A History of the Aboriginal People of the Illawarra

Home , Bald Hill (Australia), Brokers Nose, Illawarra, Jerrara, Macquarie Pass, Wollongong

Stanwell Park Beach

Helensburgh

Otford

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Bald Hilll

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Stanwell Tops l l

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l Juainbilliley l

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Early Contact Map l

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l Dooundong l Coalcliff Why the Whale Spouts, the Starﬁ sh is Ragged, and he stabbed Wondangar in the back of the neck in the hope l l l l Coalcliff Beach

and the Native Bear has Strong Arms of getting away. Ghun na ghun got into the boat with Kurrilwa, l l

the koala, and the others and they paddled and paddled with the l l

Many years ago all the animals now living in Australia were people. l

injured Wondangar coming behind them. Wondangar recovered a l

At that time, they lived in a distant land across the ocean, and, l

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bit and chased hard. Kurrilwa, the koala paddled hard. The men in l l

having heard of the wonderful hunting grounds in Australia, they Gl

the canoe believed that he was gaining on them, “When he catches Nl

l Clifton

l decided to leave their country and sail to this sunny land in a Ol

l Scarborough

us, we shall all be drowned.” But Kurrilwa said, “Don’t be afraid. G l

canoe. They knew that the voyage would be long and dangerous I l Scarborough Beach l

My arms are strong enough to paddle fast and keep us ahead of R l

and that they would need to have a very strong canoe. l

Wondangar.” Rl Wombarra

l Coledale Beach

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Wondangar, the whale, who was the biggest of all the people and l

l Coledale

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Just as they saw land, Wollongong as it happened to be, l

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l Sharkeys Beach

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the best canoe maker, had a great strong canoe that could weather l

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Gooradawaak, the brolga, made a hole in the bottom of l

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l The story of l l

BulliBulli l

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the wildest storm. But he was a very selﬁ sh fellow and would not l l l l

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the canoe, which he pushed a short distance from the l

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l Wangewarra l l l l

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allow anybody to use it. His companions realised that only his l AustinmerAustinmer l l l

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l Little Austi Beach l l

shore where it settled and became Gun-man-gang or l

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canoe would ﬁ t the task and they looked out for an opportunity to l Wangewarra is the place

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l Austinmer Beach

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Windang Island. l l l l

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steal it. But Wondangar was cunning and kept strict watch over the l

l l l where a great whale came

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l Thirroul Beach

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canoe. l Thirroul ashore and now refers to l l

Wondangar had made such great ragged l

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cuts in Goon na ghun that even to l the Bulli Wonoona locality. He l l l

l l Some time later Goon na ghun, the Star Fish, paid Wondangar a Woononaoonona l l this day starﬁ sh have a very ragged l states that according l Tooreegang Bulli Sandon Point l

friendly visit and said, “I have noticed that you have a lot of lice in l

l Bulli Point to the Blackfellows’

and torn appearance and hide l l

your hair. Would you like me to kill them for you?” l

l Wangewarra

l legends an enormous

themselves in the sand l

l Waniora

l to avoid discovery by l whale came ashore at Bulli, in

It was true that Wondangar was badly infested with lice and readily l

l l Woonona

Wondangar. l the olden time, and was cut up agreed to the offer from his friend. Wondangar moored his canoe l Collins Rock l

l l Woonoona and used in different ways by the in deep water and sat on a rock. Goon na ghun placed his friend’s l l

l Aboriginal people who gathered

l Bellambi Beach head in his lap and proceeded to hunt diligently for the lice with a l

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l from far and wide to see the great

o Corrimal l

special stick which was sharpened on one end. Goon na ghun then r l wa (Brokers Nose) l

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l sea monster. Billy Saddler said that l

gave a signal to the other people who were waiting. They quietly l

l Bellambi Ballambi

G l there were more Aborigines atBulli

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got into the canoe and paddled off fast towards the new country. on l

darin l

l Tarrawanna Ballambi to see that whale than there were Gl

He continued to entertain Wondangar with funny stories and at l Corrimal Beach whitefellows in 1894.

G l Towradgi Towradgi Beach (Bill Saddler, Illawarra Mercury 20 Nov 1894)

the same time, he scratched very hard around his ears in order to l

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l Fairy Meadow

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mufﬂ e the sound of the other men leaving with the canoe. After R l l

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l Towrudgi l

some time, Wondangar grew tired of his friend’s attention x l l

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El a

a l l Bungoongard r Fairy Meadow Beach

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and story-telling, and decided to have a look at the canoe d l The story of Woolungah M P

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C Burelli l l

himself. He rubbed his eyes and looked away in the l

l (Mt Brisbane) l

l (Mt Keira) ‘This is what Billy Saddler says is

l Djeera

distance. He could see the vanishing shape of his l

l l B the correct Blackfellow name for

l ya

canoe and it dawned upon him that he had l ro Keiraville North Wollongong Beach l n Wollongong. He says the name

American l g C l Woolungah

been tricked. l WOLLONGONG

Creek Camp l e

l Nebo k Buddabedah

l “Woolungah” means a place where a

l Flagstaff Point l

l Marlangang

l marriage took place between the son of one l

Wondangar was very angry and WaWanyambillyambilli l

l Figtree l

l Tuggulee

l k Birthing Tree great King and the daughter of another

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beat Goon na ghun unmercifully, l Cr

l an Tabberatong

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l er

l Figtree great King in the olden days, long before m l

l Wollongong Beach

throwing him upon the rocks. A l Gundarrin

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l Captain Cook found this country.

l l Bulwarradah

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When they started ﬁ ghting, l

l Djenbella

l He explains that the word also l

Goon na ghun still had l

l (Mt Kembla)

l Bettria ingabahn l

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l Berrie Cobbyr means that there was a great l the stick in his hand l

Geeloby Cull

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l a l Flinders Islet

l b W l l feast of ﬁ sh and other good

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o Unanderra l l l l o O l l Wowrang

l l l l l O l l l Mangar things at the wedding, which

l N l l l l l l l l l l Munnungang

l G W l

l l Gerringully l O

e N l l G Bass Islet was such a remarkable event

A l

l rri RAN l n l

g l l G

u l

l ll l Cringila

l i l that the place was named on l l l

l l G l PORT KEMBLA l l Geringalla Mogumburra l l account of it afterwards.’

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Nl Boonlea ud l l jo l l n

l Yowingmillee H l l l l l l l g l l l l l O o l l l l (Bill Saddler, Illawarra Mercury 20 Nov 1894)

l o l l l Nihorka l k l l l l

a g l North Beach

G l ra l a arr C n Warrawong l I K B u l l l l l g l l l a i Rocky l Boonjin

w Tuggarah n

R l Islet

l n n Coomaditchy Booirodoong (Big Island) l i

l l Dabeta Wollamai M R Hooka l

l Kully Martin Islet l

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l Kanahooka l

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l Dhgillawarah

l Ml Koong-Burry Purry Burry l

l l (Red Point) l Currung-Goba

l DAPTO l Korrongalla l Purrah l l Wullingurry Perkins Beach

l Wonjandal

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l ga Koonawara

l irin Wongawilly l Wollindarra G

l Koonawarra Jubborsay

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l l l Tallawarra l Goongarray

l Pith-thung-nar l

l Jubbo

l Kudjery l

l Kunanwal Windang l

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l Yallah

l Marshall Mount

l Lake Illawarra Reserve l

l Wollingurry Berawurra l

l School Camp Corongang l y

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l u Nijong l

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l n Why Juck Moolawang

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l o Worragallar Wahrilla l W

l Neurandurley (Rock) l

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l Gun-man-gang

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l Warrigal l l l

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l Windang Island

l Ya

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l ra

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l a Moureendah l

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l ra

l Warilla

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l Burroo Karoo

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l Macquarie Pass Koona Tallawarra l l Oak Flats Barrack Point l P l u l r l r u l SHELLHARBOUR n

l Shellharbour Beach

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ly l Wonwin

l ra ALBION PARK

l Tongar Shellharbour l

Tallawarra Point l

l Wonwin l l

l Tullimbar l l l l l l l l l l Goongar Jubborsayl l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l Thapma l l l l l l l l Araringong (Lake Illawarra) l M l Bass Point l (swamp) l bbo Cree l Ju k l E l Kudjery l Bass Point l l l R l l l l l l l l Killalea R l l l l l l l l l l Battle ground l l l l l l l I l l l l l l l l l l l G l l l l l l O l l l N l l l l l l l l Ceremonial ground l Windang l l l l Cudgeree (Island) G l l l l l l l l l l l l Traditional Camp Mulkin l l l l l l l l l l l lBerawurral l l l l l (Point) l l l l l l Judbowleyl Post-European camp

l l l l l l l l l l Minnamurra Beach l l l

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l Minna l l l

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Kunanwal l

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l Mens Site

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(Bevans Island) l Lake Illawarra Reserve

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l Moolawan l murra l l l l l l

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l l l l l l l l

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l l l l Womens Site

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l l l l l l l l Minnamurra l l l l l l l l l

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l murra RiWever rrang (Island) l l

l l l Minna

l l Traditional Travel routes

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l l Corongang l l l l l l l g l l l l l l (Island)l l l Beragerl l l ee l l Wintye Wintye Worragallar (Picnic Island) l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l Escarpment/Ridges

K l l l

l l l l l l l

l l l Jamberoo

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(Rock) i l

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l Y l l

l Kurrakwah (Bay) Swamps, Rivers /Creeks o Why Juck l Wahrilla l n l

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l Pur Pur (Bay) l l l Aboriginal place names

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l ( a

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l B r l l

l e l l l l l l a a c r Terragong l h Gun-man-gang r Oak Flats l ) e Current place names l J (swamp) Bombo

l l (Windang Island)

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l Pur Pur (Point) Pungoilee Aboriginal names for mountains l Jerrara l Warrigal l l l l l l l Gyahma Aboriginal Waterways l l Khanternigee Moureendah l l l KIAMA l Current Beach Names l

l Toojiooga (Blow Hole) l l l l l l Warilla l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l

l l Karoo l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l Tallawarra l l l l Barrack Point