Aboriginal heritage on the Bouddi Peninsula

The word 'Bouddi' is the Aboriginal name for the eastern headland of Maitland Bay and has become synonymous with the National Park and the surrounding area.

The use of the word is uncertain.

Possible meanings include 'nose', 'a heart' and 'water breaking over rocks'.

A number of Aboriginal placenames are still in use today including Bombi Point, Gerrin Point, Kourung Gourong and Mourawaring Point.

Aboriginal sites provide a valuable insight into Aboriginal people's traditional lifestyles, and interactions with the environment.

The Aboriginal heritage within the park is important to present day Aboriginal people.

Such sites are a non-renewable resource and are subject to deterioration from natural and human induced processes.

Therefore, some Aboriginal sites within the park may require active management to prolong their existence.

Over 70 Aboriginal sites containing over 200 features have been recorded in the park and nearby areas.

It is possible that many more sites are likely to exist.

Aboriginal occupation is evident in the form of open middens and camp sites, rock engravings, grinding grooves, rock shelters with art (charcoal and pigment drawings, stencils and paintings), scarred trees and other archaeological deposits.

Human remains have been found in coastal dune middens (on Putty Beach, destroyed by sand mining) and in rock shelters.

Figures commonly depicted include human figures, marine representations, and macropods (e.g. kangaroos and wallabies).

Vinnicombe (1980) carried out a detailed study of Aboriginal sites on the Bouddi Peninsula.

The Hardys Bay, Pretty Beach, Rileys Bay, and Fishermans Bay Catchments facing Brisbane Water appeared to have the highest concentration of Aboriginal sites in the reserve.

Evidence of Aboriginal usage of both the open coastal and estuarine environments was reflected in the contents of middens, for example in the different species of shellfish.

Daleys Point Aboriginal Site (also known as Milligans Cave or Fish Hook Shelter) is an important site.

Excavation and analyses indicate occupation for a period of 200-600 years (Clegg J. pers. comm), with a brief period dating back to 5430 plus or minus 105 years indicated at the base of the excavation.

Two rock engravings located on Narrabeen Sandstone are significant and are possibly the only recorded examples in the area.

Vandalism of art sites has occurred in the area.

Protection measures such as access barriers, interpretation and education have been carried out for the site.

Often the most effective way to protect sites from vandalism is not to publicise their location.

The National Parks Service will not actively promote the location of sites within the park.

However the locations of some sites in the park and proposed additions are already widely known and the impacts associated with visitation need to be monitored.

While the Service has legal responsibility for the protection of Aboriginal sites and places, it acknowledges the right of Aboriginal people to make decisions about their own heritage.

It is therefore policy that Aboriginal communities be consulted and involved in the management of Aboriginal sites, places and related issues and the promotion and presentation of Aboriginal culture and history.

The park is within the area of the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council.

There may also be other Aboriginal community organisations and individuals with an interest in use and management of the park.

There is interest by the local Aboriginal community in undertaking cultural and teaching activities in the park.

The Service supports this in principle and will work with the community to establish agreements for such cultural activities that comply with the policies of this plan of management and have minimal environmental impact.

The Bouddi Peninsula CD, 2010 David Kelly, DECCW