Wetlands Australia 33: How the waters came to be

Author: Franklyn Nannup and George Walley, Bindjareb Elders and community leaders.

Bindjareb Gabi Wonga, our water story for Bindjareb Boodja in Western Australia.

‘The Aboriginal people of the Mandurah area were experiencing a great drought and found there were no waterways. They went to the beach and danced and sung for the great Waugal Maadjit to come. Then she came and started to make the Djilba Inlet and Djilba estuary then. She found that she was carrying eggs and she rested in between the estuary and the sea until she laid them. This painting shows that she lay with her eggs to keep them safe. Then the eggs hatched and she sent her babies to do the rest of the work because she was tired. She sent one to create the Serpentine, one for the Murray and one for the Harvey and that’s how they came to be.’ Gloria Kearing, Bindjareb Noongar Elder and highly respected artist.

How the waters came to be. Painting by Gloria Kearing.

The Waugal Maadjit’s eggs are the thrombolites at Lake Clifton south of Mandurah, Western Australia, which are part of the Ramsar Peel–Yalgorup System Ramsar Site. This is Bindjareb Boodja and as Traditional Owners of the Bindjareb Djilba (Peel–Harvey Estuary) and all of the waterways, the waterways are sacred to our people.

Bindjareb Noongar baalap kaadadjan, Djilba Gabi ngalang Gabi Wonga. Nyitting yey, nidja yey, benang yey, ngalang Gabi Wonga boola moorditj. Nidja Wirrn Boodja Baalap kaadadjan, doyntj-doyntj koorl wer Noongar Dandjoo, ngalang kaaleepga. Ngalang Gabi waalang, ngalang wirrn waalang, ngalang Noongar waalang, ngalang koort waalang, ngalang kaaleepga waalang.

The translation in English is Bindjareb Noongar peoples’ cultural knowledge about our estuary, and it is our water story. From the creation time to the present time, to the future, our water story is a very amazing and important story. The interconnectedness of Spirit, Land and People brings together our cosmology, our sense of place and our homeland. Our waterways health is connected with our own health and wellbeing.

To look after our waterways with our young people, we have developed our own water plan, the Bindjareb Gabi Wonga, the Bindjareb Water Story. We partner with key water stakeholders of the Ramsar site area to work towards the vision of our plan so that ‘the unique and precious link between Sprit, the Djilba and people is preserved for future generations’.

Together with the Peel–Harvey Catchment Council, the City of Mandurah, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Bindjareb people are looking after our important waterways.

Further information

Franklyn Nannup and George Walley, Bindjareb Elders and community leaders, at bindjarebgabiwonga@gmail.com.

Franklyn Nannup and George Walley. Photo: Roz DRaine