Cultural connections between young country town residents and Aboriginal elders have brought an outback trail to life in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges.

Key points:

  • A former coal town is being revitalised as a nature tourism destination
  • Funding enabled cultural signage to be erected along a walking trail
  • Local students worked with Indigenous elders to create the displays

Signs telling walkers about the Indigenous culture along the trail have been installed, thanks to a community effort.

One of the people involved in the project was Tarquin Strangways, who recently graduated from Leigh Creek Area School, where he developed the new trail signs in Adnyamathanha and English as part of his SACE criteria.

Through the process, he worked with Adnyamathanha elders, including Noel Wilton.

“I really enjoyed learning more through writing the signs about my language and culture and I really love sharing that with other people,” Mr Strangways said.

“I’m very happy that there are signs up that people can learn more about my country and my language.”

Tarquin Strangways (left) consulted with elders such as Noel Wilton to develop the trail signage.(Supplied: Rosalie Richards)

Old track ‘could have been in England’

Grant funding was secured to install the signs at the new Akurra Trail to Aroona Dam, which used to supply water to the former coal town of Leigh Creek.

Rosalie Richards, Adnyamathanha language coordinator at Leigh Creek School and member of the Leigh Creek Community Progress Association, worked to secure a $10,000 grant from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal.

Many rest stops and picnic sites line the 10.5km trail.(Supplied: Tracy Neldner)

“We really wanted to have the Indigenous heritage of the town, community and country recognised and an important way to do that was to include the Adnyamathanha names of places, plants and animals,” she said.

“But also to acknowledge that this is a really important site for the creation story of the landscape.”

Adnyamathanha people tell a story about the giant snake Akurra, who emerged from Arrunha Awl (the Aroona Dam) and carved the landscape of the ranges.

“When people walk along the trail, they’re actually following the pathway of Akurra and so of course it just made sense to include the story in both Adnyamathanha and English,” Ms Richards said.

“The old trail was on the other side of the dam and you could have been in England, there was no mention of the Indigenous culture and stories tied to the land, no mention of the Muda [cultural story].

“It was really sad that there was none of that, but then Heather had the idea of using the new track.”

Heather Hage lived in Leigh Creek for 30 years, raising her family there.

“We lived on the west of the town and it was lovely to walk round the back to Aroona Dam,” she said.

Heather Hage, Noel Wilton and Rosalie Richards at the opening of the trail.(Supplied: Tracy Neldner)

“You follow the smaller hills until you go through the larger ones to the back of the dam. It’s beautiful.

“The Adnyamathanha elders walked with us to make sure everything was fine and it wasn’t interfering with any cultural sites, everyone was really happy with it.

“It does take a couple of hours but there are seats so you don’t have to rush.”

Benefits of reconciliation

Leigh Creek has had a tough few years after the closure of coal mining operations in 2015 resulted in the town’s population more than halving.

Tarquin says he is happy visitors to the trail will learn about his country and heritage.(Supplied: Rosalie Richards)

Ms Richards said it meant exercise and community connections through sport were no longer possible.

“So it’s important to have places where everyone can do healthy activities,” she said.

“Everyone has been working together on this … it’s a real community collaboration.

“We see it as a real project of reconciliation, recognition and tremendous benefit for us and also people coming in to learn about our magnificent scenery and country.”

Ms Hage made the recent decision to leave Leigh Creek to be closer to her family, but said she looked forward to returning.

“It was a hard decision to leave but I know I’ll be going back there,” she said.

“It’s a great spot for a few days off and everyone is finding that out now it seems.”