The Milawa / Dhungala

Wiradjuri^†

The Wiradjuri nation is one of the largest Aboriginal groups in New South Wales, traditionally stretching across a vast area of NSW plains to the west of the Blue Mountains, from north of Dubbo at Nyngan to the west at Hay, south down to Albury, back up past Young and Cowra to the east of Bathurst at Lithgow.

On the Murray, their lands stretch from the foothills of the tablelands around Tooma on the northern NSW side of the Indi down to past Tocumwal into the eastern sections of the Milawa forest.

• Wiradjuri traveled into Alpine areas in the summer to feast on Bogong moths.
• Their diet included yabbies and fish such as Murray cod from the rivers, and they lived off the land in the dry seasons.
• They were renowned for their possum-skin cloaks.

Note that I have included the Jeithi people in this section, who originally resided along the northern banks of the Murray downstream of about Howlong, according to Tindale.

There appear to be dual claims over the southern boundary, with the Yorta Yorta claiming much of the Murray Valley on the northern side.

Country	Wiradjuri 127,000 sq km; Jeithi 13,000 sq km
Waters	Murray, Macquarie, Lachlan, Murrumbidjeri
Urban Areas	Albury, Howlong, Mulwala, Corowa, Barooga, Tocumwal, Hay, Narrandera, Carrathool, Wagga Wagga, Gundagai, Tumut, Cowra, Forbes, Condobolin, Booligal, Bathurst, Wellington, Dubbo, Nynganm, Lithgow, Griffith, Oberon, Young, Tumbarumba, Mossgiel, Cootamundra, Trundle, Boorowa, Rylstone, Parkes, Orange, Carcoar
Language	Wiradhuric   >   Wiradjuri
Synonyms	Wiradhuri, Wiraduri, Wiradjeri, Wiradhari, Wirraidyuri, Wiratheri, Wirashuri, Werogery, Woradjera, Wordjerg, Wira-Athorree, Wirajeree, Wirraiyarrai, Wirracharee, plus many more.

Waywurru

The Waywurru nation is to the south on the Victorian side. The exact location appears to be a bit unclear, but it is believed to extend from about Wodonga down to the Kiewa River.

• The Waywurru had strong social and kinship connections with surrounding groups.
• They would travel to the alpine regions of the Wolgalu and Yaitmathang for the summer gathering season.
• Split into Minjambuta and Taungurong by Tindale.

Wangaratta appears to be on the boundary of Yorta Yorta and Waywurru lands.

Country	Minjambuta 6,200 sq km; Taungurong 6,800 sq km
Waters	Murray, Ovens, Kiewa, King rivers
Urban Areas	Wodonga, Wangaratta, Glenrowan, Beechworth
Language
Synonyms	Waveroo, Pallanganmiddang (clan), Tareremittung (clan)

Yorta Yorta

According to Tindale (1974), the Yorta Yorta (Jotijota^†) nation was fairly minor and extended across both sides of the Murray, including most of the Barmah-Milawa forests, including Barham and the upper Edwards down to Deniliquin.

Today, the Yorta Yorta territory is much larger, with the YYNAC saying "both sides of the Murray River roughly from Cohuna to Albury / Wodonga. They include towns such as Echuca, Shepparton, Benalla, Corowa, and Wangaratta and extend northwards to just south of Deniliquin."

This increases the territory from 3,100 sq km (Tindale, 1974) to 20,000 sq km (YYNAC, 2024). Part of this reason is the unification of many of the tribes and clans that include the Bangerang, Kailtheban, Wollithiga, Moira, Ulupna, Kwat Kwat, Yalaba Yalaba, and Ngurai-illiam-wurrung people. Some of these were treated as separate groups in Tindale.

• Ngurai-illam Wurrung (Ngurraiillam) covers the lower Goulburn area between the Campaspe and Goulburn rivers, including Echuca and Shepparton.
• Bangerang (Pangerang) includes Wangaratta.
• Kwat Kwat (Quart-Quart) that covers much of the Murray upstream to almost Wodonga.

In Tindale, Moira was mentioned as a place name, Wollithiga (Woollathura) a horde name, and Yabula Yabula (Jabulajabula) as an alternative name for Pangerang. The Kailtheban clan was from the south side of the Goulburn, extending from Tongala to Toolamba, with their name coming from the Goulburn, (Kaiela), meaning the 'people of the Kaiela' (Arcadia). Finally, Dulinyagan (Dhulanyagen) clan from Ulupna Island, or just Ulupna clan. This is likely Tindale's Toolinyagan clan.

In a similar story sadly told up and down the Murray and across the nation, the majority of the population was reduced from 5-6,000 down to around 750. Many of those that survived were moved to the Maloga Mission along with people from surrounding tribes in 1874 before being relocated to Cummeragunja Mission 14 years later. This likely strengthened the ties between the eight clans that make up the Yorta Yorta nation today. In 1984, the title deeds for Cummeragunja were handed back to the Yorta Yorta people.

• The Yorta Yorta were a river-based people, the rivers, lagoons, and wetlands provided the majority of their food.
• They were one of the first nations to lodge a Native title claim; however, this failed.
• In response to the failed claim, the Victorian government signed a historic cooperative management agreement that granted co-management of public lands, including Barmah State Park, Barmah State Forest, Kow Swamp, and public land along the Murray and Goulburn rivers.

Country	20,000 sq km
Waters	Murray, Edwards, Campaspe, Goulburn, Ovens, Gunbower
Urban Areas	Cohuna, Echuca, Barmah, Picnic Point, Mathoura, Tocumwal, Cobram, Barooga, Yarrawonga, Mulwala, Bundalong, Corowa, Wahgunyah, Howlong, Barooga, Shepparton, Benalla, Corowa and Wangaratta, Benalla, Violet Town, Murchisonm, Kyabram, Strathallan, Torrumbarry, Gunbower, Cohuna (on boundary)
Formal Recognition	Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation (YYNAC)
Language	Pama-Nyungan   >   Yotayotic   >   Yotayota
Synonyms	Bangerang, Pangerang, Kailtheban, Wollithiga, Woollathura, Moira, Kwat Kwat, Quart-Quart, Yalaba Yalaba, Jabulajabula, Ngurai-illiam-wurrung, Ngurraiillam, Ulupna, Dulinyagan, Dhulanyagen, Toolinyagan