First Nations peoples that used the Kosciuszko mountains included the Wiradjuri, Wolaglu, Ngunnawal, Monaro Ngarigo. They recognise that Wiradjuri, Wolgalu and Ngunnawal are known by their totem, and acknowledge the matrilineal (mother’s) bloodline of the Monaro Ngarigo people.

First Nations people travelled from many different directions over long distances to gather peacefully on the mountains for trade, ceremony, marriages, social events and to settle differences. The Bogong moth was an important summer food drawing people to the area.

George Augustus Robinson recorded the following story on the creation of the Snowy River: “The Moon…took a large quantity of sea water to the mountains…on its journey among the mountains it was scented by the platypus which smelt the water when the Moon rested.  The Moon went a long way and the playpus still tracked on and finding the Moon asleep stuck a yam stick into the water, where it gushed out and formed the river.”

Photo: Bogong moth (Agrotis infusa) by Donald Hobern.