Indigenous Knowledge and Education Proofreading Service

Gubur Dhaura is a red ochre ground or site that is located in Gungahlin district in Australia. This site covers an area of about six hectares and is surrounded by various mountain ranges in the Gungahlin basin. This site sits on a ridgeline identified by a Red Hill which is in a north-south direction and covering about 1.4 km and 30 above the surrounding areas (Gubur Dhaura - Canberra Tracks 2018).

Figure 1 Map of Gubur Dhaura Ochre Quarry

(Australian Capital Territory 2011)

Language Group and Place Name Meaning

The word Gubur Dhaura is a word from Ngthe unnatural language of the Ngunnawal people which can be translated to ‘red ochre ground’ in English (Canberra CityNews 2018). Some of the minerals or the geological feature in the site include the gold, iron ore and kaolin also known as the pipe clay.

Important Features in the Site

Some of the important points or places in the site include the, entrance, the hill top and the mine site, (Geocaching 2018).

The Hill Top

Some of the beautiful/important places include the hill top which provides a view Gungahlin in all directions. The hill top was always used by the aboriginal people as their camping site as they moved through the vast place for their cultural activities or ceremonies. The hill top is composed of a lot of rocks which were normally ground for use during the cultural ceremonies both as paint and artwork by the aboriginal people. Also, there has been indications that stone tools were made at this point of the site

Figure 2 The Hill Top (Pinterest 2018)

The Mine Site

Another important point in the site is the mine site which displays a view of various artefacts and coloured rocks which are actually the iron ores. The connection between the corporate culture of the aboriginal people and the European occupation and settlements of the place is portrayed by this point of the site. Artefacts such as such as the ancient plough discs which were used for digging are displayed as seen in the picture.

Figure 3 The Mine Site (Pinterest 2018)

Rationalefor Site Selection

The main reason for choosing this site for investigation is that it strongly associated with a special group of people, who are the Aboriginal people of Canberra and its reflection of the cultural phase of both local and the national history of Australia at large. Also, Gubur Dhaura provides an opportunity for understanding the evolution process of natural landscapes such as the geological features like the iron stones and the landform transformations (Australian Capital Territory 2011).

Also, a visit to the site for the purpose of investigation not only provides an opportunity to attainment of educational knowledge but also provides a recreation opportunity as there is a lot of joy in viewing of beautiful scenery of red-yellow soils including the iron stones, artefacts as well as the interaction with the local people around the site. This provides a sense of belonging as one gets to view and understand the history of the community.

Cultural and Historical Significance of the Site

The rich heritage importance of Gubur Dhaura can be looked at in terms of its benefits to both the indigenous Aboriginal people and the European settlers who are believed to have settled there about twenty thousand years ago. It is believed that the main reason for inhabitance of these groups to this place is geological features of Gubur Dhaura is which includes the availability large amounts of ochre and kaolin. The availability of the minerals consequently presented them with an opportunity for various resource acquisition through mining activities (Coffey Environments Pty Ltd. 2010).

There is sufficient archaeological evidence that the Aboriginal people carried out mining activities at this place. The mining activities of the ochre and kaolin formed part and parcel of their culture and traditions and the availability of the minerals in large amounts greatly enhanced these cultural practices and traditions among the people. Also, the various artefacts such as the plough discs provides evidence that large scale extraction and processing of ochre had been taking place at this site. Notably, there features can only be seen at this place and nowhere else in the Gungahlin region, therefore this place remains to be very important to the aboriginal people.

This place also plays an important role in reminding the Aboriginal people of their ancient times such as their past ways of life and their cultural practices. This site contains various features that provide physical portrayal of their past ways of life and settlement patterns such as the camp sites, ochre processing and the lithic technologies presented by the availability of stone tools in the site (Chirp Internet 2018).

It is also important to note that there was some colonial European settlements in Gungahlin. This can indicated by the availability of availability of the Red Hill ridgeline and the traces of past excavations which could have been for the search of mineral ores of iron, gold and even the extraction of pipe clay which was mainly used by the colonials for the manufacture of Canberra brickworks and chimney whitewash. Also, the construction of Well stations road and the pattern of land divisions and changes in land forms along the ridgeline provides evidence of the presence of European settlements among the Aboriginal people in the place and prospecting and extraction of minerals (ACT Heritage Council 2002).

References

1. ACT Heritage Council. 2002. Australian Capital Territory, Proposed entry into an interim heritage places register for: Gungaderra Homestead Precinct. Lyneham. ACT.
2. Geocaching. 2018. Gubur Dhaura - Red Ochre Ground (Multi-cache) in Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Available at: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC61V88_gubur-dhaura-red-ochre-ground?guid=fe425b40-9538-4e8e-8e1e-e6339439b7cc. [Accessed 26 September 2018].
3. Australian Capital Territory 2011. Heritage (Decision about Registration for Gubur Dhaura - Aboriginal Ochre Quarry and Historic Mining Area).Available at: https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/271558/2801.pdf
4. Coffey Environments Pty Ltd. 2010. Phase 2 Environmental Analysis Site Assessment, Gubur Dhaura (Red Hill) Area, Franklin Estate Development. Gungahlin, ACT. Report prepared for the Land Development Agency.
5. Gubur Dhaura - Canberra Tracks. 2018. Gubur Dhaura - Canberra Tracks.Available at: http://www.canberratracks.act.gov.au/heritage-trails/track-5-gungahlin/gubur-dhaura. [Accessed 26 September 2018].
6. Chirp Internet. 2018. Rediscovering Ginninderra: Gubur Dhaura (Aboriginal Ochre Quarry and Historic Mining Area) | Hall School Museum and Heritage Centre. Available at: http://museum.hall.act.au/display/1939/place/2719/gubur-dhaura-aboriginal-ochre-quarry-historic.html. [Accessed 26 September 2018].
7. Canberra CityNews. 2018. Reconciliation tree planting at Gungahlin’s Gubur Dhaura.Available at: http://citynews.com.au/2015/reconciliation-tree-planting-at-gungahlins-gubur-dhaura/ [Accessed 26 Sep. 2018].
8. Pinterest. 2018. 29 best Ngunnawal country images on Pinterest | Management, Aboriginal history and Babies.Available at: https://www.pinterest.com/vivianharris45/ngunnawal-country/. [Accessed 26 September 2018].