15 Jul 2023

Witnessing the wonderful Wandjina of Bigge Island

Disembarking Heritage Adventurer we boarded our Zodiacs under the Kimberley sun and made our way to Bigge Island for our first sacred Indigenous Australian Rock Art visit to discover the incredible Wandjina outdoor gallery. The artistic depictions of these sacred creation spirits, unique and resting on stone walls all over the Kimberley, captivated us with their large black eyes and powerfully decorative designs. There were symbols of fertility and rain, and they were enthralling to see knowing this Wandjina style of art dates back some 4500 years. With our skin kissed by the Kimberley sun, we visited Careening Bay after lunch to see for ourselves a living National Heritage listed Mermaid Boab Tree, which bears the name of the HMC Mermaid which was famously carved into it while the ship was beached there undergoing emergency repairs during Philip Parker King's third voyage of discovery of the region in 1820. Now measuring some 3 metres wide, the tree offered a glimpse into Australian colonial history alongside the ancient rock art observed earlier today.

Image (c) by: C.Finch