Would you like to discover a secret? Press the Boomerang on the right hand corner of the page to go on a journey back in time!

To unlock the secret first you must answer a puzzle to understand the journey. Your teacher will give you Handout 1 puzzle. Once everyone has done this and it is all correct, your teacher can then press the key to unlock the secret. Good Luck!

Congratulations! You did it! Hello. My name is Ben Gilbert and I have a secret place to tell you about. It’s called Gummingurru and you will soon take a trip there yourselves! Click on the golden boomerang on each page to take the next step in the journey

I used to live here and one day noticed some strange stone formations on the land where I worked. My friend Bunda told me more about the stones. To meet Bunda click on the blue boomerang. Hello Everyone, I am an Aboriginal person from the Jarowair people. My ancestors and I have been on many journeys around the Gummingurru area over many years and the stones are drawings of animals that my ancestors did.

I am Ben’s friend and used to know his great, great grandfather. This is how Ben can tell you all of the stories of what life used to be like for the Jarowair people. Gummingurru is an ancient men’s only initiation site where young boys were taught about growing up and taking responsibility for their land. They were told what Yurees (or Yuris) they were during this ceremony. They kept this with them for life. Click on the golden boomerang to learn from Ben about Yurees.

Caring for the land, the sea, and freshwater habitats and their resources is very important to Aboriginal people. 'Yurees' are given to Aboriginal people at different times in their lives to help them with caring for their country. A yuree is a plant or animal that must be managed and kept safe by a particular person or group of people. If you had a particular fish as a yuree, for example, it would be your responsibility to care for that fish and its habitat. You could not eat that fish as it is your brother. It would be your job to give permission to others to catch and eat that fish, only if the fish population and its habitat were healthy. To see what some of the Yurees at Gummingurru look like, click on each of the coloured pictures of Bunda below Emu Turtle Carpet Snake Owl Fish

Your teacher will now give you Handout 2. You must follow the instructions on creating your own Yuree based on your favourite animal. Once everyone has done this, your teacher can then press the key to unlock the next step in the Gummingurru journey. Good Luck!

Congratulations! You did it! Bunda told you that he had been on many journeys in this area. This is because many of these archaeological sites around Gummingurru were all used on a journey to get to the Bunya Mountains so that the Jarowair people could celebrate. This journey happened every three years and lots of Aboriginal people would meet together and would paint their bodies, dance, sing and tell stories to each other. Their final destination would be a great feast at the Bunya Mountains where they would eat lots of Bunya Nuts. Click on the green boomerang to see a map of the journey from their home places to the Bunya Mountains great feasting place. Follow the footprints to see their journey. They had so much fun on the way and many ceremonies. You can see their destination is the Bunya Mountains great feast.

What a long journey for them! Sounds like fun doesn’t it? Think of the things they may have used on their journey. What would they need? Food? Entertainment? Paints? Friends and family? Now think of a journey that you have taken. Do you go on long trips away? Who would go with you and what would you need to take with you? Now click on Bunda 5 times only and he will show you 5 things the Jarowair people had with them Bunya nuts for food Ochre paint that they got from the ground Spears used for hunting food Boomerangs used for hunting Family and friends to share song & dance with

To go ahead you must complete Handout 3. This will be given to you by your teacher. Think about a journey you have been on and list all of the things that are important to take with you. Have you been on a holiday that you can share with the class? Once this handout is complete your teacher may unlock the key.

Congratulations! You did it! This has been a great adventure about some of our past Australian history. Have you enjoyed learning about Aboriginal people at Gummingurru? Keep thinking about the past. It is so exciting learning about how Australia’s landscape was used in the past and by who? I think that Bunda wants to tell you some more exciting news. Click on the Blue boomerang to see. Goodbye from me! I come with great news! For completing all of the challenges correctly along the journey, you have been awarded a Grade 4 CLASS YUREE!!! CLICK ON THE KEY TO UNLOCK YOUR AWARD!

Congratulations Grade 4 Class!! Your Yuree is a TURTLE……. Maybe you could draw this Yuree and put it up in your classroom? How would you care for your Yuree?