjuri Aboriginal campsite at the Wonga Wetlands
provides opportunities on several levels to learn about the cultural
heritage of the traditional owners, while increasing local environmental
interaction and knowledge.
The campsite is part of a network of walking trails where people
can wander through the wetlands, as well as through the campsite
itself. It features specific gender areas, a general gathering area,
cooking sites, meeting and conference sites, and locations for tool
making and rock painting.
The project includes environmental remediation through stabilising
foreshore erosion. It established a program to carry out weed eradication
and revegetation with 1,000 native plants, featuring local bush
tucker.
The project was generously supported by Aboriginal Community Kindermana,
Albury City Council, the Community Development Employment Program,
the Murray Catchment Management Authority and the Wiradjuri Elders.
The project cost just over $12,500 and was completed between February
2004 and June 2005.
My
favourite place
Part of
the upper Shoalhaven that can be reached by a determined kayaker.
Photo: Nicky Hammond. |
NPA
Marine campaigner, NICKY HAMMOND, shares her favourite place.
There's something about getting onto the water which I love,
especially when you're miles from anywhere with just the sounds
of nature and your friends to keep you company.
There's shimmering flat water, the sound of a distant rapid
trickling upstream - your private beach where you'll camp and
the neighbours are just a few birds ducking under the water
looking for their dinner.
Kangaroo Valley is one of those great places that has it all.
You can swim, bushwalk, kayak on the stillest water or even
try your hand shooting down some rapids.
Located two hours south of Sydney in the Southern Highlands,
Kangaroo Valley (comprising 80 km of the Shoalhaven and Kangaroo
Rivers) is surrounded by Morton National Park. Its majestic
sandstone cliffs dwarf the kayaker while the surrounding natural
bush settings keep you entertained spotting kangaroos, wombats,
possums, sea eagles, reptiles and native birds.
Heading further into the upper Shoalhaven, the scenery changes.
Large pine trees line the river while huge boulders scatter
its waters. Intermittently you pass sandy shoreline beaches,
ideal locations to pitch your tent for the night. |
Rapids
on the Shoalhaven River, Kangaroo Valley. Photo: Nicky Hammond
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Depending on water levels, you'll eventually reach some
small rapids running against you. Nothing to worry a novice
kayaker, but big enough to provide a bit of a challenge
to your tired arms at the end of a long day.
But if you make it through you're almost guaranteed to be
the only people up there to explore the most upstream beaches
and gaze at the perfect reflection of the river's surrounds
in its still waters - plus you have the fun of racing down
the rapids on your way home!
Kayak on the pebbles. Photos: Nicky Hammond.
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