In June we visited Woolloolni Woolloolni Aboriginal Place in
Basket Swamp National Park and walked to an outcrop of huge granite boulders –
a sacred site. This experience taught me a number of lessons about broadening my
view.
It is worth seeking directions
We had visited this National Park last year, but failed to
locate this Aboriginal Place, based on our limited directions. However this
time we visited the Tenterfield Visitor’s Information Centre beforehand, and found an information
sheet that both enriched our experience and led us to our destination.
Life is like this too – sometimes we can get away with
flying blind, but often having more information can broaden both our viewpoints
and our life experiences.
Look up, not just down
We followed an overgrown track to a granite outcrop, which
we were unable to see through the dense forest from the carpark, and whilst concentrating
on searching for the walking track. The track required careful placement of our
feet, and we were unable to see the outcrop until we were nearly upon it. Ferns and other native vegetation brushed our legs as we walked.. However, after we had
bush-bashed our way back to the car park, I looked back over towards the outcrop
and could now see it through the trees as I looked up.
And I realised that we can miss things on our life journeys
if we only look down, seeking the track or the next place to step. Lifting our
gaze can also change our mood.
Enjoy the richness of complexities
The sacred site was a large balancing rock dominating the outcrop,
and this had been given different names by European and Aboriginal peoples.
Hewitt, when exploring in 1840/41, had simply named it Wellington’s Lookout because
he thought that it resembled the hat worn by Wellington at the Battle of
Waterloo (a quick European interpretation and naming).
By contrast the Aboriginal people have woven much more
complicated and meaningful legends around it, which relate to its formation and
significance to the landscape. Their creation story believes that Woollool
Woollool (a Wuyangali, or “clever man”) had exclusive rights to this rock, a
centre of spiritual power, but when he died his spirit returned to this place
and caused a rock on top of the present balancing rock to fall off. This
indicated that his spirit had returned, and it would now be safe for anyone to
approach the site. (Reference: Tenterfield and District Visitor’s Association
Information Sheet: Woollool Woolloolni).
Seeking deeper meanings can also broaden our perspectives.
Look from a different perspective
On our way out of this area, we detoured up Timbarra Trig
Road, parked on the edge of a hill, and walked a short distance up to another
outcrop of granite, where we scrambled between boulders and onto rock platforms
for extensive views over Tenterfield and the ranges beyond. To the east we
could clearly see the Woollool Woolloolni outcrop, rising above the skirt of
its vegetation.
Sometimes in life too, it is helpful to move away from closeness
to issues and challenges and view them from a distance and/ or see them in their
broader surroundings.
Remember: If you don't like where you are, just picture where you want to be. (From "Touched by an Angel TV series).
