Aboriginal Connections
Introduction | Special Dates | Centenary of Federation
Colourful Characters | Iga Warta | Connecting the Kids

Long before either the Overland Telegraph or Federation, Australia was connected by Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal culture is the oldest living culture in the world and has existed for more than 50,000 years.

Australian Aboriginal groups had their own sovereignty, languages, customs, communications and trade systems. Indeed many of these aspects of Aboriginal life continue to exist and thrive within the federated nation of Australia.

Systems of communications between Aboriginal language groups included message sticks, smoke signals, territory markings and messengers.

The Overland Telegraph traversed the continent from south to north, through the arid centre of Australia, but Central Australia was far from the 'dead heart' described by European explorers and settlers.

It was populated by Aboriginal groups who communicated with each other and connected the lands through ceremonies, dreaming stories and trade routes. Aboriginal groups have been travelling the Overland Telegraph route since long before the telegraph was invented. The Overland Telegraph was constructed along one of the most important ochre trade routes in Australia. Aboriginal groups from most parts of Australia have been trading high-grade red ochre from the north of South Australia to the farthest reaches of the country for many thousands of years. The ochre is still used today for traditional ceremonies.

The route chosen for the Overland Telegraph was one of the same routes used for the ochre trade - both routes relied on the availability of water in the mound springs and creeks of this arid landscape.

The huge ochre pit at Lyndhurst can be visited by non-indigenous Australians and by tourists.