"Wood Wood River Mural" 2.5mt x 1.5mt
Aboriginal Dreamtime Creation Story of the Murray River is about a Murray cod, the Waddi Waddi people (local aboriginal) call him
Otjout. Otjout digged his way through the Mallee dirt escaping from Totyerguil (local name for the hunter). As Otjout channelled his
way forward he created the navigation of the Murray River all the way to South Australia where Totyerguil lost Otjout in a large water
hole.
Each time Totyerguil caught up with Otjout he threw a spear at him; this created the spines of the Murray cod. Each night Totyerguil
would place his paddle and canoe in the river bank, they created the Murray Pine and River Red Gums. They are also the very trees still used to make paddles (Murray Pine) and canoes (River Red Gums).
Totyerguils’ boomerang is also pictured in the night sky.
The indigenous people fished and hunted on the river, amongst fish and other animals they caught Murray Cray and Long Neck
Turtle. Women wove fishing nets from reeds and reeds were used as spears.
The Murray River and Red Gum Forests host many animals including water birds and the rare Bush Stone Curlew.
The Local residents of Wood Wood are proud of their settler history. Pictured here are; The Wine Shades (aprox 1900’s), General
Store (aprox 1970), Church (aprox 1950), School House (aprox 1933).
The Murray River has a long romantic history with Paddle Steamers; Wood Wood is no different, being a hustling town in its time. Today the town is a quiet, beautiful place to live. Tourist camp in the forests and fishing is popular. Reminders of indigenous
habitation are in the form of middens and canoe trees.
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