Buff Point fish trap: Guringai Aboriginal Tribal Link clarifies confusion over site

A LOCAL Aboriginal group has cleared up confusion and debate over the alleged location of a Buff Point fish trap.

A rock pool built by John LeMaire and his granddaughter has not been declared a historic Aboriginal fish trap

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CLAIMS that a man-made rock pool has been declared the site of a historic indigenous “fish trap” have been dismissed.

Buff Point retiree John LeMaire and his granddaughter Kyla built a rock pool outside their property on the edge of Budgewoi Lake in January 2017.

But in September, Mr LeMaire said he was informed that Aboriginal elders had identified the pool as a “fish trap” and a sacred site. Mr LeMaire was gobsmacked to think his rock pool was being declared a sacred site.

Mr LeMaire built this rock pool with his granddaughter Kyla

A spokeswomen from the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) confirmed that a site in Buff Point had been officially registered on the Aboriginal Heritage Information System on August 24.

However, Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation’s senior cultural heritage officer Tracey Howie later said its location was confidential — and it was not the site built by Mr LeMaire and his granddaughter.

“The stone structure built by Mr LeMaire is not the Aboriginal fish trap recorded and submitted to the OEH by the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Officers from Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation and Central Coast Council Land Care Manager,” Ms Howie said.

There is a classified fish trap in Buff Point however it’s location is confidential to protect the site

“They are two completely different objects, and Mr LeMaire’s structure has no resemblance to the traditional fish trap.

“Sadly it is a constant struggle to preserve and protect the cultural sites and places created by our ancestors due to development pressures and vandalism, magnifying the desire for secrecy to the general public on their locations.

“These sites have survived centuries of usage, a millennia of existence and deserve the respect to remain for future generations of our people to learn about our cultural practices and traditional food gathering techniques, all contributing to our strong connection to Country and spiritual beliefs.”