Montague Island Lighthouse Heritage Management Plan 2020
Indigenous historyIndigenous history
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Indigenous history
Vivienne Mason, Chairperson of Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Council, Elder and Knowledge Holder of the Yuin Tribe shared knowledge of the land the light house sits on:
“A Dreamtime Story of my people, the Yuin, is that Barranguba (Montague Island) is the son of Gulaga, the mother mountain, (Mt Dromedary). Barranguba being the eldest son wanted to leave his mother, Gulaga. Gulaga agreed that Barranguba could move, but only on the condition that she would
be able to watch over him. Barranguba went off- shore to live, far enough away from his mother but close enough for her to watch over him. Gulaga’s youngest son, Nadjanuka also wanted to leave but Gulaga insisted he stayed close by on the land to protect the Budjarns (Birds). To this day Barranguba, Nadjanuka and Gulaga are connected through her umbilical cord (an Underwater Freshwater Stream running from Gulaga to Barranguba and Nadjanuka. There is a fresh water spring on Barranguba but the location has been lost.”
‘Also, we were told, many years ago, that Aboriginal paintings were found on Barranguba, but they are now hidden due to the changes to the land. Legend has it that Barranguba is a Men’s Place but this is debated, it depend on who you speak to.”
It is recorded in a newspaper article from the first settlers of Narooma (copy at the National Library), that a tragedy befell a group of young Aboriginal men and women, who were returning from their annual seabird egg gathering expedition from Barranguba. These young people were lost at sea when a freak wave hit them.