Harding Dam

This was a sacred and significant traditional site to the Ngarluma tribe that lived around this area. Before the damming of the Ngurin (Harding River), the river played a vital role to the daily life of the Ngarluma people. Bungarliyarra (two sisters) which is traditional known to all of Roebourne area people. It was a permanent pool at the foot of the dark rocky hills where the river cuts through the main pool known as “Lockyers Gorge”. This is surrounded by three out stations; Cooya Pooya, Old Woodbrooke and Andover stations. It was a main picnic, camping, swimming and fishing area. It is also a culturally significant to the Aboriginal people of this area. It had a rainmaking site carved on the site of the rocks. It was also a pathway for Aboriginal people to travel down to Woodbrooke station and Roebourne town. There was a ration camp situated north-west side of the dam. Now it is all gone, submerged underwater, due to the building of the Harding Dam. The significance of the Bungarliyarra Pool will always be in the hearts of the traditional elders of that Country. We cannot bring it back to its being, but we pass on history to the younger generation. We have lost what we had, but we kept the name of Bungarliyarra after naming the dam lake ‘Bungarliyarra’. Where the reservoir is now. During the cyclone season, if the big rains come, the Harding dam overflows and comes down to fill the river that is usually dry. What a sight to see, the town comes alive as the water fills the river. The whole community gathers at the river as it passes through the town of Roebourne and heads towards the sea. We do miss our river, that was lost, when the dam was built!.