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Welcome to Country

We, the Budjiti People, are the Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders of an area spanning 16,730 sq km in the south-west region of Queensland

Our ancestors, who were the speakers of the Budjiti language, have been connected to our country since its creation by the Muddan-gatta, and archaeological material dates our occupation in the area back 13,000 years before present. Our ancestors held traditional sacred knowledge of our country which has passed from generation to generation, and we remain responsible for its care and protection today.

The pademelon is the sacred totem associated with our Budjiti families, and is the emblem for the Budjiti Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC.

Our Lands and Waters

Our traditional country is located within the Bulloo and Paroo Shire Councils, encompassing the towns of Eulo and Hungerford. As river people of the Paroo River, our traditional country takes in the Currawinya National Park, Caiwarro Waterhole, the Dynevor Lakes, the Boorara Lakes and the Currawinya Lakes.

Located within the Mulga Lands, the semi-arid landscape of Budjiti Country has striking features of granite boulders, dunefields, dissected tablelands, sandplains, claypans and saltpans. The area is replete with valuable water sources including saline lakes, freshwater lakes, riverine waterholes and ancient mound springs. The Muddan-gatta, or the serpent spirit, carved and created the river, creeks, springs and lakes on Budjiti Country, which form part of the headwaters of the Murray Darling Basin and are of great cultural significance to our people.

Budjiti Traditional and Sacred Knowledge

Budjiti Country is imbued with spirits who recognise our people and our connection to traditional lands and waters. As all Budjiti spirits come back to Budjiti Country, it is the home of our ancestor spirits from countless generations which oversee the care and protection of our country, and recognise and look after Budjiti families and descendants.

The powerful rainbow serpent, Muddan-gatta, is known to reside in the important waterholes of Budjiti Country and can be dangerous to those who disregard traditional laws or damage Country. Our people hold important knowledge and practices of how to respect the spirits of Budjiti Country.

Traditional knowledge of sacred sites and places of spiritual and cultural significance have been handed down from Budjiti Elders and continues to be passed on today. Some of the important places on Budjiti Country include story places where spirits reside in the landscape, traditional camps that are home to ancestor spirits, ceremony places, the location of artefacts and sensitive male-only and female-only places.

Budjiti People also continue to pass down traditional knowledge of the resources and ecology of our Country, which is abundant in medicinal plants and traditional foods. The extensive salt water lake, Wyara, and fresh water lake, Numulla, are special places on Country which, when full, bring an array of wildlife and food resources, including migratory birds, swans, emus and ducks. In the past, our ceremonies and meetings would be held when the lakes were full and resources were plentiful, and our ancestors have passed down knowledge of traditional practices of healing, hunting and food preparation, the traditional methods of which are still followed today.

Many Budjiti Elders have worked on the pastoral stations on and adjacent to Budjiti Country, and by continuing to live on, work on, camp and visit their country through the generations, our Elders have taught our young people the traditional knowledge needed to care for our country.

Caring for Country

As Budjiti People, we have inherited cultural responsibility for the protection and care of traditional country, and we apply traditional ecological knowledge and land management practices to fulfil this responsibility. Several Budjiti People have experience working in the pastoral industry and many Budjiti Elders have worked on the pastoral stations on and adjacent to Budjiti Country, and by continuing to live on, work on, camp and visit Budjiti Country through the generations, our Elders have taught our young people the traditional knowledge needed to care for our country.