Latest news with #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe
SBS Australia
14-05-2025
- SBS Australia
A sacred Bpangerang women's site has been vandalised
A sacred Aboriginal site in north-east Victoria has been defaced with spray paint, prompting outrage and sadness from Traditional Custodians and local community advocates. The site, located at Paradise Falls in the King Valley — a culturally significant women's place for the Bpangerang people — was vandalised over the weekend. Graffiti was discovered on rocks within the sacred area, sparking calls for accountability and greater protection of Aboriginal heritage sites. The advocacy group Always Was, Always Will Be Bpangerang Country shared images of the damage on social media, condemning the act and urging those responsible to return and clean the site. 'This is a place of deep spiritual importance, and what's happened here is not just disrespectful — it's a violation of culture,' the group wrote. 'We're calling on the individuals who did this to come forward and take responsibility.' Paradise Falls is located around 305 kilometres from Melbourne. The waterfall, which drops over a layered rock formation, has long been a place of connection and ceremony for Bpangerang women. Authorities were notified of the incident by Parks Victoria. Victoria Police have confirmed they are investigating and have appealed for public assistance. 'The affected rock face is known to hold cultural value to local Indigenous communities,' a police spokesperson said. 'At this stage, there is no indication the act was targeted, but inquiries are ongoing.' Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Sacred Aboriginal site defaced with graffiti - sparking a manhunt for the 'entitled' vandals in outback town
A sacred Indigenous site symbolic of a special meeting place for women has been defaced, sparking a manhunt in Victoria's King Valley. The rock face is part of a 31metre-high waterfall at Paradise Falls, located about 300km northeast of Melbourne in Victoria's alpine region. Police were alerted to the incident on Monday and have launched an investigation. Photos of the graffiti were shared by advocacy group Always Was, Always Will Be, Bpangerang Country alongside a strongly-worded statement. 'Some absolutely thoughtless, knuckle-dragging, entitled grubs decided Paradise Falls in the King Valley was the appropriate place to leave their amateur and unremarkable tag,' the post read. 'Paradise Falls is a sacred women's place and much loved by all that visit. If you know who this tag belongs to, let them know they need to return and clean up their mess. 'They've got some nasty, nasty juju coming their way for this disrespectful vandalism. Ancestors know who they are, ain't no hiding from what's coming.' The group's Facebook page states that it campaigns for 'Bpangerang tribal lands [to be] re-instated on the Indigenous Map of Australia and corrected signage throughout North East Victorian National Parks.' The post was met with severe backlash. 'Abhorrent behavior destructive disrespectful, this scared place has been here for thousands of years the people who desecrated it will be gone in a whisper of time,' one person wrote. 'This makes me so so angry. Why? Why would someone do this? Need to do more than just clean it up. Absolutely disrespectful' another said. Victoria Police confirmed the investigation is ongoing in a statement. 'At this stage of the investigation, it is not believed that the incident is targeted,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday. Paradise Falls is a popular tourist spot, and is part of the Falls Walking Track, a 7km return trip that leads hikers up to McMillan's Track Lookout. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Always Was, Always Will Be, Bpangerang Country for further comment.
News.com.au
12-05-2025
- News.com.au
Sacred Aboriginal rocks in Victoria's alpine region have been graffitied by vandals
Vandals have graffitied sacred Aboriginal rocks at Paradise Falls in Victoria's Alpine region over the weekend. Local Aboriginal advocacy group Always Was, Always Will Be Bpangerang Country shared an image of the vandalism to their social media page asking for the offenders to return and remove the 'disrespectful vandalism.' 'Some absolutely thoughtless, knuckledragging, entitled grubs decided Paradise Falls in the King Valley was the appropriate place to leave their amateur and unremarkable tag,' a spokesman said on their Facebook page. 'Paradise Falls is a sacred women's place and much loved by all that visit. 'If you know who this tag belongs to let them know they need to return and clean up their mess.' Paradise Falls is a 31m waterfall that pours over a conglomerate rock formation located about 305km northeast of Melbourne in Victoria's King Valley. Police were notified about the graffiti at the Chestnut National Park by Parks Victoria on Monday and are now investigating. 'It is believed the graffiti is on a rock face which is of cultural significance to Indigenous Australian people,' a police spokesman said. 'At this stage of the investigation, it is not believed that the incident is targeted.'
