The sound of a curlew crying at night has many meanings according to Aboriginal lore. Xavier Herbert writes in “Poor Man My Country” that curlew calls the spirits of souls wanting to be born. In the northern areas of Queensland, it is the sound of the dead returning to the …
Sturt’s Desert Pea
The state symbol for South Australia, the Aboriginal people call this beautiful, vibrant red flower the ‘flower of blood.’ It is also considered a symbol of the blood spilt during the invasion and the following years of European settlement. The Dreaming for this flower, from which the Aboriginal name originates, …
Waratah
This large, stately flower is the state symbol for New South Wales. Its Aboriginal name comes from its vibrant, red colouring. There are several Dreamings about the Waratah, one going back to the days of volcanoes! This Dreaming describes how the leaves of the Waratah can protect one from fire …