Boonalla Aboriginal Area joint management program

Boonalla Aboriginal Area is a sacred place on the traditional Country of the Gamilaroi Aboriginal People (sometimes written as Gamilaraay, Gomeroi or Kamilaroi).

The area covers 2300ha near Gunnedah and protects more than 100 recorded Aboriginal sites. Boonalla is a place where all people can come together to learn, rediscover and reflect. The Gamilaroi People want to share this special place, their stories, their ancestors and their culture with everyone.

Joint management

Since 2009, Boonalla Aboriginal Area has been jointly managed by NPWS and the Boonalla Aboriginal Area Joint Management Committee under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). One of the committee’s first decisions was to rename the park ‘Boonalla’. This is the Gamilaroi name for the Tulcumba Mountain Range where the reserve is located.

The committee is made up of Aboriginal community representatives who hold knowledge of local culture and Country and have strong ties to Boonalla’s Aboriginal community. The park’s plan of management solidifies the importance of working together to continue to protect Boonalla’s cultural sites, native flora and threatened species. It also encourages the use of the area for educational purposes.

Program highlights

Over 100 Aboriginal sites have been uncovered and recorded, including artefact scatters, scarred trees, stone arrangements, a stone axe, and wild resources such as bush tucker plants.

In 2010 and 2012, archaeological digs at Boonalla Cave unearthed a rich discovery of artefacts. Animal bones and charcoal findings provide evidence of Aboriginal occupation of the area for over 4000 years.

At Boonalla, NPWS and the Aboriginal community are working together to interpret, protect and preserve culturally significant sites more effectively. The committee also uses both NPWS management and Indigenous knowledge to protect and preserve 15 threatened animal species and 2 threatened vegetation communities in the park.

Joint management provides opportunities for Aboriginal people to sustain and strengthen their connection to Country.

Learn more and plan your visit to Boonalla Aboriginal Area.