Caring for Country

Nugal-warra Elder, Willie Gordon, explains, "We continue to protect the environment, its bush creatures, bush foods and medicines, through traditional hunting and gathering activities, which are governed by ancient lores. These lores show us that the environment itself gives signs when certain animals can be hunted or berries gathered. This practice has continued through generations and ensures the sustainability of our land’s resources.

"Today we are combining these traditional methods with modern technology, mapping sites, documenting the art and recording our Elders’ stories. With the National Heritage Trust and the Environmental Protection Agency we have developed a management strategy which records visitation to the sites and enables us to minimise visitor impact. Our future plans include the training of young people to become rangers to protect the sites using both traditional knowledge and modern techniques."

Please tread carefully

"The art in the caves is susceptible to extreme weather conditions, and protected from these by the vegetation that grows in front of the caves. This vegetation provides a barrier to the wind and the rain, shielding the art and protecting the rock face from erosion. We would, therefore, ask that you tread carefully when on tour, keeping to the tracks which have been used for centuries, and avoiding possible damage to any vegetation.

"Dust can also damage the art, so in certain caves we limit the number of people entering at the same time. If you can avoid kicking up any dust this, too, is a great help. Most of the art you can get really close to, but touching it –with clothes or hands – is damaging, so we ask you to remove your hats when entering low caves (to avoid inadvertently touching the art with your heads), and to be careful to avoid skin contact. This also applies to any artefacts shown."

“By preserving the land, the caves
and the art, we are preserving
our identity, and the identity of
future Nugal-warra people.”

“Awe inspiring. Wonderful knowledge..
An honour to share such a beautiful place”
Penny Smith, NSW.

“One of the most wonderful, stimulating,
informing days of our lives”
Pam Whitely & family, Melbourne.

“Inspirational”
Helen & Wayne Jones, NSW.

"It was wonderful...
I didn't want to leave"
Helen Allen, McRae.

“One of the best Aboriginal culture
tours in the country”
Travel writer, Sunday Telegraph.

“Willie will change the way you look at life, the universe and everything.
If you do ONE tour in Oz, do this one”
Richard Lee, Qld.