Biamanga National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Biamanga National Park New South Wales
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Mumbulla Mountain from the Princes Highway, Australia
Biamanga National Park Location in New South Wales
Nearest town or city	Bega
Established	1994
Area	137.49 km2 (53.1 sq mi)
Managing authorities	NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
Website	Biamanga National Park
See also	Protected areas of New South Wales

Biamanga National Park is a special protected area in New South Wales, Australia. It's about 408 kilometres (253 miles) south of Sydney and 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Bega. This park is very important for birds, especially for swift parrots. It's part of a larger area called the Ulladulla to Merimbula Important Bird Area.

The park gets its name from a respected Yuin elder named Biamanga, also known as "King Jack Mumbulla". The famous Mumbulla Mountain is also named after him. This mountain is a very important Aboriginal site for the Yuin people. It's a big landmark you can see from all over the Bega Valley, which is also known as Biamanga. The park was created in 1994 and made bigger in 1997. Today, it covers 13,617 hectares (33,650 acres). The traditional owners see it as part of a single cultural landscape with Gulaga National Park. It also has cultural links to other important places like Umbarra (Merriman Island), Barunguba (Montague Island), and Dithol (Pigeon House Mountain). In November 2021, Mumbulla Mountain was given the dual name of Biamanga.

Geology of Biamanga National Park

Mumbulla Mountain is actually what's left of a very old shield volcano. If you look closely along Mumbulla Creek, you can see granite rock formations and large boulders. These rocks tell a story of the mountain's ancient past.

History of Biamanga National Park

The land where Biamanga National Park is located has been home to the Yuin people for thousands of years. They are one of Australia's many Aboriginal peoples.

20th Century History

For a long time, there was a lot of logging (cutting down trees) in this area. This continued until the 1970s. In 1967, some rocks on the mountain were even blasted with dynamite. This was done to build a television transmitter tower for WIN-4, to improve TV reception.

However, local people were worried about the destruction of the forest. In 1977, the NSW Government set up a committee to look into the woodchipping industry. In the same year, Guboo Ted Thomas, a respected Yuin elder, led a protest against the logging on Mumbulla Mountain. Because of these concerns, on 15 July 1980, the New South Wales Government declared about 7,540 hectares (18,630 acres) of the area an "Aboriginal place". It was also called a "Protected Archaeological Area" under a special law called the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

Finally, Biamanga National Park was officially created in 1994. It was made even larger in 1997 to protect more of this important land.

21st Century History

Even after the park was created, there were still some protests against logging activities in 2010. This shows how important the area is to many people. A big change happened on 30 November 2021. Mumbulla Mountain was officially given a dual name, becoming known as Biamanga. This recognizes its deep Aboriginal significance.

What Biamanga National Park is Like

The park covers a large area of 13,617 hectares (33,650 acres). The traditional owners (the Yuin people) believe it's part of a "single cultural landscape" that includes Gulaga National Park. This means they see these areas as connected and important together.

Plants and Animals

Biamanga National Park is home to many interesting plants and animals. Along the creeks, you can find tall monkey gums and ribbon gum trees. The park is also a special place for a rare plant called chef's cap correa. This plant is an endangered species, meaning it's at risk of disappearing forever.

As mentioned, the park is part of the Ulladulla to Merimbula Important Bird Area. This is because it's a vital place for swift parrots. You can also spot beautiful Azure kingfishers and lively superb fairywrens throughout the park.

How Biamanga National Park is Managed

Since 2006, Biamanga National Park has been managed in a special way. It's jointly managed by the traditional owners (the Yuin people) and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

The traditional owners are represented by two groups called Local Aboriginal Land Councils: the Merrimans and Bega LALCs. These groups actually own the title to the land. They then lease it back to the New South Wales Government to be used as a national park. This way, the traditional owners have a strong say in how their ancestral lands are cared for.

Aboriginal Importance and Sites

Mumbulla Mountain and the areas around it have very important cultural links to other significant places. These include Umbarra (Merriman Island), Barunguba (Montague Island), and Dithol (Pigeon House Mountain). The mountain is especially important to the people of Wallaga Lake.

The park contains many important Aboriginal sites. Biamanga, also known as Mumbulla Mountain, is part of a large ceremonial and cultural pathway along the South Coast of New South Wales. This pathway includes other Aboriginal sacred sites that are very important to the Yuin peoples.

The mountain was named after the Yuin leader King Jack Mumbulla, whose traditional name was Biamanga. King Jack would spend time on the highest peak of the mountain, connecting with the spirits of his ancestors. From there, he would send smoke signals for his people to see. Initiation ceremonies were held by Yuin people at different spots on the mountain. The last one recorded there was in 1918. The mountain has been described as a "men's law mountain," meaning it's a place where important cultural laws and traditions for men were taught and practiced.

In the 1960s, researchers like linguist Luise Hercus and musician and linguist Janet Mathews found independent proof that the site was sacred. Their findings were made public in the late 1970s. Even earlier, in 1883, an ethnologist named Alfred William Howitt wrote notes about attending a Yuin initiation ceremony there.

The Biamanga protest site is also very important, not just for the Yuin people but for all Indigenous Australians. It represents the long struggle for land rights and Aboriginal self-determination in Australia.

See also

• Protected areas of New South Wales