putalina ‘Oyster Cove’

Aboriginal stand alone name gazetted: 2014. The fight for land rights to have putalina returned to our people, locals wanted it stopped. There is a bulldozer that was attempting to immobilise our Elders and Community protecting our significant Ancestral remains, by moving and aiming to drop a large rock onto them. The spirits must have stopped him, as the bulldozer sunk into the earth and the arm of the bulldozer broke down, the rock fell to the ground where it sits today. (J Ross 2018)

Aboriginal stand alone name gazetted: 2014. As I visit putalina often, I can hear the birds and see our Ancestors across the river, they appear in the mountains and in the trees‚ a place where fresh water meets the salt water. There is sadness here but they are happy I am here as they let me know, I can feel it in the wind and through the trees. The trail of smoke drifts up into the trees, and the flag pole sings in the wind. (J Ross 2018).

Aboriginal stand alone name gazetted: 2014. Our putalina festival healing Country and Community. I can see the reflections of our Ancestors in the river happy that we are here. The tracks from insects inside the bark are transpired through the trees. Our Community gathers on the rock to tell yarns and the music is drifting across the water. Our contemporary hand stencils with ochre, practising culture, we are still here for many many future generations. (J Ross 2018)