Burrill Lake Ramble

Thursday 2 November 2017

Photos by Amanda, Carol and Denise

Our Burrill Lake 14 km bushwalk led by Stan and Mary M is one of the most scenic along our coast. In the morning we enjoyed lake, and later on, beach and ocean views. But what made this walk different to most bushwalks was the new track recently made by the indigenous custodians of Burrill Lake.

It is easily accessed by car to several points along the track on the west side of Princes Highway. Beautiful and informative signage at these points gave us all a greater appreciation of the way of life of the Dhurga speaking people who belonged to the Budawang and Murramarang groups. Tribal elder Owen Carriage supplied detailed knowledge about how a canoe was made from stringbark with clay on the floor where a fire could be lit to cook fish, eels or prawns. Men used spears and  women used line and hook from the shore to catch sea food.

The rock shelter or bimbala meaning cockle shell had been occupied for 20,000 years and archaeologists have found stone tools pre-dating more recent types of tools. When the sea rose 5,000 years ago the people retreated inland and occupied this huge rock shelter.

Ainslie M