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Burrunggui (sometimes spelled Burrunguy, previously called Nourlangie Rock) is located in an outlying sandstone formation of the Arnhem Land Escarpment within the Kakadu National Park which is in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the traditional Country of the Gun-djeihmi speaking people and according to Traditional Owners, was shaped by Ancestral beings in the creation period of the Dreaming. It was included on the World Heritage Register. Kakadu National Park is included on UNESCO the World Heritage List due to its exceptional natural and cultural values.

Europeans were first in the area of Nourlangie Rock in about 1845, after Ludwig Leichhardt’s explorations passed through the area. By the 1880s, European buffalo and buffalo shooters had moved into the area, and local Traditional Owners joined their shooting parties. Traditional owners told the buffalo shooters about the Dreaming stories at Burrungui and the many names of all the natural features of the landscapes. Chaloupka argues that the Europeans couldn’t remember all of the names, and called the area ‘Nourlangie’, a confused pronunciation of the name of the area generally called ‘Nawulandja’.

There are a number of shelters in amongst this large outcrop. The shelters contain amazing paintings that represent the Aboriginal Dreaming, with depictions of Namandi spirits, both male and female figures and one with six fingers on each hand. Many paintings in the Burrungui area also depict European items and introduced animals. Pigments are mostly of yellow, white and red ochre, with red ochre being used as a chalk to draw on the rock surface in some places. Early art at the site is evidenced in handprints on the rock in red pigment, or gars being flung on the rock. The paintings at Burrungui are in the Mimi and x-ray style, with Mimi being older and representative of Dreaming Ancestral beings. There are even depictions of Thylacines (Tasmanian Tigers), known to have been extinct in the area for at least 3,500 years. Superimpositioning of many animals such as kangaroos layered over one another, assist in the establishment of a temporal sequence at the site, however there appears to still be much research and work needed at the site for this to occur.

The rock art faces many threats to its survival, including tourists and destruction from natural processes such as ant trail that go across the older panels at Burrungui, water damage and wasp nesting. Interpretive signage is present at the art sites to assist visitors in understanding these rock art treasures and the importance of their preservation.

The Anbangbang Shelter drawings are some of the most famous in the National Park. One of the intricate paintings in Anbangbang shelter was created by Najombolmi, a renowned artist of the Bardmardi clan, who painted the images with his friends in the 1963-64 wet season. Najombolmi lived between 1895 and 1967 and is thought to have created around 604 paintings at 46 sites in Arnhem Land. Najomboli was also known as ‘Barramundi Charlie’ by some.

X-ray paintings are naturalistic depictions of animals that show the internal organs and other anatomical features, which were mostly painted by Aboriginal people in red and white ochre. One such painting created by Najombolmi depicts anthropomorphic figures of Ancestral beings such as Namarrgon (lightning man), painted in the x-ray style using European blue, that Chaloupka said came from the blue pigment put in washing by Europeans as a toner to keep clothes white. Paintings and rock art such as this among the only rock art that provides absolute dating of when it was produced, as rock art is notoriously difficult to date.

Anbangbang was excavated by archaeologists in 1981 and was found to have first been occupied more than 6000 years ago, with some occasional use being up to 20,000 years ago and with intensification of site use occurring between 800 and 1200 years ago when the nearby lagoon was fully formed

Najombolmi also painted at Nangawulurr Shelter (formerly spelled Nangaloar). It is located on the northern side of Burrungui (Nourlangie Rock). Nangawulurr shelter features many styles of Aboriginal rock art that appear in other sites around the region in one area. It includes hand prints, Mimi figures in ceremonial dress, Ancestral beings, x-ray animals and dolphin-like creatures depicted in red ochre. It also features a white depiction of a two-masted sailing ship with an anchor and dingy, which may relate to the early European buffalo shooters in the area). Unfortunately due to the fame of the site for its amazing rock art, in the early 1970s tourists came and destroyed some features and even stole Aboriginal Ancestral Remains from the site.

Anbangbang Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong lies in the shadow of Nourlangie Rock within Kakadu National Park and is a good place to view a wide range of wildlife. Large numbers of water fowl and wading birds inhabit the billabong and many wallabies can be found grazing around the water’s edge. There is a walking trail around the circumference of Anbangbang billabong with many picnic areas. The Anbangbang Billabong is overlooked by the Nawurlandja and Nourlangie plateaus. In the wet season, it is fed by runoff from these plateaus, as well as overflow from Nourlangie Creek, however during the dry season it is cut off.

Like much of Kakadu, Anbangbang Billabong is home to a particularly large variety of bird life. The fluctuating water levels draw waterfowl such as Magpie Geese, Pelicans, Darters, Spoonbills and Brolga. Other fauna known to frequent the billabong include Wallabies, File Snakes, Long-necked Turtles, Dingoes and Goannas.

Mangroves lining the billabong support populations of Freshwater mussel. Adjacent woodlands play host to a different ecosystem again. The nearby Nawurlandja plateau supports local populations of Short-eared rock-wallaby and Chestnut-quilled rock pigeon, among other species.

The swelling billabong promotes seasonal growth of Sedges, Grasses and Water Lilies, and Freshwater mangrove line the water's edge. Swamp areas support many types of paperbark, in particular the Weeping paperbark, Silver-leaved paperbark and Broad-leaved paperbark.

The woodlands surrounding the billabong are a lush habitat comprising an abundance of plant species. Darwin woollybutt and Darwin Stringybark dominate, with large populations of Fan palms, Kapok, Red Apples, Wattle and Pandanus.

Like much of Kakadu, the Anbangbang Billabong region's climate is monsoonal. The region's aboriginal owners recognize six seasons, however these can be reduced to vastly differing dry and wet seasons where the billabong is respectively depleted and replenished.

I’m happy to see you again by Henri DUBUC

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DreamUp IA Creation

That's the backyard branch and wood art piece that David North built with all his social distancing-created free time. by Ron Frazier

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Isles of Aura: 'Shrooms! by -LittleJohn

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I realized recently that it has been far too long since I’ve done a build for the Isles of Aura.

I also have been wanting to get to the tree tutorial that I promised for the trees in my Allanar Forest

build. So I decided to hit two birds with one stone, and make an IoA build with the tree on it. Keep your eyes out for the tutorial which will be coming later this week!

Dear Journal,

I took advantage of the pleasant weather today to explore among some smaller islands not far from home. While I have been to all of them before, you never know what sorts of new plants or animals one might find. My trip was rewarded with the discovery of some nicely ripened mushrooms – dinner will have an extra treat tonight!

~Little John

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