The oldest continuing culture on Earth, a legacy of resilience, knowledge and connection.
The landscape before you is more than just earth and water. It carries within it the spirit of the Traditional owners and cultural custodians whose connection to Lutruwita /Trowunna Tasmania spans thousands of generations.
The Mersey Valley is home to the punnilerpanner people of Panatana (Port Sorell), whose stories and traditions are intricately woven into the land.
For over 40,000 years, they lived on and cared for this country.
This coastal region, abundant in birdlife, plant foods, and weaving materials, was a gathering place for many groups. In early spring, the banks of the Mersey River came alive as they harvested swan and duck eggs, drawing from the land’s abundance in a delicate balance of respect and sustenance.
The Story of the first people resonate deeply, woven into every hill and river, every tree and stone. Their enduring connection to the land is a testament to resilience and relationship, reminding us of the profound ties to Country that have sustained generations.
These connections continue to inspire, calling us to honour and care for this place with the same reverence.
We acknowledge with deep respect all the palawa peoples – original owners and cultural custodians – of Lutruwita/Trowunna Tasmania, upon whose Country we are based.
We pay respect to Elders past and present.
We recognise that palawa people belong to the oldest continuing culture on earth.
Sunset image curtesy of Tiagarra.
To connect with this legacy, visit Tiagarra Tasmanian Cultural Centre at Mersey Bluff, Australia’s oldest Aboriginal-operated cultural centre where the stories of this land and its people are safeguarded, reminding us of a bond that time cannot break.
Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation are the custodians of this region, we are centred at the paranaple – the mouth of the Mersey River, one of the six mighty rivers that nurture our country.
We acknowledge that we live on the ancient lands of the Punnilerpanner nation who did not survive colonisation.
We acknowledge the palawa and pakana people as the traditional and ongoing custodians of this land lutruwita / trowunna and pay our deepest respects to elders, past and present.
