Acknowledgement of Country

The world's oldest, continuous culture

Aboriginal language groups of southern Australia. This cycle tour from east to west will pass through the country of many different Aboriginal cultures.

Australia is home to the world’s oldest, living, continuous cultures.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people have been living in Australia for at least 65,000 years. They have many rich and diverse cultures with several hundred different language groups across the entire continent.

Flags of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people. Each colour symbolises specific cultural connections.

European arrival (variously described as an invasion or settlement) in the late 1700s resulted in massive disruption to Aboriginal and Torres Strait people, their complex traditional culture and their land. For the past 240 years they have been hit hard by the headwinds of change.

Disease, massacres, land theft, child theft and systemic legal and social discrimination have caused immense suffering and displacement. The inter-generational affects of these forces continue today. Despite this major setback, Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples not only survived, and are still on and strongly connected to their country throughout Australia. Indigenous Cultures. They are again thriving in many different ways across the nation despite still pushing hard against the headwinds of racism, prejudice and discrimination.

Aboriginal contemporary and historical culture is a defining and distinctive part of modern Australia. I am privileged to have many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander friends, colleagues and relatives. Truly amazing people.

More about Australian Aboriginal culture

This cycle-tour will cross the traditional land of many Aboriginal groups. They've cared for the land, and the land has cared for its people for at least 2,500 generations.

The map below shows the different Aboriginal language groups between Canberra and Perth. The ride will begin on Ngunawal country where I live now in Canberra, then to Wiradjuri lands and eventually through about 18 other Aboriginal regions to Perth.

Before beginning this ride I would like to acknowledge, recognise and respect that I will be travelling on land which has been under the care of living and past Aboriginal people for many, many generations.

I'd also encourage readers to find out more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait people, their wonderful culture and immensely long history in this continent. I'd highly recommend the books Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe, and also Deep Time Dreaming by Billy Griffiths.

From little things big things can grow.

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