CLOSE to 100 people attended the launch of John Blay’s book, ‘On Track: Searching out the Bundian Way’ on Saturday, with a queue of people snaking across the Delegate School of Arts to have their copies signed.
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Discussions on the old trails, yamfields, Man from Snowy River scenes, and hunting and gathering featured, while the NSW government was slammed for its failure to properly assist development of the Bundian Way across the Monaro.
The official proceedings began with Chair of the Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council, BJ Cruse welcoming the audience to Country and describing how the Aboriginal people of the region kept their stories of the old pathways.
He also welcomed the decade-long collaboration with John Blay that resulted in the establishment of the Bundian Way and its listing as an item of NSW heritage.
The chair of the Delegate Progress Association, Ian Sellers invited the audience to inspect the stunning art exhibition on show at the nearby Bundian Way Gallery, praising how the overall Bundian Way project shines a spotlight on Delegate.
Bombala Council Mayor, Bob Stewart also expressed his strong enthusiasm for the Bundian Way, and read from the book’s cover a quote about reconciliation from Mick Gooda.
Mark McKenna, Professor of History at the University of Sydney, was invited to officially launch the book, describing John Blay as a discoverer.
“He is always learning,” Mr McKenna said. “His book is the product of a lifetime’s reading, talking and walking that reads effortlessly.”
He added that, “John has an eye for the lie of the land, what he calls ‘the logic of the landscape’ of the Bundian Way, as it moves from the Monaro to the sea, from the alpine meadows to the montane forests, across treeless plains to the wild coastal ranges, and finally to the coastline, near Eden.
“John’s search for the Bundian Way is not a search for paths that are exclusively Aboriginal today. He sees the evidence of tracks used in the past by explorers, surveyors, and settlers with their stock. He is actually looking for what had already become a shared track from soon after the British arrived - ancient ways that meet and diverge and meet again.
“We have to remember too, that On Track is not a guide-book to walking the Bundian Way. I like to think of it as an illumination of our entire region through the Bundian Way.
“The Bundian Way was forgotten in the way that we once forgot so much of our Aboriginal history and culture but now, thanks to John, Ossie and BJ, the Eden Aboriginal Land Council and the Aboriginal people of the SE, it has been remembered and celebrated and this is just the beginning.”
John himself also addressed the crowd, “I’m very happy with the way the book is being received. It seems like a strong, enthusiastic word of mouth has begun,” he said.
“‘Especially as this is a very unusual way to tell the history. The book has a total focus on our region, and yet it also appears to symbolise what happened through so many other parts of Australia.”
Blay described how “the Bundian Way is now taking on a life of its own. It has meaning as much for the Aboriginal community as it does for the overall regional and Australian community”, and went on to say how the book is only one aspect of the Bundian Way, a substantial Aboriginal community effort over very many years.
He outlined how work is progressing well along the Bundian Way pathways and that the Twofold Bay sections might be opened later this year or early next. The Bundian Way will have to open in stages, with the major difficulty being resourcing.
Greater assistance from the state government will be required if the 390km length is to be opened in the near future. Its route will become public infrastructure and promises to become an important international tourism drawcard for the region, not only for walkers, but also for those interested such as artists, students and retirees.
John also pointed out that a drive-yourself tour of a section from Delegate is being proposed, which should prove a solid drawcard to the area.
Back to Saturday’s event, many who visited the book launch also went on to enjoy the remarkable exhibition at the Bundian Way Aboriginal Art Gallery, ‘Walbunja Custodians & Moodjis: paintings and prints from Aboriginal artists of the Eurobodalla’.
This was a fitting conclusion to the launch of ‘On Track: Searching out the Bundian Way’, which Mark Mckenna described as “a gift to all of us - Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal”.
Copies of the book are on sale at the Bundian Way Aboriginal Art Gallery from the DPA, at the Bombala Newsagency or on-line at www.netspeed.com.au/seforests/books.htm