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Bah’naga and Mun’dah: The Story of the Goanna and the Red-bellied Black Snake 

‘A very long time ago there lived a man of the Goanna clan, called Bah’naga. Bah’naga was a very bad tempered man, who struck out repeatedly at those who annoyed him, and because he carried a poison bag, they usually died…’ 

 

Animals featured: Goanna, red-bellied black snake

Picture Book: Bah’naga and Mun’dah 2.3Mb

Text only: Bah’naga Mun’dah 1.2Mb

 

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Barra’woori: The Story of the Seven Peacekeepers and the Forgotten ones

Those who have knowledge of the laws have an obligation to teach those who do not.

 

Plants featured: Gum trees – Eucalypts and Angophoras

Text Only: Barra Woori 1.2Mb

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Bin’nit and Mugga’go: The Story of the Ironbark and the Tawny Frogmouth 

‘Binnit can always be seen sitting on Mugga’go’s shoulder, sound asleep, but ready to awaken at the approach of one who has evil in his heart…’ 

 

 

Bird featured: Tawny Frogmouth

Plant featured: Ironbark (eucalypt)

Text only: Bin’nit 890Kb

Picture Book: Mugga’go & Bin’nit 10.5Mb

 

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Boo’ambillyee: The Story of Shark Island

…No matter where you travel, you will find eels living happily and peacefully, carrying out their duties of keeping our streams clean, just as the sharks keep our seas clean.’

 

Animals featured: Grey Nurse Shark, Eastern Short-finned eel
Place in Sydney: Parramatta River, Shark Island.

Picture Book:Boo’ambillyee 1.5Mb

Text only: Boo’ambillyee 913Kb

 

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Doo’ragai Diday Boo’kerrikin: The Sisters Boo’kerrikin

A long, long time ago there lived three sisters who looked so much alike that only their own mother could tell them apart. They looked after orphaned and lost children, and the elderly and the sick.

 

 

Plants featured: wattles – Acacia decurrens, Acacia parramattensis, Acacia parvipennula

Picture Book: Boo’kerrikin 2Mb.pdf

Text only: Boo’kerrikin 1.3Mb.pdf

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  Boora Birra: The Story of Sow and Pigs Reef

‘A long time ago, when there was no evil in This Land, the sea was further to the east than it is today, and the place called Boora Birra stood high in the deep valley which it guarded.  This valley was the home of the Parra‘doowee, the Eel Dreaming Spirit…”

 

 

Animal featured: Eastern short-finned eel
Place in Sydney: Sow and Pigs Reef

Picture Book: Boora Birra 3.3Mb

Text only: Boora Birra 893Kb

 

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Budbri Learns to Dance: The Story of how the Lyrebird taught the People to Dance

‘This is a story about how the men learned to dance and how Budbri and the beautiful Wiritjiribin fell in love.’

 

Bird featured: Superb Lyrebird

Picture Book: Budbri 3.1Mb

Text only: Budbri 1Mb

 

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Bundalook: The Story of how the birds got their colours 

‘A very long time ago, all the birds were of one colour – black.’

This story is about how the parrots became all the colours of the rainbow.

 

Birds featured:  Eastern Rosella, Rainbow Lorikeet, Yellow-tail black cockatoo, Sulphur-crested cockatoo.
Plants featured: Sydney green wattle, christmas bell, dianella, waratah, sun orchid, native sarsparilla, midjim berry.

Text Only: Bundalook 1.6Mb

Picture Book: Bundalook 4.5Mb

 

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Burragorang: The Story of the Giant Kangaroo 

‘A very long time ago, there lived in This Land a giant Kangaroo, or Burra’gorang. This Burra’gorang did not hop around like the Kangaroo we know today.  It walked around on its hind legs, and had teeth as long as a man’s fingers, and as sharp as a shark’s teeth…’

 

 

Animals featured: Eastern grey kangaroo, bandicoot, echidna, native cat, tiger cat, red-bellied black snake, lace monitor lizard, brush tail possum, black bat, wombat, pygmy possum, bull ant, yellow-bellied sugar glider.
Birds featured: honey eater, Australian raven, wedge-tailed eagle, sulphur-crested cockatoo, eastern rosella, zebra finch, kingfisher, magpie, bronze-wing pigeon, rainbow lorikeet, tawny frogmouth owl.
Place in Sydney: Burragorang Valley, Warragamba.

Text only: Burragorang 1.1Mb

 

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The Daens and the Bilima’gorang

…’the turtle only has a stump of a tail, to remind The People that it is not wise to try to bring back the spirits of the dead.’

 

Animal featured: snake necked turtle

Text only: Daens 1Mb

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Dahl’wah: The Story of how the She Oaks came to be

‘…If you sit under these trees, and listen carefully you will sometimes hear the chatter of the old women and mothers teach their children that if they should become lost they should seek out the trees and remain there until they are found.’

 

Plant featured: She-Oaks (Casuarinas)

Picture Book: Dahl’wah 1.7Mb

Text only: Dahl’wah 890Kb

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Diruwun and Diruwanan: The Currawongs and the Magpies 

The Currawongs and Magpies join forces to entice rain to fall. ‘A very, very long time ago the People of the Raven became worried. There had not been any rain. The creeks and rivers were drying up, and even some of the deepest waterholes were become shallow enough for children to walk across…’

 

Birds featured: Australian magpie, currawong

Picture Book: Diruwun 3.9Mb

Text only: Diruwun 1.1Kb

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Gadigam: The Story of the how the Small Black Ants Came to Be

A story about the dangers of secretly spying on others.

 

 

Animal featured: small black ants
Birds featured: Crested Pidgeon, Eagle, Raven

Picture Book: Gadi’gam 6Mb

Text only: Gadigam 1.1Mb

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Gaya’dari: The Story of how the Platypus came to be

…’That is how the platypus came to be, who is half duck, half Water Rat, and why it hides itself in shame and fear.’

 

Animals featured: platypus, water rat, Pacific Black Duck

Picture Book: Gaya’dari 10Mb

Text only: Gaya’dari 877Kb

 

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Goora’rai’agon (Snapper Island): The Story of how the Seahorses and Sea Dragons came to be

‘…the drowned turned into sea creatures, the Rai’agon, the sea horses, to enable them to travel to the Goora’rai’agon.’

 

Animals featured: Seahorses, Sea Dragons
Place in Sydney: Snapper Island, Sydney Harbour

Picture Book:  Goora’rai’agon 2.8Mb

Text only: Goora’rai’agon 890Kb

 

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Gudgad: How the Frogs Came to be

During a drought, the giant frog drinks all the rivers and waterholes dry and the other animals attempt to force Gudgad to release all that water.

 

Animals featured: Frog, Tiger Quoll, Bandicoot
Birds featured: Lyrebird, Kookaburra, Magpie

Picture Book: Gudgad 3.6Mb

Text only: Gudgad 1.5Mb

 

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Guwarra and Goolay’yari: The Whale and the Pelican 

This is a story of how the whale and the Pelican came to our Land and befriended Waratah and Wiritjiribin.

 

Animal featured: Humpback Whale
Birds featured: Pelican, Lyrebird
Plant featured: Waratah
Place in Sydney: Cooks River

Text only: Guwarra 935Kb

Picture Book: Guwarra 1.4Mb

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How Kannabi became wise 

A story that shows us how important it is to look after our water supply, and that we need to be wise as well as strong and powerful.

 

Picture Book: Kannabi 4Mb

Text only: Kannabi 831Kb

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Kai’mia: The Story of the Gymea Lily 

Kollgul and how the Tarral’bai came to be

The creation of South Head saw the sharks patrolling to contain an evil magician.

 

 

Animals featured: Grey Nurse Shark, Short-fin eel
Place in Sydney: South Head, Sydney Harbour

Picture Book: Kollgul 3.7Mb

Text only: Kollgul 1.1Mb

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   Kuwala’ora: the Koala People

It was a time of great cold, when the snow remained on the ground, food and water were scarceThis was also the time before the D’harawals had learned to carry fire.This story reveals why when the Kuwalas walk upon     the ground, they leave a thumb print, and must never be killed. 

Animal featured: Koala

Picture Book: Kuwala’ora 4.2Mb

Text only: Kuwala’ora 1.1Mb

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Mananga: the Eagle Warrior

‘A very long time ago there lived a great warrior, whose name was Mananga. Mananga was not only strong and brave, he had the ability to see a very long way…’

 

Animal featured: Wedge-tailed eagle

Picture Book: Mananga 9Mb

Text only: Mananga 1.2Mb

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Mararan and Marareen: How the Spiders came to be 

‘Now the time of which we speak, a very long time ago, only good things lived in This Land, and all The Peoples and the birds and animals lived together happily. In those days the Spider Clan was a very large clan, so large that it had two leaders, Mararan and Marareen, twin brother and sister…’ 

 

Animal featured: spiders

Text only: Mararan Marareen 967Kb

Picture Book: Mararan and Marareen 3.3Mb 

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Maridyulu and Gagamari: The Story of the Echidna 

‘…When we see Burragin, the Echidna, wandering through the woodland, we must remember that when we try to create something, we must also make ourselves aware of the consequences. And we must remember, it is not wise to create anything just for the sake of showing others how clever you are.’  

 

Animal featured: short-beaked echidna

Picture Book: Maridyulu and Gagamari 3.3Mb

Text only: Gagamari 1.1Mb

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Menan and Kogi

A story about a leadership dispute and an earthquake.

 

 

Place in Sydney: Menangle

Picture Book: Menan and Kogi 4.2Mb

Text only: Menan Kogi 1.1Mb

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Migadan: The Legend of the Bargo River 

‘All rivers have a spirit living in them, known as the Migadan, the mothers of all the fish which live in their respective rivers. Now, the Migdan is half fish, half woman, and nowadays you would call her a mermaid.’ 

 

Animals featured: fish, mermaid
Place in Sydney: Bargo River

Picture Book: Migadan 2.5Mb

Text only: Migadan 1.1Kb

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Miwa Gawaian and Waratah: How the White Waratah became Red 

‘…those women who bore the name Wurrata were given the duty of attending to the needs of the flower we now know as the White Waratah. ..’ but dramatic events caused the Waratah to bloom red

 

Plant featured: Waratah, Telopea speciosissima
Birds featured: Wedge-tail eagle, honeyeater.

Text only: Miwa Gawaian926Kb

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Mull’goh: The Black Swan

“…A very long time ago, when the Mull’goh clan lived in the lands to the north and to the west of the Yandel’ora, it was very, very cold, and snowed almost every day. Now, the Mull’goh clan were well known for their long, slender necks . . . But there came a time when there were many children born to the Mull’gohs who had white skin…” 

 

Birds featured: Black Swan, Boobook Owl, Pelican
Place in Sydney: Mulgoa

Text only: Mull’goh 1.1Mb

Picture Book: Mull’goh 4.5Mb

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  Murrogan and Oorawong: The Cryptocaryas

Ooorawong and Murrogan are trees that always grow together in the rainforests of the Yandel’ora, so that The People will see them and remember the story of two rainforest lovers.

  Boola Diday Murrawang: The Emu Sisters

“A very long time ago, there were two sisters of the Murrawung clan, and they were known far and wide as the best dancers in the whole land…” This story explains why it is the male emu who raises the children, and why the feathers of the emu are split. And why, when they dance, the D’harawals use the clap sticks and the boomerangs to make music.

 

Animal featured: Emu

Picture Book: Murrawang 2.6Mb

Text only: Murrawang 1Mb

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Pokulbi: The Story of How the Dianella came to be

‘…Murrudoo’win, the Blue Wrens live in prickly bushes, and bring joy and happiness to those who are sad, or who have been cruelly treated. The plant with the blue flowers  and sweet berries is today known as the Dianella.’ 

 

Bird featured: Blue Wren
Plant featured: Dianella

Picture Book: Pokulbi 8.3Mb

Text only: Pokulbi 1.3Mb

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Tahmoor and the Worrondilly: How the Bronze-winged Pigeon Came to be

‘… A long, long time ago, the D’harawal did not have firesticks, and the only fire they had was that given to them by the Spirits of the Lightning. . . the one who was called D’haramuoy, or Tahmoor, as it is said today, was given the duty the see that the D’harawal had fire to keep them warm…’ 

 

Birds featured: Bronze-winged Pigeon, Crested Pigeon
Place in Sydney: Tahmoor

Picture Book: Tahmoor 2.2Mb

Text only: Tahmoor 1.1Mb

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Talara’tingi: How the Flannel Flower Came to be

‘Talara’tingi, the flannel flower, is always the first plant to appear after the ice has melted, and it wears a coat of fur…’

 

Plant featured: flannel flower

Text only: Talara’Tingi 1.2Mb

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Wattun’goori: The Story of the Hairy Men and How the Banksias Came to Be 

‘A very long time ago there lived in This Land two very different kinds of Peoples…’ 

 

Plants featured: Banksia, Kurrijong

Text only: Wattun’goori 922Kb

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 Wiritjiribin, the First Lyrebird

A very long time ago, there was a long drought, and the forest began to die and food became scarce. When the People are trapped by a raging fire it is Wiritjiribin who comes to the rescue … but at what cost?

 

 

Animal featured: Superb Lyrebird

Picture Book: Wiritjiribin 1.5Mb

Text only:  Wiritjiribin 9.9Kb

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How the Wombat lost its tail

‘Once, a long time ago, the wombat had a very long tail.’ This is a story of pride, envy and the healing power of herbs. 

 

 

Animals featured: wombat, skink

Text only: Wombat 1Mb

Picture Book: Wombat 1.6Mb

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Woo’rah: How the Water Rat Came to Be 

A story that explains why the Water Rat, which is really a swimming possum, is the law-keeper of the waters and why the People of the Possum and Water Rat clans always carry fire in their canoes.

 

Animals featured: water rat, possum, Australian seal

Picture Book:  Woo’rah 6Mb

Text only: Woo’rah 1Mb

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Yandel’ora: The Land of Peace Between People