Byrocks Sacred Site: A Testament to the Resilience of Aboriginal Culture
Channel: The Holiday Hunter
Date: 10/05/2023

Byrock Rock Holes holds a significant place in the Dreaming stories of the Ngemba people, particularly in relation to Baiame, the creator, and Wawai, the rainbow serpent. This site is where cultural stories and lore are passed down from generation to generation, and it was also a former camp occupied by Aboriginal people from the late 1880s to the early 1900s.

The importance of Byrock Rock Holes to the Ngemba people cannot be overstated. It is the site of their creation story, where Baiame created the animals of the area and then the Ngemba people. Without the rock holes, there would be no Ngemba people. This makes it a sacred and revered place for the local Aboriginal community.

The rock holes are also an integral part of the Wawai story, which describes the creation of water sources across Ngemba Country. Wawai created water holes across the Cobar Peneplain by going underground and coming up through the ground to create a water supply. At Byrock, Wawai emerged through the rock holes and filled them with water. Learning the story of Wawai's travels and the waterholes he created was crucial to the survival of the Ngemba people in the stone country. They had to recognize Wawai's tracks so they could find water. The chain of waterholes that led from Gundabooka to Byrock was used until the early twentieth century.

Byrock Rock Holes has always been a place where stories, such as those of Baiame and Wawai, have been taught. According to Paul Gordon, this is because the place is like a miniature map of Ngemba Country. It shows the creation of the whole Country and was a teaching place for children.

The association of Byrock Rock Holes with Dreaming stories and the permanent water source made it an important traditional meeting place for the Ngemba people.

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