Reedy Creek

All the local Aboriginal sites have notice boards giving a history of the site and this site here at Reedy Creek was the first permanent settlement for the Lower Clarence Aborigines (the Clarence is the river). It was established in 1935 when families moved down river from Ulugundahi Island Aboribinal Mission. There were other groups of Aboriginal people here pre 1935 of course but Reedy Creek was the first large permanent campsite.
Initially during "holiday season" they packed up their boats and rowed with the tide to Whiting Beach near Reedy Creek, stayed for 6 weeks and then rowed back to the island. However, in 1935 they moved down to live.
Their lifestyle was different here from the mission, there was no "manager', there was an abundance of fish, pippies, oysters and also kangaroo, echidna, sea worms and large mud crabs.
Aboriginal Elder, the late Mavis Laurie, quoted "when we were children, I remember we used to play marbles and we would use the little round, white beads that we got out of the large oyster shells, some would go down holes made by crabs, little did we know that those little round white beads were actually pearls".
PS - the opening in the background at right enters out to Whiting Beach.