Interview with Menang Elder Vernice Gillies
Fish traps of the Oyster Harbour and Wilson Inlet 

Menang Elder Vernice Gillies

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Fish traps were built by the Noongar people throughout many of our estuaries to catch fish at low tide.  These are the oldest man-made structures in Australia.  The traps consisted of low stone structures that were used to trap fish that swam in on the high tide and then were unable to escape when the tide fell. Large rocks were placed at the top and smaller rocks at the bottom.  By removing the smaller rocks, the juvenile fish could be let out for the next season.  The Wilson Inlet and Oyster Harbours fish traps that we know of are about 6500 years old. 
 
WICC recently caught up with Minang Elder, Aunty Vernice Gillies, to discuss the traps between Denmark and Albany. Vernice’s work with the Albany Heritage Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation has allowed her to help protect these significant cultural sites and turn them into a place of education.
 
Vernice says, “The traps rely on tidal ebbs and flows.  When they were not in use, rocks were removed so they were left open to allow fish to come and go. The fish traps were used all year around.  In the winter they were used less as most of the Minang People travelled inland at that time of year.  Fish traps were shared when large celebrations were held with people from all over the Great Southern and South West. The traps in the Wilson Inlet near the Nullaki (Noongar for place of seaweed) were much larger than the Oyster Harbour ones as they were needed to feed a lot of people.
 
A number of years ago the Albany Aboriginal Heritage Reference Group noticed that the Oyster Harbour fish traps were being destroyed and together with local people we had a series of meetings to decide what we needed to do.  The outcome was a wheelchair accessible boardwalk branching in 2 directions.  We also decided on a natural but open-air cover featuring drawings of some of the fish caught in the Harbour.  Large boulders with some Grammar school students’ drawings are also a feature along with stories of how they worked.  It was very much a Noongar initiative but supported by all others.  The boardwalk has kept people off the ground and allowed the grasses and reeds to regrow.  Funding came from various organisations which allowed the project to be completed in 2016.
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It was such a fabulous project which not only bought all our communities together but continues to allow us to visit the protected site and share our values.”

Fishtraps of the Wilson Inlet