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Explore our Country > Significant Sites

Significant Sites

We are strongly connected to our Country and it to us.  The Dreaming made the land and gave us the land. Song-lines and stories identify and link places and events in the Dreaming, helping us to understand their interconnected value and show respect. These places are often called significant or sacred sites.

Some sites are special because they relate to women and men’s business or activities, or to animals and plants and their maintenance, others because they are meeting places or places of sustenance for us all. Some are special because they feature strongly in our Dreaming which explains our past, present and future link to land and sea Country and to each other, both around here and further away. Sites can link us to our ancestors and they connect us to the land. They help a person feel strong about where they came from. We can live elsewhere but this is where we belong and so its important to know and understand these significant sites so that you can walk around with pride.

Here are some signficant sites to look for and to understand. These can be shared with everyone and need to be respected. Many others are known only to our law holders and elders, or where knowledge has been passed on within our community for us to protect and look after them. In this way our culture can be resilient and prosper into the future.

Three Sisters Rock

A Dreamtime story of the Three Sisters Rock (also known as Two Sisters) tells of three sisters swimming off the headland at Broken Head.

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Brays Beach and Whites Beach

Located just south of Broken Head these picturesque cove beaches backed by forest covered cliffs were used for hunting and camping by our people.

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Tallow Creek

Tallow Creek includes small lakes and wetlands and is located south of Cumbebin (Byron Bay) behind the dunal area along Tallow Beach and flows intermittently into the Pacific Ocean. “This is our stomping ground as you’d call it” (Aunty Linda Vidler).

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Currenba

Palm Valley

Currenba is located at The Pass a sheltered beach popular for picnicking, surfing and boating access to the Bay and beyond. It means ‘gully’ and refers to the natural water channels found in this forested area. Currenba is a significant place for us.
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Cavanbah

Byron Bay

Cavanbah, which means ‘meeting place’, with its sweeping beachfront and sheltered places was a favourite home base and meeting place for the Arakwal people and other Bunjalung nation tribes.

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Cumbebin Swamp

Cumbebin Swamp is located adjacent to the township of Byron Bay and is connected to Belongil estuary. It is an important part of Country for the Arakwal people as a place of plenty supporting sustainable living.

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Nguthungulli

Julian Rocks

This group of small islets out in the Bay are very significant to us. It is also an important habitat area for Binguing (turtle), many species of fish some which are endangered such as the Grey Nurse shark. There are several important Dreaming stories associated with Julian Rocks.

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Brunswick River

The Brunswick River (known as Durrumbil) and associated wetlands, saltmarsh and coastline near its mouth were considered a place of significance for our people and the Bunjalung nation. It was a special meeting place for ceremonies and trade purposes.

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Walgun

Cape Byron

The eastern most part of Australian mainland, Walgun plays an important role in many Dreaming stories, and was a special place for ceremony, learning and spiritual inspiration.

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Dolphin (Wajung)
Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) is an important totem for our people. Wajoong gives us messages about relationships between our clan members, to our ancestors and the past, and also to particular places and sites in our Country. We have stories of our people and dolphins communicating and connecting with each other, including co-operative fishing, sharing resources from the ocean, and playing in the shallows. Sea Eagle (Miwing)
White Breasted Sea Eagle (Haliaetus leucogaster) is an important totem for us. Miwing gives us messages about clan and family groups, provides knowledge on hunting practices and environmental events on Country. The second largest raptor (bird of prey), you can see the majestic Miwing soaring above you as you walk along Tallow Beach or around the Cape. Carpet Snake (Kabul)
Carpet Snake (Morelia spilota) as one of our key totems symbolises the relationship of clan members to each other, to our ancestors and the past, and to particular places or sites. Kabul are important to us for their conservation, wild resource and other cultural values. Brush Turkey (Wollum)
Brush Turkey (Alectura lathami) is a messenger providing clues about and demonstrating knowledge and adaptability in knowing and using Country. Wollum lives and moves freely in the coastal bush, foraging through leaf litter for food to eat. The male builds large mounds out of vegetative material and uses it to incubate their eggs. Pied Oystercatcher (language name?)
Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) is an important bird to us because they provide messages about food sources and environmental events in Country. The Pied forages on the beaches and rocky shores, in mudflats of inlets, bays, ocean beaches, and on offshore islets. Green Turtle (Bijahlin)
Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) is an important messenger that provides knowledge of the sea Country. Biwing nests on north coast beaches including Tallow Beach and Lennox Heads to the south. Julian Rocks (Nguthungulli) supports significant populations of the Biwing and if you go snorkeling or diving there, you can have a close encounter with these graceful creatures.