The Drowned Forest and the Spirit of Country

As a respected Boandik Elder and cultural educator, Uncle Ken Jones is a living vessel for the stories of his ancestors. He shares the story of Ngaranga, the drowned forest, not only as a myth — but as a deep truth about Country, consequence, and care. Through storytelling, he invites participants to listen to the landscape, understand the past, and embrace their role in protecting what remains. His telling of this ancient narrative teaches both ecological awareness and emotional connection.

This isn’t just folklore; it’s Boandik science, memory, and morality wrapped into one.

The Story of Ngaranga:

Long ago, before the sea met the shore, MacDonnell Bay was an inland paradise known as Ngaranga — a land of abundant forests, gum trees, kangaroos, and fresh water. Wombats, lorikeets, echidnas, and honey eaters flourished beneath towering wattles and beside trickling creeks.

At the heart of this country was Ngaram, a powerful and protective giant who guarded the land and its gifts. He allowed no trespassers, keeping close watch on the rich country around him. When two women were caught collecting his sacred golden wattle gum, Ngaram became enraged. In a moment of fury, he called on the Southern Ocean to come and drown the thieves — and the sea obeyed.

A monstrous tide surged in, flooding forests, drowning animals, and swallowing caves, hills, and billabongs. The once-lush Ngaranga was lost beneath salt water. The sea stayed, and what we now know as MacDonnell Bay became its permanent home.

Uncle Ken shares how the old trees — once massive and ancient — now lie turned to stone beneath the sea. The parrots became parrotfish. The wedge-tailed eagle became the stingray. The wives of Ngaram became haunting sea lions, forever searching for wattle gum in the kelp forests. Creatures adapted, changed, and became part of a submerged dreaming — a petrified Country frozen in time.

Even today, he says, if you listen carefully by the coast, you might still hear the songs of the lost women or see the shimmer of their spirits dancing in the shallows.

The story of Ngaranga carries warnings:

• Do not steal or act out of rage

• Respect the land and its guardians

• Protect your family and community

• Understand the long-term cost of destruction

Uncle Ken frames the tale within climate history, noting its alignment with scientific accounts of sea level rise during volcanic eruptions in the Mount Gambier region. It's a powerful example of how Aboriginal oral history preserves geological events.

Through sharing stories like this, Uncle Ken bridges ancient memory with modern understanding — reminding us that Country remembers, even when we forget.

📖 Read more → MacDonnell Bay SA Ken Jones Family Story.