Yung Balug Clan

The Yung Balug Clan were the most northern family group of the Dja Dja Wurrung Nation of which there were approximately 18 family groups. Yung Balug means “Spotted Quoll People”. For this reason they painted themselves with white dots made from gypsum paint representing the spotted quoll. Spotted quolls were once abundant but are now extinct in the area. The boundary of the Yung Balug Clan stretched between Leaghur, Serpentine, and Charlton, with Boort almost in the centre.

The Loddon Floodplain, especially around Boort contains one of the richest Aboriginal records in the State. Lake Boort has the most significant numbers of scarred trees in Victoria and possibly, Australia. Some of the oldest existing photographs of Aboriginal people in their natural state were taken on the banks of the creek which flow into Lake Boort. There also is of the largest stone scatters north of the Dividing Range exists in the lake bed where local Aboriginals carried out their tool making.

Hundreds of Cooking Mounds are still in existence, although they lie silent, they still reveal their past occupation by the family group, part of the larger Dja Dja Wurrung language group. The British Museum holds some of the last remaining bark etchings taken from the Mia-mias near the Kinypanial Creek. Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls, one of the most prominent Aboriginal leaders of last century has a direct male family line originating from this clan area.