Howitt Park

Brabawooloong Country

When the Golden Wattles bloom.

The Park is located beside the Princes Highway at the eastern end of Bairnsdale, across the Mitchell River. It has a range of facilities for the motoring traveller.

When the golden wattles were in bloom it told the people that it was time to harvest the eels which were plentiful and fat at that time of year. Some of the women put finishing touches on baskets woven from cumbungi reeds. These were used for collecting fruit, roots and mussels. The baskets were very durable and could last for up to one hundred years. On a small rise overlooking Wahyand (Mitchell River) the men made a canoe. The 4m long scar made when the bark was peeled away can still be seen on the tree in Howitt Park. It is believed that this tree is approximately 170 years old.

The scarred tree at Howitt Park is a canoe tree and is protected under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. The stand out features are the height and size of the scar on the tree.

Brabawooloong is one of the five clans of the Gunaikurnai. Brabawooloong occupied the Bairnsdale to Lakes Entrance area with Tatungooloong, then from Bairnsdale up to the Great Dividing Range.

Maps

Bataluk Cultural Trail
Clan areas on the Bataluk Cultural Trail
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Contact

Krowathunkooloong Keeping Place
Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative
37 - 53 Dalmahoy Street
Bairnsdale
Tel: (03) 5152 1891

Visitor Information Centres Orbost  (03) 5154 2424
Lakes Entrance  (03) 5155 1966
Bairnsdale  (03) 5152 3444
Maffra  (03) 5141 1811
Sale  1800 677 520

Sites

  1. white woman's waterhole
    won wron state reserve
  2. the lagoon
    sale common state game reserve
  3. the knob reserve
    stratford
  4. ramahyuck cemetery
    perry bridge
  5. den of nargun
    mitchell river national park
  6. krowathunkooloong keeping place
    bairnsdale
  7. howitt park
    bairnsdale
  8. legend rock
    metung
  9. buchan caves
    buchan
  10. burnt bridge reserve
    lake tyers forest park
  11. salmon rock and gunai boardwalk
    cape conran

 

Please treat all sites along the trail with respect and care to ensure they are preserved for future generations.