Exploring layers of history

Denise Stephens goes back in time on the Gold Coast.

From our vantage point on Burleigh headland, we looked north to the Gold Coast’s long strip of beach, lined with high-rise hotels. On the cliff behind us, huge rock columns perched on the edge. These were the fingers of the giant, Javreen, who formed this land and now lay asleep under it. He’d come here for his favourite food, honey, or Jellurgal in the local language. Our guide Cameron explained that native Australian bees lived in this spot and assured us that they didn’t sting.

"It feels like Australia is full of creatures trying to kill you but the bees are an exception," he said.

The Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, named after Javreen’s favourite food, is an unassuming building near the entrance to Burleigh Head National Park. It has a small exhibition that shows fishing and hunting tools, and tells the stories of local elders, and a gallery with indigenous art. We were here for their Walkabout tour, an introduction to the indigenous heritage of the Gold Coast. Our tour started with a video introducing the Kombumerri clan, part of the Yugambeh people who’ve lived in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales for thousands of years. The Kombumerri’s territory is around the Nerang River which runs through the Gold Coast. Nowadays houses line the banks of the river and its network of canals, but in years past this was where the Kombumerri fished and gathered food.

After the video, Cameron led us into the national park, a group of about 20 ranging from children to older people. Some were locals wanting to know more about where they lived, while others were international visitors keen on learning about Australia’s indigenous history. We followed the track along the banks of Tallebudgera Creek, a fishing spot for the Kombumerri, who built a rock trap across it to catch fish. The outline of the trap is still visible if you know where to look, although the water is deeper now due to sand dredging. It seemed a popular recreational spot; many swimmers and boaties were enjoying a sunny Saturday on the water.

We stopped at one of the small beaches along the creek, walking down a steep path to the sand. A brightly painted mural on the retaining wall told the story of Gowanda, an ancestor who took the form of a dolphin. He helped the Kombumerri to catch fish and for this reason, the dolphin was a totem for them. Cameron explained the importance of totems in aboriginal culture. Animals or plants could be totems for clans or individuals, who were responsible for looking after them. You didn’t kill or eat your totem, so this was a way of protecting the ecosystem.

Back on the track, we continued walking through lush green bush. Trees shaded the track and sheltered us from the sun. The shade was probably why it was a popular exercise route with local walkers and joggers powering along the path to the headland and back again. Our pace was much more leisurely. Cameron stopped again at a spot where there didn’t seem to be anything obvious to look at. He pointed out the crushed shells mixed in with the earth, signs of a midden, or refuse heap. This midden has been carbon dated with an estimated age of 4000 years, a sign of centuries of human habitation. It covers a large area, extending far back under the trees.

As we continued along the track, Cameron scanned the trees, searching for bush tucker — foods that grew in the bush and that the Kombumerri had traditionally harvested. He spotted some berries hidden in the dense foliage and picked them for us to taste. One was lilli pilli, which tasted sour like green apples, although there are other varieties that are apparently sweeter. The other was native sarsaparilla and I found it slightly dry, with several seeds inside the berry. Although it was interesting to try something different, the berries weren’t a taste sensation that I’d look forward to eating again. According to Cameron, bush tucker is often superfood, full of nutrients and very good for you, but he admitted that it’s not always great tasting.

Cameron drew our attention to mountains visible through a gap in the trees. One of these was Mount Warning, the first place to be touched by the sun in Australia each day. He guided our view by pointing out mountain ridges that make up a man’s face, then look like a pregnant woman lying down. The distinctive sharp peak of Mount Warning was in the centre. The mountain erupted millions of years ago, sending lava flows across the region.

Hexagonal basalt rocks lining the track are the result of eruptions millions of years ago.

I’d spotted huge hexagonal columns scattered along the track, buried in the earth among the trees, and down to the shoreline in places. These were so perfectly regular that they looked man-made, perhaps out of concrete, however they were in fact basalt rocks formed from volcanic eruptions. Among the many rocks created by the volcano were the fingers of Javreen, perched at the top of the cliff.

We were able to continue around to the headland to see Javreen’s fingers, although the path is sometimes closed because the basalt columns become unstable in wet weather, and rockfalls occasionally block the way. Along the way, several lookout points offer prime views north and south along the coast, and out to sea. Surfers rode the waves on either side of the headland and small boats bobbed in the swell. Burleigh headland overlooks the spring migration route of the humpback whale but, despite scanning the ocean, we didn’t spot any that day.

After reaching the spot where Javreen found honey, and hearing his story, we turned back along the track to return to the centre. There was still more to see, even though we were walking along the same track. A mound of dirt with twigs scattered across it turned out to be a brush turkey nest. The males create these mounds to bury the eggs. Although the birds wander around the bush here, none crossed our path.

Our final stop was by a clay bank a few steps into the trees. Looking more closely, we could see the clay was multi-coloured, varying from pale beige to rust. This was ochre, used to paint ceremonial body markings. Cameron gently crumbled some clay between his fingers to show the colour, explaining that ochre traditions and meanings varied among different peoples.

The Walkabout Tour was an informative cultural experience, and also an enjoyable way to explore a small pocket of Australian bush.

By the end of the tour, we saw the land in a different way, land that the Kombumerri had lived off for thousands of years. Cameron’s deep knowledge drew our attention to small signs we would have otherwise missed. While we could have just joined the weekend walkers at Burleigh Head National Park and admired the views, we would have been oblivious to layers of history.

Back at my hotel, one of many high-rise buildings along the beach at Surfer’s Paradise, I looked at the view that had become familiar over the last few days. This time I saw a man’s face, and realised that I was looking at Mount Warning.

 

 

The details

Where is it?
Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre is at 1711 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads. There is car parking off the highway and it’s accessible by public buses.

How do I go on a tour?
Walkabout tours run daily Monday-Saturday and on selected Sundays. The duration is about 2 hours and they cost $A39 for adults, $20 for children. Reservations are advisable and can be made at www.jellurgal.com.au