For over 60,000 years this land has supported one of the world’s longest, unbroken human occupations, resulting in an immensely deep cultural knowledge and connection to the land. It is the traditional land of the Wadandi (Saltwater) people.
The Wadandi have lived here through the last ice age. They have adapted and survived through tens of thousands of years through an intrinsic knowledge of how to care for, and benefit from, the abundance of this island refugium. This land has changed in many ways during this long history. Yet, today, it remains a place of immense significance and of rich biodiversity. These significant coastal areas are important to the local Wadandi people and their connection to land and sea through songs, stories, spirituality and Dreaming.
Before you arrive, listen to this podcast about Margaret River’s Sense of Place. Get to know Margaret River’s arresting natural environment through an Aboriginal cultural custodian, Zac Webb, who explains human’s sense of connection to the land.
To learn more about Wadandi culture visit Undalup.com. On Country, you can take a guided cultural tour with Koomal Dreaming and learn about the Wadandi people’s fascinating culture and incredible knowledge of their environment – taste native foods, discover bush medicine and meet the animals, plants and Dreaming spirits that have enriched the lives of the Wadandi people since time began.