Latest news with #ParadiseFalls
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.'
ABC News
12-05-2025
- ABC News
Police investigate after vandals target Paradise Falls in north-east Victoria
Vandals have damaged a culturally significant waterfall in north-east Victoria, spraying it with graffiti. Paradise Falls in the Alpine National Park is about three and a half hours north of Melbourne. The area, which includes a 31-metre waterfall, sits in the King Valley region and is popular with tourists. But over the weekend, local residents discovered vandals had damaged a rock face with extensive graffiti. Local Indigenous woman Kitty Barnett said Paradise Falls was not only a spiritual place but a beautiful piece of Australia. Ms Barnett said the community was outraged by the incident. "You hope when people visit these areas, they will respect them, and it's just devastating when they destroy places that are significant," she said. Ms Barnet said she was worried about the impact cleaning the graffiti might have on the wall that was already fragile from erosion. "It's likely to damage the wall even further, which I can't even put into words," she said. Ms Barnet said she hoped those responsible would come forward. "I hope they consider what they've done and they own up to it and face whatever consequences are coming to them for it and make it right," she said. "I think the majority of people that come to our area and visit the sites and beautiful places we have to offer here in the north east have that respect. "They may not know the true significance of these places, but they respect them. Victoria Police say they are investigating after being made aware of the graffiti on Sunday. In a statement, police said it was believed the graffiti was on a rock face, which was of cultural significance to Indigenous Australian people. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or have information should call Crime Stoppers.
