Parks Week provided a refreshing day in the bush near Woomargama

Media release: 26 March 2015

Close to 100 people came together this month to celebrate Parks Week in the Blue Metal Travelling Stock Reserve near Woomargama National Park.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Aboriginal Discovery Rangers Shane Herrington and Talea Bulger offered hands on lessons in local Aboriginal culture and shared insights about Aboriginal uses of the area.

More than 70 locals participated, as well as NPWS volunteers and staff, and members of groups including the Nature Conservation Trust and Landcare.

Participants of all ages gathered materials like stringy bark from the bush then made string and rope. People also learned how to find and fashion stone tools like axes, and about the many uses for these implements.

Mr Herrington said participants went home inspired and refreshed from a day in the bush.

“One keen young learner took his partially-finished axe home and continued working on it all weekend we are told,” Mr Herrington said.

“This is very rewarding because it means the activities capture young people’s imagination.

“If they go on playing or working with those ideas after the event, like this young boy has, it really helps connect them to culture as something that is living and ongoing. That is great.”

The day concluded with a lunch in the bush followed by short information sessions presented by Judy Kirk from the Woomargama National Park Volunteer Group, Kylie Durant from Holbrook Landcare, and others about ongoing conservation programs in the area and how people can participate.

During Parks Week the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service encouraged people to participate in cultural and nature based activities and events. At all times but especially in this week, NPWS encouraged people to learn about and celebrate the commitment of national parks, other protected area managers and local communities to protect important landscape, native habitat and cultural sites across NSW.

Photos for news media:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nswnationalparks/sets/72157651561764641/

Contact: Lucy Morrell