ASIANOVERLAND.NET SYDNEY TO LONDON DAY 2: CANBERRA TO MILEWA, WIRADJURI

The Wiradjuri people are the largest group of Aboriginal or First Australian people.

In 1993 I had the honour of appearing for ISABEL COE ON BEHALF OF THE WIRADJURI TRIBE v. THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA and STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES  with Peter Kilduff as my junior barrister, where Mason CJ recited part of the Statement of Claim which sets out the Wiradjuri geographical area –

“3. The Wiradjuri nation  ... extends from the upper reaches of the Wambool
(Macquarie) River in its northern border, the Murray River in its southern border, and the Great Dividing Range and the Murrumbidjeri (Murrimbidgee) River in its eastern border and the flood plains of the Kalar (Lachlan) River in its western border and comprises approximately 80,000 square kilometres) and have continued to have rights to the said land by reason of their traditional connection to the said land, notwithstanding any wrongful or unlawful extinguishment, forced dispossession ..."

The Wiradjuri people are united by language, common descent through kinship and shared traditions. They survived for tens of thousands of years as skilled hunter-fisher-gatherers, in family groups or clans, and many still use traditional hunting and gathering techniques as part of their customary life.

The Wiradjuri diet included yabbies and fish such as Murray cod from the rivers. In dry seasons, the Wiradjuri ate kangaroos, emus and food gathered from the land, including fruit, nuts, yam daisies (Microseris lanceolata), wattle seeds, and orchid tubers.

The Wiradjuri travelled into Alpine areas in the summer to feast on Bogong moths.

The Wiradjuri were also known for their possum-skin cloaks stitched together from possum furs. 

The Wiradjuri were organised into local groups including:

Narrandera (prickly lizard)

Cootamundra (kuta-mundra, kutamun turtle)

Murranbulla (maring-bula, two bark canoes).

Notable Wiradjuri listed by Wikipedia include:

• William Punch, massacre survivor and World War One serviceman
• Windradyne, important Aboriginal leader during the Bathurst War
• Yuranigh, a much prized guide for the explorer Thomas Mitchell, especially during his expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1845–1846. On hearing of Yuranigh's passing in 1852, Mitchell put up £200 to have his gravesite marked with a tombstone.

• Kirsten Banks, astronomer

• Tony Briggs, actor, writer and producer
• Linda Burney, Minister for Indigenous Australians
• Evonne Goolagong Cawley, tennis great
• Paul Coe, lawyer and activist
• Kevin Gilbert, 20th century author
• Stan Grant, journalist ……..

Jimmy Clements ("King Billy") was present at the opening of the Provisional Parliament House in Canberra on 9 May 1927. He demonstrated his "sovereign rights to the Federal Territory", the first recorded instance of Aboriginal protest at the new Parliament.

Wiradjuri country is beautiful country. You can self drive south west through any of the great country features to the southern Wiradjuri border,  Milewa (Murray) River, where the yabbies, Murray Cod and other fresh water fish are at their best.

↑ Day 1 ↓ Day 3