Lake Wollumboola is very significant to Jerrinja people. For tens of thousands of years, the lake has seasonally sustained our people by providing food and other resources. The lake attracted mammal as well as bird species including the Goonyen (Black Swan), which holds cultural significance to Jerrinja people. During times when the lake system was closed it was used as a shortcut to access other places of significance in the cultural landscape.
We would like to acknowledge the work of the Lake Wollumboola Protection Association over the decades for their work to protect the lake, including advocating for its potential listing as a Wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention due to the presence of migratory seabirds, and campaigning against inappropriate development. Even though the lake itself forms part of Jervis Bay National Park, because of its unique ecological values as an intermittently closing and opening lake system (ICOLL) the impact of surrounding development (both existing and proposed) cannot be overstated.
