Carisbrook stone arrangement facts for kids

The Carisbrook stone arrangement is an ancient Aboriginal site in Victoria, Australia. It is a special collection of stones arranged in a unique pattern. This arrangement is about 60 meters long and 5 meters wide. It's one of only four stone arrangements like it in Victoria. What makes it extra special is its boomerang-like shape. You can find it near the town of Carisbrook, next to Tullaroop Creek. People first officially studied this site in the 1980s. They learned it was an important place for Aboriginal ceremonies. The site also has stone circles and a pile of stones called a cairn.

What is the Carisbrook Stone Arrangement?

The Carisbrook site has a large double arc made of boulders. It also includes a cairn, which is a pile of stones, and several smaller stone circles. Many people think the arc shape looks like a boomerang. However, its curve is very smooth, and its sides are parallel. This is a bit different from the usual shape of a boomerang.

What Does the Arrangement Mean?

Scientists and historians have different ideas about what the stone arrangement means. Some believe the arc shape might represent the Milky Way galaxy. They think the cairn could be a bright star like Sirius. The two stone circles might represent the Magellanic Clouds, which are small galaxies visible from Earth. The ends of the arc point towards the main compass directions (north, south, east, west). Some experts also think it might have been a special place for male initiation ceremonies. This idea comes from comparing it to similar sites in New South Wales.

Who Built the Carisbrook Stone Arrangement?

This amazing stone arrangement is located on the traditional lands of the Wurn balug clan. They are part of the Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal people. These people have lived in this area for thousands of years.

Protecting the Carisbrook Site

The Carisbrook stone arrangement was rediscovered in 1963. After that, people became very interested in understanding and protecting it. At first, it was protected by the Archaeological Relics Office. In 1975, the Victorian government bought the land. They made it a Declared Archaeological Area. This meant it was officially protected by law.

Later, in the late 1980s, Aboriginal Affairs Victoria bought the land along the river. In 1997, the Indigenous Land Council bought the rest of the farm. They then gave the land to the Ballarat Aboriginal Co-op. This group now acts as the guardians of this important historical site.