Come for the fish traps, the filmmaking and the love.
A unique road reflector to assist cars driving at night Source: NITV
Over the last weekend of July, NITV drove 12 hours from our Sydney office onto the lush ochre banks of the Barwon/Darling River. Brewarrina, or "Bre" as it's locally known, is a small NSW town just shy of the Queensland border with an Indigenous population of about 70 per cent.
For a town of roughly 1,000 people, Bre has an abundance of rich history. It's widely known for it's stone fish traps or 'Ngunnhu', a structure designed for catching fish that swam upstream. These traps are estimated as being 40, 000 years old, making it one of the oldest man-made structures in the world. Bre is also home to the tragic Hospital Creek Massacre and the Brewarrina Aboriginal Mission Site.
It is now known for their vibrant community literacy program and last year, the Brewarrina community (Ngemba, Muruwari and Yualwarri people) were a part of Erica Glyn's In My Own Words documentary, a film which tells the story of adult illiteracy. As a thank you for opening up their homes and lives to our camera crew, NITV hosted a screening of the film, including a bbq event in the local community center.
Arriving on that lush red earth Source: NITVManaging Digital Producer, Dan G behind the cam Source: NITVBrewarrina at dusk Source: NITVWelcome to Brewarrina Source: NITVBrewarrina Hotel on the main street Source: NITVThe ancient fish traps in the Barwon River Source: NITVSome of the NITV digital team, Dan and Sophie Source: NITVCommissioning editor, Helen admires the banks of the Barwon River Source: NITVUncle Bradley takes the team on country Source: NITVUncle Bradly says the weir built into the Barwon River is having a negative effect on the river's ecology Source: NITVHead of Commissioning, Mary-Ellen looks upon the Barwon River. Source: NITVManaging Digital Producer, Dan films the On Country tour with Uncle Bradley Source: NITVProject Coordinator, Lowanna Source: NITVBarwon River at sunset Source: NITVPlaque at the former Brewarrina Aboriginal Mission Source: NITVRiver on the site of the former Brewarrina Aboriginal Mission Source: NITVBrewarrina Local Aboriginal Lands Council Source: NITVBrewarrina and district war memorial Olympic pool Source: NITVCommunity gather to watch In My Own Words Source: NITVYoung dancers open the film screening Source: NITVA delicious rainbow Paddle-Pop sunset Source: NITVFuture NITV-ers? Source: NITVFront row seat, feet up Source: NITVYoung dancers perform the 'Emu Dance' Source: NITVNITV presents Mary Waits, who features in the documentary, with the framed movie poster. Source: NITVMary and Clarence, two of the featured personalities in In My Own Words hold their framed movie poster Source: NITVNITV Brewarrina Community Screening - that's a wrap! Source: NITV
Watch the compelling documentary filmed in Brewarrina, #InMyOwnWords On Demand, part of the #YouAreHere series on NITV.
