Published on Thursday, 3 August 2023 at 7:50:00 AM
There are six Nyungar seasons, which are indicated by changes in local plants and animals. Traditionally Nyungar people hunted and gathered food according to the seasons, being guided by the signs in nature as to which animal and plant resources were plentiful at those times.
We are now heading into Djilba (jill-ba) for the months of August and September, known as first spring.
A transitional time of the year, Djilba has days that are very cold, some that are rainy and windy and others where the sun comes through. As the days start to warm up, you’ll hear and see the first of the new born animals with their parents providing them with food, shelter and protection from other animals and people. The woodland birds will still be nest bound, hence the swooping behaviour of the Koolbardi (magpie) and Djidi Djidi (Willywag tails). It’s also a great time to spot Mamang (whales) with their calves in the Wadarn (ocean) along our coastline.
This is the start of the massive wildflower explosion, which begins with yellow flowering plants such as the Acacias. You’ll also notice cream and striking blue coloured flowers. As the season progresses and the temperatures continue to rise, you will see the flower stalks of the Balgas (Grass Trees) emerging in preparation for the coming Kambarang season. Our local wildflower festival in September is a great place to view specimens.
Traditionally, the main food source at this time of the year included many of the land based grazing animals including Yonga (kangaroo) and Waitch (Emu).
3 August 2023
Back to All News