Koonadan Historic Site facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Koonadan Historic Site New South Wales
Koonadan Historic Site Location in New South Wales
Nearest town or city	Leeton
Established	November 1983 (1983-11)
Area	0.22 km2 (0.1 sq mi)
Managing authorities	NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
Website	Koonadan Historic Site

Koonadan Historic Site is a very important place for the Wiradjuri people, who are the traditional owners of this land. It is located about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) northwest of Leeton in New South Wales, Australia. This site is special because it was once a ceremonial and burial ground for the Wiradjuri community. Today, it is a protected area known as an Aboriginal Place. You can visit a picnic area there with signs that share the site's history and feature beautiful artwork by local Aboriginal people.

A Special Place for the Wiradjuri People

Before European settlers arrived in Australia, the Koonadan area was a lively place for the Wiradjuri people. The land here, especially a sand dune called a lunette, was perfect for hunting and fishing. This was because it was right next to a large wetland called Tuckerbil Swamp.

Traditional Life and Changes

The Wiradjuri people used the Koonadan area for many important activities. They had a special ceremonial ground, called a bora ground, located between the dune and the swamp. Sadly, over time, changes in how the land was used have erased the signs of this bora ground.

In the late 1800s, many Wiradjuri people were forced to leave their homes in the Koonadan area. They were moved to places called missions and Aboriginal reserves, like Warangesda and Euabalong. They could not return to their traditional lands for many years.

Returning Home

Between the mid-1920s and the 1950s, many of these missions and reserves slowly closed down. This allowed the Wiradjuri people to gradually return to their homelands. Many settled in nearby towns like Leeton and Narrandera.

After the 1950s, the Koonadan site changed again. Trees were cut down, and Tuckerbil Swamp was drained. These changes greatly reduced the natural food sources that the Wiradjuri people had relied on for generations.

Protecting the Site

In the early 1980s, sand was being dug up from the Koonadan dune. During this work, human bones were found. These bones belonged to two different people. The local Aboriginal community respectfully reburied these remains.

However, sand mining started again. This led to strong protests from the local Wiradjuri community, who even blocked access to the site. Their actions helped stop the sand mining at Koonadan.

A Protected Future

Because of these protests, an agreement was made between the landowner and the New South Wales government. The southern part of the Koonadan dune was bought by the government. In November 1983, this land was officially declared an 'Aboriginal place' under the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act. This means it is now protected and recognized for its great cultural importance to the Wiradjuri people.