Save sacred sites
Australia’s First Nations culture is at a loss from new coal mining, fracking, highway extensions, development, and industrialisation. We know that everything is connected and intertwined. We know that we are all meant to live at one with mother nature. We cannot continue to live out of alignment with her. We believe that we can collectively join together as a community of mob and allies to become an empowered Australia - working together as one to stand up and protect our home.
At Our Songlines, we believe that we need to share the appreciation and increase an understanding of Indigenous culture for all of Australia and the world.
There are many culturally significant Aboriginal sites which are currently under threat in Australia and many that have been destroyed over the years.
Every time we cut down forests, we cut down homes for wildlife species. Every time we destroy another sacred site, we destroy First Nations culture. We destroy connection and history. We must stop decimating Aboriginal sites, building roads, blowing up caves, and digging for coal into sacred ground. Our aim is to draw more attention to these sites to protect them, before they are destroyed.
SITES CURRENTLY UNDER THREAT
DJAKI KUNDU
Development: Road extension
Traditional Owners: Kabi, QLD
The Bruce Highway expansion in Gympie plans to develop on top of Djaki Kundu, an ancient healing site on Kabi Country situated on the Seven Sisters Songline. The Traditional Custodian’s lores and totems originate from this connection to the Seven Sisters and demonstrate the site’s cultural significance. The site holds incredible archaeological importance despite having faced centuries of ruin and desecration as a result of colonialism, including artefacts such as stone wall constructions, grinding grooves, stone arrangements and remnants of crushed quartz stone statues.
“We’ve been here since day dot. And we’ll be here till the end of time. This land does not belong to us. It belongs to future generations.” – Wit-boooka (Kabi Elder)
QUANDAMOOKA TRUTH EMBASSY
Development: Headlands Whale eco-tourism structure
Traditional Owners: Quandamooka People, QLD
The Truth Embassy on North Stradbroke Island was set up by the Quandamooka People to stop the tourism development of the headland which proposes to enact a whale structure at Point Lookout. The headlands is currently a place for whale watching, grasslands and habitat for birds, kangaroos and other wildlife. The headlands holds significant cultural importance for the Traditional Custodians on the island, as well as being a sacred mens site.
RYLSTONE
Development – Exploration for new coal
Traditional Owners: Wiradjuri, NSW
The potential coal release areas of Hawkins and Rumker, covering 32,700ha, lie north and north-east of Rylstone, stretching to the southern end of the Bylong Valley (see map below). Ganguddy-Kelgoola, (adjacent to Hawkins and Rumker) is expected to be released later. Our homes, livelihoods, our region’s precious water supplies, our thriving tourism industry, productive agricultural lands, endangered flora and fauna, biodiversity and heritage and our very community are all under threat! Both Rumker and Ganguddy- Kelgoola lie adjacent to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and are also under substantial risk.
Unfortunately, these are just a few of the sites under threat currently in Australia. We aim to shine a light and raise awareness to protect these sites. We stand in solidarity with Traditional Owners fighting for their land rights and mother earth. You can take action through signing petitions, submissions and donating directly to these movements.
Find out more sacred sites to explore and protect via our Indigenous google maps platform.
