The D’harawal calendar• The D’harawal

people lived around where Sydney is now. • Through their traditions and Dreaming the D’harawal people knew the signs to look for in nature that told them the season.

• They believed there were 6 seasons in the year.

Gadalung Marool Months: January - FebruaryWeather: hot and dry

• This is a time when the weetjellan (acacia implexa) blooms and the Burra (kangaroo’s) start having babies.

• Eating kangaroo meat is not allowed and the people eat only fruits and seeds. This was to stop them getting sick, as the meat went off in the hot weather and could give them food poisoning if they ate it.

• When they saw the wheetjellan bloom, the people knew to only light fires in the sandy areas far away from the bushland.

• It was also a time with lots of storms, so it was not a good idea to camp near rivers or creeks.

Bana’murrai’yung Months: March - MayWeather: wet, becoming cooler• This is the time when

the fruit of the lillipilli (syzygium spp) ripen and sound of the marrai’gang (tiger quoll) looks for a mate.

• In the rainforest, the lillipilli fruit ripens and the people eat the fruit as they travel from the mountains to the coast where it is not as cold.

• This a good time to mend or make cloaks to keep warm when it gets even colder• The sounds of the marrai’gang can be heard in the forests as they search for mates. They are usually nocturnal and hidden. The babies live in the mothers pouch and when the weather gets colder, they leave the burrow and learn to hunt birds and lizards.

Tugarah Tuli Months: June - JulyWeather: cold, frosty, short days• This is the time when

burringoa (eucalyptus tereticornis) flowers and the barrugin (echidna) begin their gatherings.

• The barrugin (echidna) usually keep to themselves, but at this time of year can be seen in the daytime. The young puggles (baby echidna) live in insulated burrows until they are ready to forage for food on their own. Echidnas don’t like the heat.

• There is a lot of nectar from all the flowers, and there are a lot of gliders, pygmy possums and flying foxes, lorikeets and honeyeaters around. The people collect nectar and flowers which they store to use when the ceremonies begin.

• They do not eat shellfish until the boo’kerrikin blooms.

Tugarah Gunya’marriMonths: AugustWeather: cold and windy• The time when the

wiritjibin (lyrebird) builds nests, the boo’gul (marsupial mouse) has babies and the marrai’uo (acacia floribunda) flowers.

• When the marrai’uo flowers, it is a sign there are a lot of fish in the rivers. It also means the end of the cold, windy weather and the beginning of the gentle spring rains.

• The people begin their journey to the highlands, along the rivers and build their shelter facing the rising sun.

• The wiritjirbin (lyrebird) builds mounds for nests in sunny spots in the forest. According to the dreamtime, the wiritjirbin taught the D’harawal people to dance.

• The ngoonuni (flying foxes) fly back to the Sydney area and can be seen in the evenings before they fly south to feed.• There are a lot of celebrations and ceremonies at this time of year.• As the weather gets hotter there are lots of blooms which the people eat.

Murrai’yunggorayMonths: September - OctoberWeather: cool, getting warmer

• The time when the ngoonuni (flying foxes) gather and the red flower of the miwa gawaian (telopia peciosissima) can be seen.

• Parra’dowee (the great eel spirit) calls to his children, they move down the river and towards the deep ocean near Fiji and Vanuatu. This is also when the older eels die and their eggs hatch.

• The people do not camp near rivers, as there are thunderstorms and a lot of rain.• When the people see the kai’arrewan (acaia binervia) bloom, it tells them there are a lot of fish in the bays.

Gooray’murraiMonths: November - DecemberWeather: warm and wet

• The time when the parra (freshwater eels) begin to change and the kai’arrewan (acacia binervia) bloom.