Eastern Maar Sea Country extends from Moggs Creek to Yambuk and beyond the ocean’s horizon. While much this area is under the sea today, Maar have occupied it for thousands of years. Rising sea levels have not washed away our connections. Abundant middens on the coastline tell a rich story of our past. Sea Country is central to our Dreaming.
The ocean nourished Maar Ancestors and we rely on it today. Across Sea Country we carry responsibility for protecting resources, animals, songlines, sacred sites and significant places. Koontapool (southern right whale) is sacred. All individuals are part of the songline/intangible cultural heritage.
Koontapool was almost hunted to extinction by European whalers and is threatened by humans to this day. Warrnambool, the land between two rivers, in the heart of our Country, is the most important Koontapool calving ground in eastern Australia. Our obligation to protect Koontapool nursery grounds and migration pathways is strong.
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC) is working to reintroduce Maar cultural land, water, and sea management practices. The EMAC Sea Country team asserts Eastern Maar’s rightful place in caring for Sea Country. We are developing a Sea Country Plan including a research and conservation plan for Koontapool.