Code of Conduct for visits to Dambimangari Country

Mitzy Oobagooma and Robyn Mungulu painting visitors with ceremonial ochre

Dambimangari Traditional Owners have cultural responsibilities across all of their traditional land and sea country. Abiding by this Code of Conduct will help visitors to respect the wishes of Traditional Owners and their country. This Dambimangari website (inclusive of this Code of Conduct) is noted on the Transit Permit issued for access to Aboriginal Reserves in Dambimangari country. Key elements of the Code of Conduct are listed below:

1. Don’t paint (this includes the use of mud) or engrave names or graffiti on rocks, caves or buildings, or create any cairns or similar markers or move any stones or objects.
2. Take active measures to avoid touching or brushing against any rock art. You might need to remove backpacks, bags, tall hats or any solid items such as a camera tripods or walking sticks (unless handheld) before entering a site. Avoid overcrowding at rock art sites to ensure adequate space, and stand at least 1m away from art.
3. Stay away from any burial place (a burial place may be identified by heaped stones, a rock shelter or an enclosed fenced site) and stone arrangement sites.
4. Remove everything you bring to the site and take it with you when you leave Dambimangari country. This includes all human waste which should be bagged and removed when you leave.
5. Do not wash with soaps or detergents in freshwater streams or waterholes.
6. Do not light fires under any circumstances, including those for the preparation of food.
7. Do not move stones.
8. Stay on established trails where they exist and avoid creating new trails when travelling through country, both for better management of country and also to minimise accidents.
9. Use reasonable endeavours (for example checking socks, shoe soles and velcro on backpacks) to ensure that no soil, seeds, plant specimens, animals or pests are transported into Dambimangari country, especially islands.
10. Do not take or collect any plant, animal, soil, geological specimen or artefact from Dambimangari country.
11. Use reasonable endeavours to ensure that no fruit or vegetables with viable seeds are taken onto Dambimangari land areas. (This restriction covers citrus, tomatoes, passion fruit, melons, avocado, berry fruits (blackberry, etc.), nuts in shells, cucumber, capsicum (peppers), and sweet corn. However dried fruit and vegetables, apples, bananas, tinned fruit, processed nuts, carrots, potatoes, radish, beetroot, peeled onion, garlic and tinned vegetables are acceptable to take on land for consumption with any waste being taken away from the site.
12. Report any damage or issues of concern seen on country to DAC as soon as practical.
13. Due to cultural reasons, visits to the important cultural sites of the beach and adjacent area of Yamariymir; Yawunjarla (Myridi Bay beach); Wotjalurn landing area and Mission ruins; Garaan ngarrim; Ngumburi Cave; Wijingarra Bard Bard (Fresh Water Cove); Langgi; Kunrnunya Mission ruins; Min-gunya (Port George IV Mission ruins); Hiro Bay Pearling Camp ruins; Uwins Island; and Banjaddoo (Camp Creek Falls and rock art sites), can only occur when visitors are escorted by a Traditional Owner accredited guide, even when a Dambimangari Visitors Pass and Transit Permit has been issued.