Onerwal is a derivative of the words Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngoonawal

Onerwal Local Aboriginal Land Council has been working with the Ngunnawal and broader Aboriginal community for a number of years to help protect Aboriginal culture and heritage under the NSW Aboriginal Lands Rights Act 1983, to benefit its members and for all Australians to appreciate.

The discourse of the Ngunnawal community has been about improving opportunity for our people through culture and heritage.

Culture and heritage for Aboriginal peoples consist of places and items which are significant because of our history, beliefs, customs, traditions and lore. These are the fundamental elements of what it is to be Aboriginal and to be traditional custodians of country. Country also provides spiritual links to our ancestry. It is important for people to understand that Aboriginal people have a rich culture and heritage that we want to share.

Through discussions with the Ngunnawal community it became apparent that people wanted the opportunity to reconnect to country through our culture and heritage, and to re-engage with our histories and cultural heritage practices.

To do this, Onerwal LALC formed strong partnerships with government and non-government organisations to develop a program in Aboriginal Land Management to be delivered by Yass TAFE. This will provide our community not only with an opportunity to reconnect to country, but to build community capacity and self-determination through education and employment.

The Aboriginal Land Management course will be held at the Yass TAFE for a period of 12 months, two days a week, starting April 30, with two major projects. Onerwal LALC encourages people interested in the Ngunnawal culture and heritage to enrol.