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Priceless Cultural Importance 40,000 years
This ochre hand stencil in a Nullarbor cave conveys a powerful and poignant story of Mirning Peoples co-existence with Nullarbor Karst Country spanning 40,000 years!Nullarbor caves preserve some of Australia’s oldest archaeological evidence ~40,000 years associated with stone artefacts (Roberts et al. 1996).
Caves were used by Mirning Peoples for shelter, ceremony, and creative expression, as well as a source of water and flint for stone tools.
Additional to caves, there is a multitude of other evidence that record Mirning Peoples links with Nullarbor Country, including rock holes with cap stones, artefact scatters, stone manuports and intriguing stone arrangements.
These all point to the strong and enduring connection that Mirning Peoples had, and which the living descendants of Mirning Peoples continue to have, with Nullarbor Karst Country and connected Sea Country.
In South Australia, National Heritage listed Koonalda Cave contains ancient parietal art and other cultural artefacts of immeasurable sacred value.
Tragically in 2022 the ancient art in Koonalda Cave was wantonly desecrated. This crime occurred despite strong warnings made to the South Australian government more than 20 years ago; that Koonalda Cave and its artwork were inadequately protected from vandalism. In Western Australia, Weebubbie, Abrakurrie, and about a dozen other caves are recognised Aboriginal Heritage Places.
However there exist many more caves, rock holes and other cultural heritage sites that are still not formally identified or recognised.
This priceless Australian cultural landscape spanning at least 2,000 generations is existentially threatened and will be irrevocably damaged in one generation if Nullarbor Karst Country is industrialised for hydrogen to be sold overseas.
Caves were used by Mirning Peoples for shelter, ceremony, and creative expression, as well as a source of water and flint for stone tools.
Additional to caves, there is a multitude of other evidence that record Mirning Peoples links with Nullarbor Country, including rock holes with cap stones, artefact scatters, stone manuports and intriguing stone arrangements.
These all point to the strong and enduring connection that Mirning Peoples had, and which the living descendants of Mirning Peoples continue to have, with Nullarbor Karst Country and connected Sea Country.
In South Australia, National Heritage listed Koonalda Cave contains ancient parietal art and other cultural artefacts of immeasurable sacred value.
Tragically in 2022 the ancient art in Koonalda Cave was wantonly desecrated. This crime occurred despite strong warnings made to the South Australian government more than 20 years ago; that Koonalda Cave and its artwork were inadequately protected from vandalism. In Western Australia, Weebubbie, Abrakurrie, and about a dozen other caves are recognised Aboriginal Heritage Places.
However there exist many more caves, rock holes and other cultural heritage sites that are still not formally identified or recognised.
This priceless Australian cultural landscape spanning at least 2,000 generations is existentially threatened and will be irrevocably damaged in one generation if Nullarbor Karst Country is industrialised for hydrogen to be sold overseas.