Honouring the Land and Jinigudera Legacy in Exmouth

It’s important to acknowledge the local Yinigudera people, and the greater Baiyungu and Thalanyji tribes, as the Traditional Owners of the area surrounding Exmouth and Coral Bay. The Cape, set apart from most Aboriginal tribes in Northwest Australia, holds a special significance as a meeting place for all tribes, is a traditional gathering place for all tribes from the area.

The Australian Aboriginal culture prioritises sustainability and care for the land over growth. This approach has proven incredibly successful from an environmental perspective, and has remained largely unchanged for tens of thousands of years. Indeed the Australian Aboriginal culture that continues to this day can justifiably make claim to being one of the most successful sustainable human cultures to have ever existed.

Evidence from rock shelters and caves on the Cape Range Peninsula suggests Aboriginal presence in Ningaloo for at least 36,000 years, and possibly longer than 60,000 years. Remarkably, this region holds the oldest evidence of marine resource use and the earliest known Aboriginal jewellery in Australia. The story of how how one of the most venerated local Elders guided archaeologists to the specific site where this shell necklace or adornment was discovered underlines the ongoing, deep knowledge and connection the Traditional Owners have with this land.

Photo Credit: Jacob Loyacano

“Ningaloo”, possibly meaning ‘promontory’ or ‘deep water’, aptly describes the Cape Range National Park and surrounding areas. Respecting this land’s natural environment, history, and culture is vital to the local Aboriginal people and their ancestors. The Ningaloo and the Exmouth Gulf both play a significant role in the story of the Rainbow Serpent, one of the cornerstones of Aboriginal tradition. This story explains the formation of the landscape and the origins of life in a way that powerfully reminds us of the deep spiritual connection Aboriginal peoples have with the land.

The region contains significant Aboriginal sites including burial grounds, middens, and fish traps. The West Thalanyji tribes in general, and the Jinigudira people in particular, have a deep historical connection to this land, as evidenced by these archaeological findings.

In 2020, an ILUA (Indigenous Land Use Agreement) was signed by the Baiyungu and Thalanyji Traditional Owners and the State Government. This Agreement paves the way for a recreation and conservation Reserve along the spectacular Ningaloo Coast, from Red Bluff to the Cape Range and Ningaloo Parks and additional areas of land and water to be added into the future. This conservation estate will be jointly managed and vested into a joint Management Body that will comprise members of both the Nganhurra Thanardi Garrbu Aboriginal Corporation and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

References:

Morse, K., 1993. Shell Beads From Mandu Mandu Creek Rock-Shelter, Cape Range Peninsula, Western Australia, Dated Before 30,000 BP. 67 Antiquity 1993. 877-83.