Close message

Search results

Online

Yulunga: barambah gimbe

Throwing a ball or object high into the air and attempting to catch it was an activity observed in various parts of Australia. This proved to be a particularly popular activity at Barambah (now Cherbourg) after an Aboriginal settlement was established by the Queensland government on the lands of the Wakka Wakka people in ...

Online

Yulunga: puloga

Regular mock combat tournaments took place in the Cardwell and Tully River areas of north Queensland. The Mallanpara people called this a prun. It was essentially an entertainment activity, though the opportunity was taken to settle disputes, real or imaginary. It also gave the men a chance to show off their prowess and ...

Online

Yulunga: woomera

A woomera or throwing stick was used by Aboriginal boys and men in all parts of Australia to propel spears with great force, often over considerable distances. On Dunk Island in Queensland a favourite target for spear-throwing contests was the white ant nests hanging from the gum trees. This is a throwing competition for ...

Online

Yulunga: pukamitjal

A popular ball game of keep-away was played by adults in camps on Mornington Island in northern Australia. Grass and/or leaves were rolled into a ball and bound with hair-string or a piece of fishing net. The adults formed two teams and energetically threw the ball to each other until they tired. This is a keep-away throwing ...

Online

Yulunga: kwatye

Water games and contests were played in all areas of Australia. In some parts of central Australia a frequent expression of ‘opposition’ between the generation groupings in a camp takes the form of light-hearted abuse and spectacular waterthrowing battles. The aim of the activity was to saturate certain kin in the opposite ...

Online

Yulunga: marutchi

Marutchi or black swan was a water game played by the Jagara (or Jagera) people in the Brisbane area. It was often played among inhabitants from different areas. Some of the players were very clever and could avoid being caught. If a player became tired he or she could be replaced by another player. Spectators were not ...

Online

Yulunga: mer kai

This is a version of a game from the Torres Strait Islands, using the thick, oval, deep-red fruit of the kai tree, which is quite light when dry. This is a hand-hitting (volley) game where players attempt to keep the ball in the air for as long as they can. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed ...

Online

Yulunga: noongar wana

The young Noongar girls in the southwest of Western Australia played many skill games. In one of these a short stick was placed on the ground and the other girls attempted to hit the stick while the girl defended it using her wana (digging stick). Different versions of this game have been recorded by observers. Players ...

Online

Yulunga: Garumba

Teams from far and wide gathered at a ‘place of wrestling’ (at Dingulami) in Kabi Kabi territory in south Queensland each year at the time when the bunya nuts were ready. Tingalpa near Brisbane was also a wrestling place. Only one team represented each group attending. Two players came from each totem of a group. Each pair ...

Online

Yulunga: apwerte

Accounts from various parts of Australia outline bowling-type games using rounded stones. A game of rolling stones was played near Warrina in central Australia. Another rolling game was observed being played on a river flat at Goondiwindi in Queensland. Men used to roll the stones as far as they could to show their strength, ...

Online

Yulunga: meetcha kambong

A wrestling game of the Noongar people of the southwest of Western Australia was called meetcha kambong (‘nut game’) or boojur kombang (‘ground game’). In the Swan district it was called boojoor-eleeja. A team beaten at this game might resume the contest in a month or so. A ‘wrestling’ game where attacking players attempt ...

Online

Australia's population: countries of birth - dataset

The dataset provides statistics about the estimated resident population, median age and sex ratio by countries of birth for the latest year of available data. It is periodically updated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The dataset is included in the list of related datasets on the page in MS Excel format.

Online

The First Fleet - dataset collections

The dataset provides information about 780 of the convicts transported to Australia on the First Fleet ships 'Alexander', 'Charlotte', 'Lady Penrhyn', 'Friendship', 'Prince of Wales' and 'Scarborough' in 1788. The dataset includes information on items such as the convict's name, occupation, crime, date of trial and term ...

Online

Yulunga: kami kami

Turlurlu is the name of a traditional ball-rolling and hitting game observed being played by boys in the Great Sandy Desert of central Australia. A rough ball called a kamikami was cut from the thick root of the ngulyungu tree. Each player held a mukurru, or fighting stick, as a bat. The boys formed teams and each side ...

Online

Yulunga: dhandang

Tree-climbing activities and climbing contests were widespread and helped to develop a skill of practical use. There were a variety of methods of climbing trees used in different parts of Australia. Some of these involved the use of vines or notches cut into trees. The Victoria River people in the Northern Territory arranged ...

Online

Yulunga: wittchim

In Victoria, a corroboree game was played by different groups. Depending on the area it was played in it was called tarratt or wittchim. The game consists of stalking a feather, in imitation of hunting an emu. It is recognised that individuals will hunt in different ways. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource ...

Online

Yulunga: jinnee ngaman billee billee dabbulgar

The stunt activity of jinnee ngaman billee billee dabbulgar was observed among the Capel district people of southwest Australia. It was usually only after much practice that this trick was able to be performed. This is a stunt of jumping over a line on the ground. It is suitable as a warm-up or ‘challenge’ activity. The ...

Online

Yulunga: yangamini

The game of ‘holey’ or yangamini is an object-throwing game played by the Tiwi people of Bathurst Island. Other versions of the game are found elsewhere in Australia among Aboriginal people. For example, the children at Maningrida, Arnhem Land, threw small Anadara bivalve shells into a hollow in the sand and applauded the ...

Online

Yulunga: jirrakayi-ku

This rope-skipping game was played by Aboriginal children inhabiting the Riverina area between Victoria and New South Wales. This is a skipping game suitable for a large group of players. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians with a greater understanding and appreciation ...

Online

Yulunga: julba

Skipping with a vine was popular with the Jagara (or Jagera) people of Brisbane and surrounding areas. The game outlined below was based on a 1950s account by an elder named Gaiarbu. To play this skipping game successfully, the players needed to be very active and had to have plenty of practice. This is a skipping game ...