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‘Bunjil Shelter’ Black Range Scenic Reserve, Stawell Visitor Guide Dalkaiana Wartaty/ Nga Keenat /Welcome “Bunjil Shelter sits within the Gariwerd, a cultural landscape that supports our people both physically and spiritually. Bunjil created our land, our people, the plants and animals, our religion and the laws by which we live. He is the leading figure in our spiritual life, essential in teaching our young people the importance of our laws and beliefs,” Levi Lovett, local custodian, Parks Victoria. n o t e s Bunjil is a principal legendary hero, The Bunjil Creation story is presented in the creator who provides for all splendid detail at Brambuk’s Gariwerd and remains as a protector Dreaming Theatre, in Halls Gap. of the natural world, his people and Traditional Owners from the Gariwerd area, their beliefs. Wimmera region and south-west Victoria have links to this site. Their aspirations When Bunjil have been sought to guide, shape and finished his creation works he transformed inform decisions about its future. into an eagle, flying The Traditional Owners responsible for the high into the sky, protection of this site have allowed where he still continued public access. lives today. p a r k Visiting this special place Bunjil Shelter is located in the Black Range Scenic Reserve near Stawell and this is the only rockart painting of Bunjil known. It is widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural sites in south eastern Australia. “Bunjil does no harm; I think he does well.” These words were spoken by John Connolly, of the Jardwadjali people a little north of here, and recorded by A.W. Howitt. In 1884 Connolly added that Bunjil was a Access is sign-posted off the Stawell- man, and was the father of all his people. Pomonal Road. A return track, of about 200 He gave Howitt a description of the painting metres in total length, leads via steps to the and its location here in the Black Range. painting. It is located in a small alcove or The record of his conversation came to light ‘shelter’ at the base of a large granite in 1991, confirming earlier records and boulder. A steel-mesh fence protects the painting. The reserve was burnt by wildfire Healthy Parks Healthy People rumours of the significance of this site. in January 2006 and continues to recover. Visiting a park can improve Bunjil appears in many of the creation your health, mind, body and stories of the Aboriginal people of south While you are visiting, you are asked to be soul. So, with over four million eastern Australia and is known by different responsible and respect this special place. hectares of parkland available to Victorians, why not escape names across this area. to a park today! For more information call the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963 or visit our website at www.parkweb.vic.gov.au Further A rich cultural landscape Renewal and Caring for Country Information: Through their rich culture, Indigenous Today, many of the traditions and places Australians have been intrinsically that are significant to Indigenous people are Brambuk - The connected to this continent – including here. not just historically important but are part of National Park and our dynamic, living contemporary culture. Cultural Centre As you walk towards the painting of Bunjil Open Daily you can look out across the plains and Parks Victoria recognises the Traditional 9.00am to 5.00pm mountain ranges of Gariwerd’s Indigenous Owners of the area, their cultural Free Entry people which includes descendants of the connections to Country, and acknowledges Grampians Road, Halls Gap, 3381 Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali people. these people, their renewal of connections and desire to help manage this land. www.brambuk.com.au Traditionally the lakes, swamps and fertile plains of Gariwerd provided these people Visitor Information with a rich and varied diet of kangaroo, Wildlife and wildflowers Centres emu, fish, reptiles, yabbies, waterbirds, If you are lucky Wedge-tailed Eagles may in the local vicinity; eggs, vegetables and fruit. Groups of 20-50 also be present; a symbol of Bunjil, who Ararat, Halls Gap people would move throughout the area and Stawell. watches from high overhead. seasonally to avoid depleting food stocks. Black Range Scenic Reserve is one of Caring for the The relatively easy collection of food left many reserves that form a patchwork of environment: plenty of time for recreation, spiritual habitats protected and surviving as islands ceremonies, and education. Young men in the rich cultural and agricultural No camping. and boys were taught skills and the law by Keep dogs on leads. landscape that is the Wimmera. older men; their fathers, uncles and elders. No off-road Similarly young women and girls were given While many native animals are at driving/riding. knowledge over many years by the elder home here, most are shy or All riders/drivers women of the clan. nocturnal and not easily seen. must be licensed Native birds are more readily The traditional lifestyle came to an abrupt and vehicles seen. Watch for the end with the arrival of European squatters registered and mouse-sized Superb Fairy-wren. in the early 1800s. One of them, C.R. Hall roadworthy The brilliant-blue male is often in of Halls Gap, wrote of the Djab Wurrung in . the company of brown females and young. Please take your the early 1840s that: rubbish home with Springtime wildflowers and other plants you for recycling or “…their kangaroos and emus were driven disposal. away by the flocks and herds of the more easily recognised include settler’s, (giving some justification for their) greenhood orchids, flame heath and Fires: reprisals against an invading enemy, this succulent purple-flowering You may light a fire stimulating a sort of guerrilla warfare.” pigface or noon-flower. provided that it is not a day of Lifestyles where drastically changed with Total Fire Ban ‘whitefella’ diseases and forced relocation and that: onto well meaning missions. Forbidden to -the fire is contained use their traditional language, religion and in an existing diet, the intricate knowledge of Country, its fireplace provided, language and practices, was fractured and -is never left splintered to form a new era in Australia’s unattended, -is completely out long human history. before you leave. Noon-flower or pigface- a traditional foodplant The Painting Remember that gas The painting has been protected by a grill barbecues and since the 1960s. The exact ‘white-years Explore Gariwerd’s rich inheritance portable stoves are age’ of the original painting of Bunjil is not One legacy to the world of the rich human prohibited on days of known. Examination of pigment samples in history of Gariwerd is a profusion of rockart Total Fire Ban. the red colouring and the white outlines of sites within and near what is now the Grampians National Park – found mainly on Black Range Scenic Bunjil and his two dingos tell us they were Reserve is in the painted using traditional clay ochres. the walls of rock overhangs and shelters North West that overlook these traditional homelands. Fire Ban District In 1911 parts of the body of Bunjil and the A number of these rockart sites are open to second dingo (dog) were over-painted with the public. For further information about European whitewash, and the tail of the first Bunjil, guided cultural walks, talks and tours dog was marked with red lead paint. Graffiti call into Brambuk the National Park and that appeared in more recent years Cultural Centre in Halls Gap. continues to be removed. The dingos in the painting are Bunjils’ helpers. Reprinted May 2009 .

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