Baga regains its ancient name

A small national park, which includes a volcanic plug north-east of Rockhampton, has officially regained its original name Baga, replacing a deeply offensive name connected to segregation laws in the US.

Member for Keppel Brittany Lauga said the name change was a long time coming and she had fought beside the Darumbal People to have the park returned to its traditional name.

“The mountain and the park have been known as Baga for 60 000 years and its only been for the last 150 years that it had been called anything else,” Ms Lauga said.

“The gazetting of the park today is a significant step forward for the Darumbal People and for the entire region.

“We don’t know exactly how the mountain got its name 150 years ago, but we do know that that name has caused a lot of hurt in the local community and it is pleasing to see it returned to its traditional name.”

Minister for Environment Leeanne Enoch welcomed the official name change for the national park and acknowledged the significance of this to the Darumbal People.

“It’s important that we acknowledge the connection to country of First Nations people in Queensland and understand that returning national parks to their traditional names is an important step in showing respect,” Minister Enoch said.

“I look forward to working in partnership to pursue further opportunities to recognise traditional names for our National Parks.” 

The area between Rockhampton and Yeppoon is geologically important with about 12 volcanic plugs. Baga and Gai-i are part of the same Dreaming legend.

The 144 hectare Baga National Park is undeveloped, with no formed walking tracks and no facilities. For safety reasons, QPWS discourages climbing up the rocky scree slopes and cliffs. Camping is not permitted.

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Background:

Baga National Park became a national park in 1977.

Baga is pronounced Ba-ga.

The nearby peak Gai-i is pronounced Guy-ee.

The park is 29 km north-east of Rockhampton, about halfway along the Rockhampton – Yeppoon Road.

The park protects the impressive Baga, a prominent feature towering over the landscape.

The mountain is a 221 m high trachyte plug - an internal remnant of a long extinct volcano. It was formed over 70 million years ago when basaltic lava solidified under a volcano. Over time, erosion has worn away the volcano's upper parts, leaving behind the resistant trachyte as a rugged peak. Baga is part of a group of about 12 volcanic plugs in the area, known collectively as the Mount Hedlow trachyte. These plugs are unique as they are the only trachyte plugs in Australia to support hoop pine communities.

The 144 ha park's south-west boundary adjoins Hedlow Creek which has several permanent lagoons covered with waterlilies. These lagoons provide the best opportunity to see much of the park's wildlife. At dusk noisy friarbirds, striated pardalotes, rainbow lorikeets and Lewin's honeyeaters can be seen drinking.

The mountain holds particular significance to the Darumbal Aboriginal people—a Dreaming legend tells the story of the creation of Baga and Gai-i by the Rainbow Serpent:

Long ago there was a young woman and a young man who fell deeply in love with each other. They wanted to marry but because of the very strict lores regarding marriages, knew they could not. Still they could not help themselves and continued to see each other.

Because the Darumbal totem kinship is as strong as their blood kinship, the relationship these two young people had could be punishable by death. The relationship was forbidden  because each of them had a totem that belonged to the water, and culturally they were too closely related to marry, so the Elders told them that it must end.

But the Elders, having pity and not wanting to harm either of these two young people, decided that one of them would be sent far away to live with relatives that belonged to a different group and country.

On hearing this, the young couple vowed they would not be parted, so they ran away together, disrespecting the lores, the Elders and the creator of all the water in the land, the Munda-Gadda (Rainbow Serpent). The young couple set off on their journey to flee Darumbal country, but they did not get far before the Munda-Gadda came between them, pushing them apart and creating the two mountains, Baga (the young man) and Gai-i (the young woman).

The terrible punishment that the two young people would have to endure forever more was to always be able to see each other, but never again be able to touch each other.

(Story supplied by Darumbal Elder Nicky Hatfield)

Baga National Park also has a unique history of human use and exploitation. The park was once used for stone quarrying and was also a storage area for United States Army supplies during World War II.

As required, the Queensland Government carried out public submission processes on the proposed change of the place name and the park name.