Melinda Mumbulla is living at North Head Campground to return to her traditional roots

An aboriginal woman is returning to her traditional roots, living from a campsite on the land for more than two months.

Melinda Mumbulla has gone back to her traditional aboriginal roots after living at the campsite for two months. Picture: Tom McGann.

For more than two months, Melinda Mumbulla has been returning to her “indigenous roots”, living from a campsite with no technology, no internet and no house.

Escaping a family situation, Ms Mumbulla from the Yuin Nation moved to the Moruya North Head Campground and has been living from a tent with her son, fishing for food and having tea and a yarn by the fire.

“I haven’t touched a phone in months,” she said.

“I’m living in mother nature, in mother Earth and I’m becoming one with the nature around me again, just like my ancestors.”

Ms Mumbulla is not the only person calling the Moruya North Head Campground her home.

Currently, there are more than 50 other homeless individuals living at the site. However, Ms Mumbulla does not consider herself to be homeless.

Rather, she considers herself to be a part of a tight-knit community.

“We’re all looking out for each other here,” she said.

“I could see a young one running around before dark and I’ll ask them if they’ve eaten.

“If they haven’t, I’ll tell them to come here and I’ll cook them up a feed.”

It is this sense of community and belonging which Ms Mumbulla believes is a big part of her heritage.

“It doesn’t matter if we aren’t blood related,” she said.

“Everyone here is my brother and everyone here is my sister.”

North Head Campground in Moruya is currently housing more than 50 homeless people who are living out of tents. Picture: Tom McGann.

While others may yearn for a roof and walls, Ms Mumbulla said she couldn’t be more content with her current situation.

She describes the cool breezes as “constant air conditioning” and her fire outside her tent as “my heater for the cold”.

Each new day begins with Ms Mumbulla raking the leaves from her campsite, as a way to “thank mother Earth for letting me camp the night”.

“People often ask me why I rake the leaves away if they are just going to blow back,” she said.

“I’m doing it out of respect.”

Having stayed at the campsite longer than she had intended, Ms Mumbulla said she was unsure when she would leave.

Usually, the North Head Campground would only allow people to stay for a maximum of 50 days.

However, Eurobodalla Shire Mayor Matt Hatcher has since removed this rule due to the amount of homeless people living at the site.

“The NSW Government is responsible for crisis and social housing, and they must step in and help us solve this issue,” he said.

“These are primitive campgrounds, meaning there is no permanent hot water or enclosed showers. They simply aren’t a suitable place for people to be living permanently.”

For Ms Mumbulla, she said she has no intention of leaving.

“I am where my people were thousands of years ago,” she said.

“I am a traditional owner of this land, as are my brothers and sisters.”

However, when her time does come to leave, Ms Mumbulla said she will do so respectfully.

“When it is time to move on, I will rake the leaves and burn the fire down so this part of mother Earth is ready for the next mob.”