Lost Worlds – Aboriginal Australia

One of the greatest farces of Australian History is that commonly the history taught to our children only takes into account the last 200 years or so of cultural development. It is almost as though our centres of Education, chose not to acknowledge that our history is over 50,000 years and more of continual cultural development. Culture is about us all… and the many facets of a land, facets which make the gem, that is Aus’, dance in the light. Our culture, in all its facets, is the longest continuing culture in the world. It is that which is still within our reach to preserve, given the tools available to us… writing and the building of record, this to share down through the ages. It is not only a farce that we ignore what is a real treasure in our own time, but a tragedy that we should be so ignorant.

Research is a large part of my writing, the stories I scribe and the tales I tell. Recently I came across a remarkable Doco’ … Did I mention that I love YouTube as a resource amongst other assets of the Internet… Well I came across a wonderful piece of work and I wanted to share it with you. Its a Doco… largely presenting the culture of Arnhem Land and its a treasure, well worth the hour to watch.

The Ancient Spirits of Australia

Have you ever been making your way through the bush and suddenly had the sense that you are being watched? There is something out there… something unknown… the break of a twig underfoot… someone else’s foot? Yet there is no one there. Do all your instincts scream that you are not alone? Well in Aus’ you usually aren’t.

No… it’s not always the drop-bears, nor the other forest animals. What it is likely to be watching you as you walk through the bush is the little forest spirits known as the Jongorrie. Well known by the tribal people who lived in our bush and forests for tens of thousands of years, the Jongorrie is a rapacious little bugger of indiscriminate appetites. Known to steal food most commonly, he is also not above a few other less desirable habits.

Ghosts, Graves and Spirit Creatures

We have been spending time in and around what is said to be one of the most haunted towns in Australia, Picton. I’m not sure about the town’s reputation, one that dwells in murder, mishap and mystery as I can think of a few other contenders for the ‘haunted’ category but I do love to delve into these things.

The Wealth of a Country – Australia

Camped-up along the Peel River near Nundle, tucked into the hills, is a special delight. For The Man it is the pull of gold, that of wresting the golden flecks and the lucky occasional nugget from the earth. Most people think that this is it… in its entirety; and they couldn’t be more wrong. You aren’t going to get me down there in that cold water puddling. Me… I would rather sit in the sun and entertain myself in other ways.

Travel Aus’ for Just 99c

Available for the greatly reduced price of 99c for a short time are the collated stories of ‘Discovering Australia & Her Lore’ in ebook.

The stories of travelling Aus’ 2013-14 will be available from 20^th April for one week only at this price which is 75% discount. Just follow the links.

The 2015 ebook edition following your adventure through Australia will be available from 19^th May, for one week only at 99c, or available at other times for the normal price of US$3.99.

Full of Australian tales, and the travelling experience of a wandering lifestyle, you can experience the richness of life on the wallaby.

Come join us in an adventure. You will also find a ‘download for free’ ebook reader available at Amazon, for your computer or tablet.
Discover Australia and Her Ancient Lore.

The Lore of the Featherfoot : Lands Edge – The Beginning

Tales of the Featherfoot

Free download is available for five days only from 20th Oct (US) introducing:

Lands Edge, the first book of the New Spirit Children Series.

A novel about a young mans journey into the Australian Lore of the Featherfoot, or Kadaitcha Men. Men of Legend and History.

Explore the world of ancient Australian Legend and Lore in the stories of The Spirit Children. Australian downloads can be made HERE

Follow the journey of the Shaman as they peel back the mysteries of time in an ancient land. It is a world unseen by many, one that lives hidden within our own. Discover the secrets beneath an ancient land and those surviving in a modern world.

From the Author:

“I value your opinion and would love to hear if you have enjoyed the tales. Please consider leaving feedback at the Amazon or Goodreads. I hope you enjoy the journey.”

Don’t have a Kindle?

Download your free e-reader where you see this sign on Amazon. You will find it on the download site.

Find out more about the Author

Camping Bush with the Aussie Jongorrie

Welcome around the Campfire.

Camping bush-side is always a favourite of mine and we recently camped up in one of the many wonderful freecamps organized by the Dept of Forestry in NSW. The one we chose was glorious, well cared for and vast, with a fresh young forest stream nearby and deep holes for swimming amongst the tall timbers all about us.

Freecamping Travelling Stock Routes TSR

The world of Travelling Stock Routes are a gem in our history and heritage. Not always listed in the freecampers bible – Camps Australia Wide -they are truly special places that we should all fight to protect and maintain. They are also an important part of the public free camping network in Australia. I love freecamping in these very special places as they usually provide sure water and when you are on the road full time freecamping, to enjoy the joys of wild places and the natural delights of our country, they truly are a wonderful public resource throughout Australia. You should also remember when camped at these locations that you must leave area’s free for the wildlife and grazing cattle to reach water as this is their primary purpose. Don’t be surprised if the camp site is suddenly overrun with a grazing mob!

These old routes, known today as TSR’s, are those which the cattle drovers once drove their stock along on the way to market regularly and they are still in use today. They were known and celebrated watering and resting places for the stock and they are also a touch of our history active and valued in this present day.

What perhaps many don’t realize though is that they were also often the routes taken by the old traditional Aboriginal tribal groups of another era. Places where a group would rest and enjoy the same things, these which we enjoy today. Places, often of corroboree and initiations too, places of family and gathering in times of drought and trouble.

Aboriginal Lore – The Gooyorn

The Gooyorn is often depicted as a bird, a creature of flight however the form of the Gooyorn is not what is important. What is important is that the Gooyorn are helpers. They are an assistant of the Wandjina and can take a form that best suits their needs.

The Lore of the Wandjina is the Lore in which the Gooyorn exist. It is a Lore as ancient as the land itself and quite possibly the oldest continually existing Lore or Religious following on Earth. It is the beginning in the story of the Dreamtime and as is told, the Wandjina is a creator and giver of fire or light and believed to be the most ancient Creator Spirit of the Dreamtime. The Wandjina are said to have come from the sky and therefore are often identified as the Sky people, however there are those legends which say they emerged from the sea but could this have been the means by which the Creator Spirit arrived into the country of the storyteller in the time of the Dreamtime.

Oldies at Large – Christmas CHEER!!!

It’s the night before Christmas and all through the fight, the kidlets are hiding and waiting to bite… hmm… thats not how it goes!

Chrissy marks the end of the year for me … mainly because by New Years I am over it. The Silly Season is when the pickings on telly become hopeless making it a time when I have come again to realized that it is a good thing that I gave up the telly a while ago.