Feature by Carolyn Beasley

For Wadandi Noongar man Josh Whiteland, the season of Birak is a time of joy. Birak coincides with December, and is a time of dry, sunny weather in the Margaret River region. It’s a time filled with bountiful seafood and cultural ceremonies with family.

_{Josh Whiteland from Koomal Dreaming}

In the old days, Birak was the time that Josh’s people, of the southwest corner of Australia, would make their way from inland country back to the coast.

“In Birak season my families would make special long spears for fishing in the channels,” Josh says. “They’d attract the fish by crushing up the barnacles and rock crabs and shellfish.”

Josh says this technique is particular to the people of the southwest corner.

“Once you hit Geographe Bay further north, there’s not that big granite-outcrop sort of channels that are running to the ocean,” he explains.

For as long as Josh can remember, his favourite thing about Birak season has been the fishing.

“We have these unusual spring, early summer tides in the transition from Kambarang (late Spring) into Birak, and we get these quite large tidal movements,” Josh says. A favourite memory is walking the reefs at low tide, collecting abalone or other shellfish with his family.

_{Yallingup, Koomal Dreaming}

“We’d pick up the abalone and rub them against the rocks, then shuck them and tenderise them,” he says. “We’d then sit them back into their shells and cook them over coals.”

On the higher tides, the ocean offers other treats.

“The reef fish come in closer to the coast with the tides,” Josh says. “I go groper hunting along the coast with a spear and sometimes a handline. My sons love to get involved too.”

Birak is also a busy period for Koomal Dreaming, Josh’s multi award-winning tour company, based in the Margaret River region. On Josh’s tours visitors descend into the Ngilgi Cave system near Yallingup. Here, they’re treated to a stirring didgeridoo performance, feeling the soundtrack of ancient Australia resonate in the cave’s unique acoustics.

_{Ngilgi Caves, Koomal Dreaming}

On his Aboriginal food, cave and didge tours Josh introduces bush foods, and fire-making. He proudly guides guests through the new Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience above the cave, featuring Aboriginal interpretive material that Josh helped develop.

“Tourism is a great vehicle to continue to share and practice culture, while working on country,” Josh says.

Josh’s food offerings on tour vary seasonally, and during Birak, guests can expect to sample fresh fish, native cherries, and also quandong, known as native peach, which is incorporated into salads and marinades as part of a gourmet barbecue.

Aside from the bush tucker, Josh says nature delivers plenty of other signs that Birak is approaching. The winds are changing, and the seasonal cycles of the animal kingdom continue.

_{Bushtucker with Josh Whiteland}

“We get a strong easterly in the mornings and then a sou-wester about lunchtime, that’s out most predominant winds,” he says. “We’re starting to see a lot of reptiles, like big goannas. Some of these lizards are over a metre long!”

And as for the insects, they offer unmistakable clues to the season.

“At the moment, it’s flying ants and dragon flies, but once we move into Birak, it’ll be the cicadas, they’ll start their singing.”

But perhaps the most important sign of Birak is the flowers, particularly the vibrant yellow flowering of the moodjar, or native Christmas tree, and the profound link it provides to family, ancestors and celebrations.

“A lot of ceremonies should happen at that time because the flowering of the native Christmas tree would indicate celebrating the spirit of the old people,” Josh says. “It would prompt all the families to come together and have ceremony.”  

_{On tour with Josh Whiteland, Koomal Dreaming}

Published November 2023.