Four spiritual sites that make up a creation story on the far south coast will soon be dual named, respecting ongoing Aboriginal connection to Country.
Kane Weeks from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) said the dual names will sit side by side and were put forward by the Gulaga and Biamanga Joint Management Boards.
The new dual names are Gulaga/Mount Dromedary, Biamanga/Mumbulla Mountain, Barunguba/Montague Island and Najanuka/Little Dromedary Mountain.
‘Dual naming these places not only helps to preserve Aboriginal language but also acknowledges continuous connection to these cultural sites,’ said Mr Weeks.
‘Names convey the significance, sense of history and identity of a place and NPWS will continue to look for opportunities to restore Aboriginal place names.’
Bunja Smith, Chair of the Biamanga National Park Board of Management, said dual naming is one way to share culture with the broader community.
‘We’re trying to elevate the status of these places by naming them with their first name, not their last name,’ Mr Smith said.
Roslyn Field, Chair of the Gulaga National Park Board of Management, said that these spiritual places should be known by their Yuin name.
‘Gulaga, mother mountain, has two sons, the eldest is Barunguba also known as Montague Island,’ Ms Field said.
‘Najanuka known as Little Dromedary is her second son, but he wasn’t allowed to leave far from home like his older brother.
‘Gulaga from way up the top can always see her sons in the distance, and now the whole community will know them and call them by their real names,’ Ms Field said.
NPWS will start to update signage at these places to reflect the dual names.
Ms Field said that the changed signage will reflect the continued importance of the Dhurga language, history and traditions to First Nations custodians.
Today’s gazettal of these dual names is separate to the process to rename Ben Boyd National Park.
NPWS has begun contacting stakeholders to seek their input on the best way to choose a new name for Ben Boyd National Park. This process will take time and will not be rushed.
