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Aboriginal people tend to focus on their connection with the land more than anything else. There are many sites that come along with a sacred meaning for each of the Aboriginal tribes. A sacred site is usually a place of some ceremonial importance or a place of feasts, settlement etc. There are certain ceremonies that a person has to get involved into if he wants to enter into such sacred sites. The reason behind this is that one is assumed to offer positive energy, good wishes and harmony to the ancestors.
The following are 8 Aboriginal historical sites in Australia which every tourist ought to visit.
- Kakadu National Park
Kakadu is considered as the “Oldest living culture on earth”. For more than 65000 years, it has been home to Aboriginal people. Kakadu’s rock art ( Gunbim ) and the paintings that are of 20,000 years old acts as one of the important records for longest historical records of any group of people in the world is one of the major reasons Kakadu has received the “World heritage status”. The paintings also provide deep information on the Bininj / Mungguy people.
- Tower Hill Wild Life Reserve
The Tower Hill Wild Life Reserve, off the Great ocean road is on the most popular tourist route from Melbourne to South Australia and is the home for many important Aboriginal sites. The wildlife reserve, is located at 14km from Warrnambool ( where Aboriginal people lived 32,000 years ago ), is a wonderful home for kangaroos, emus, koalas and many waterbirds.
- Kata Tjuta
Kata Tjuta also known as Olgas is located in Central Australia is considered sacred to the Aboriginal people of Australia. Kata Tjuta is comprised of 36 domes and covers an area of about 21.68km². It is located at about 25km from Uluru and the duo forms the major landmarks within the Uluru- Kata Tjuta National Park.
- Birrarung Marr
This is a somewhat odd entry into the list as it is such a modern location now, but the history of Birrarung Marr is very important. It is located in Melbourne and the name actually means “River of Mists” in Woiwurrung language of Wurundjeri people of Australia. This site is considered a traditional aboriginal site because of its prime ceremonial importance. There are three levels of open terraces at Birrarung Marr. The lower terrace which is located next to a river, has a gravel surface. The middle terrace is located on the eastern side of the park and has a grassed surface. The upper terrace is located on the northern side of the park.
- The Kimberley
The Kimberley was one of the earliest settled parts of Australia which had the first arrivals 43,000 years ago. With more than 400,000sq m of pure landscape comprising of the waterfalls, red sands, animal life and floral regions, Kimberley is one of the most important tourist spots one should never miss !
- Uluru
Uluru also known as Ayers Rock is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu, the Aboriginal people of Australia. It is a large sandstone rock formation in Central Australia which is notable for changing colors at various times of the day and the year. 46 species of natural mammals are known to live in and around Uluru. The park has a hot desert climate. According to the Aṉangu, traditional landowners of Uluru, “The world was once a featureless place. None of the places we know existed until creator beings, in the forms of people, plants and animals, traveled widely across the land. Then, in a process of creation and destruction, they formed the landscape as we know it today”.
- South Australian Museum
The South Australian Museum contains the most significant collection of more than 3000 Aboriginal cultural artifacts in the world. The permanent galleries in the museum include Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery, South Australian Biodiversity Gallery, World Mammals Gallery, Mawson Gallery, Megafauna Gallery, Minerals and Meteorites Gallery, Fossils Gallery and a lot more!
- Ban Ban Springs
Ban Ban Springs is located in Queensland. “Ban Ban Springs is a sacred site and has a Dreamtime association with the Rainbow Serpent which is believed to have surfaced there. Ban Ban Springs is unique in Indigenous Heritage. It is sacred in men’s Business and women’s Business for separate and combined reasons.”
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