Aborigines have occupied the land on the Dampier Peninsula in excess of 27,000 years. Until European settlement in the area, Aboriginal family groups camped throughout the Peninsula on a semi-nomadic basis. The abundance of shell middens suggests a largely coastal lifestyle of fishing, hunting and gathering and fishing.
The area surrounding Eco Beach is Yawuru Aboriginal land. The traditional name for the land is Yardoogarra. Frank Sebastian (Gudjai), Susan Edgar (Mujudi), and Neil McKenzie are custodians and spokespeople for Yardoogarra.
Welcome to Yawuru Land
A message from the Traditional Owners of Yardoogarra (Eco Beach).
Ngaji gurrjin Yardoogarra buru – Hello everybody, welcome to Yardoogarra. We would like to share our cultural experiences and our land with you, as part of our journey together. As you move through this land, allow your body to relax, and tune into nature. Stop often. Look wide – listen, smell, have a feel of the rocks and shells. Let your senses come to life, and appreciate the environment. Our heritage and culture is deeply linked to the entire environment and the natural resources that sustain us – plants, animals, landscapes, waterholes and the sea. By respecting the environment, you are respecting our culture. Galiya (see you soon)!