Key Factors
- Montague Island is internationally recognised for its excellence in protected space administration.
- Conventional House owners have efficiently campaigned to have it renamed Barunguba Montague Island Nature Reserve.
- Yuin elder Uncle Bunja Smith stated the brand new identify would delight all elders and the group.
The long-lasting Montague Island off the NSW south coast has been given a twin Indigenous identify in honour of the cultural significance of the island to the Yuin individuals.
The method of renaming Barunguba Montague Island Nature Reserve was initiated by the Conventional House owners and introduced by Surroundings Minister Penny Sharpe on Tuesday.
“The Aboriginal identify will sit alongside the non-Aboriginal identify and I sit up for seeing Barunguba Montague Island Nature Reserve change into broadly and generally used,” she stated.
The island off Narooma is valued as a big ceremonial space and resource-gathering place.
Along with its Indigenous cultural values and state-listed lighthouse, the character reserve is dwelling to a number of seabird species together with the endangered Gould’s petrel.
It additionally has one of many largest little penguin colonies in NSW and is dwelling to lots of of Australian and New Zealand fur seals.
The island is internationally recognised for its excellence in protected space administration.
Yuin elder Uncle Bunja Smith stated the brand new identify “will delight all our Elders and Tribes individuals previous, current and rising”.
“From mom mountain Gulaga, got here the 2 sons – Najanuka and Barunguba,” he stated.
“We all know this as a result of it’s in our tales and our songs.
“I pray that the spirit of this sacred place touches the hearts of the broader south coast group and all guests who might come.”