Join Tim the Yowie Man on a trek to Bungendore, where he explores hidden historic artifacts little known to Aussie travelers, including an ancient indigenous axe quarry, now gazetted as an Aboriginal Place, the property Millpost is a must-visit.
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00:00 Just behind this gate on the outskirts of Bungendore lies one of the Canberra
00:04 region's most treasured rural properties. Not only do parts of the original
00:11 homestead still stand but the property that has been in the custodianship of
00:17 David Watson's family for about a hundred years also features precious
00:22 Aboriginal scar trees and a late 1800s lime kiln. However the piece de
00:31 resistance here was only rediscovered about nine years ago and has been
00:37 lauded by archaeologists as one of the most significant finds of its kind in
00:43 the region in the last 30 years. David Watson is about to take me to that site
00:49 and I can't wait. I brought you to an ancient stone axe quarry that was
01:00 rediscovered in 2015 by Dave Johnston Aboriginal archaeologist and I brought
01:08 him here because it was always felt like a special place to me and I often
01:14 wondered whether it was a significant Aboriginal site and sure enough it was
01:19 it was a Dolarite stone axe quarry where indigenous people chipped away and got
01:28 blanks that they then took to the creeks nearby sharpened for three days into an
01:35 axe which they would then use to cut timber to cut bark so it was quite a
01:43 exciting thing. And so until this rediscovery you were you weren't aware
01:48 that you had this ancient stone quarry on the top of a hill on your property?
01:54 No we weren't aware of that but it was always a special place to me felt
02:00 special and to have it confirmed as a significant site was quite exciting and
02:05 gratifying. And so what does it feel like when you're able to bring people here
02:10 and of course with local Aboriginal elders as well to show them this
02:15 location that that's actually on your property? How does that make you
02:18 feel? It's been wonderful it's been gratifying and enriching to be thrown
02:25 into the orbit of the local indigenous community and to have their reaction to
02:30 the site to have their appreciation of us nominating and getting it gazetted as
02:35 an Aboriginal place with their approval. The feedback has been wonderful and we
02:41 have developed strong friendships now with Aunty Matilda and Uncle Wally and
02:49 Dave Johnson the archaeologist and their families so it's been a really exciting
02:56 time for us.
02:59 [MUSIC PLAYING]