The Gumbaynggirr people have occupied the Mid North Coast from Nambucca to the Clarence River and west to the Great Dividing Range since the Yuludarla or the Dreaming. These boundaries are not lines on a map but they are learned experiences through storylines.
Gumbaynggirr language is part of a living culture, in a place that spans 80km of beaches, headlands, rivers, estuaries, creeks, mountains and flood plains.
The Gumbaynggirr people have a profound connection to their country which is expressed through language and storylines. Language is the fundamental basis of the connection between people and specific places in the landscape, it is the story that holds the meaning of language. It is story that embodies the connection between people and places. (Singing the Coast, Tony Perkins and Margaret Somerville, 2010).
Walking tracks are dynamic living trails and networks that represent the intimate connection between people and place. All walking trails intersect with storylines of other walking trails and these intersections mark places of powerful spiritual significance.
The Gumbaynggirr people were traditionally known as the ‘sharing people’ because their land was so rich that food and other resources were commonly shared with other nations. As a visitor to Gumbaynggirr County, we encourage you to share in their love of story, knowledge, land and waters of the Coffs Coast – connect deeply, tread lightly and discover this special ‘place of plenty’.
