Biamanga and Gulaga report launched

By NSW Dept of Aboriginal Affairs

A new report detailing the history and cultural association of Aboriginal people with the Biamanga and Gulaga national parks was launched on 17 February 2005.

Stephen Wright, Registrar of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, hosted the launch at the Umbarra Cultural Centre.

The launch was attended by members of the Biamanga and Gulaga Aboriginal Negotiating Panel, representatives from Merrimans, Bega and Cobowra Land Councils, and staff from the Department of Environment and Conservation and Department of Aboriginal Affairs.

Biamanga and Gulaga: Aboriginal Cultural Association with Biamanga and Gulaga National Parks, produced by the Office of the Registrar, incorporates comments from Aboriginal people living along the South Coast on the 2001 publication. This report by researchers Nicolas Peterson, Brian Egloff and Sue Wesson was written to assist in identifying Aboriginal land owners prior to the introduction of joint management arrangements for the Biamanga and Gulaga national parks. Into it went 12 months of research and community consultation. One of the highlights of the new publication is the inclusion of historical photographs of Aboriginal people from the collections of the National Library of Australia, the South Australian Museum and the Wollongong Library.

Tricia Ellis, the Aboriginal Project Officer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, said the revised Biamanga and Gulaga report had been a long time coming but was greatly welcomed.

"Local people will be able to use the publication as a starting point for understanding their kinship and relationship to country.

"It's a living document for our people and can be updated as more information becomes available" Ms Ellis said.

Biamanga and Gulaga is the second publication of the Office of the Registrar on Aboriginal cultural association with NSW land subject to joint management. Last year the Office published Yapapunakirri (Let's track back): The Aboriginal World around Mount Grenfell which explained the connection of the Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan people with the Mount Grenfell Historic Site near Cobar. In July 2004, Mount Grenfell Historic Site joined Mutawintji National Park as only the second national park site to be jointly managed under a formal arrangement.

The Registrar is required by the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) to keep a register of Aboriginal owners, register land claims made by Aboriginal land councils, and advise the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Aboriginal land councils on the workings of the Act.