Author Description

Geographical description of the Willandra lakes; information about the climate and terrain, including a legend and location map; a little information about family life; references to food gathering; descriptions of tools and ways of cooking with hearth stones; information about catching fish and gathering birds' eggs, yabbies and crayfish; includes archaeological references; pictorial representation of giant animals, such as the giant emu (Genyornis); explanation of the ways Aboriginal people of the lakes needed to adapt to change as the lakes dried up; refers to new customs that were initiated when the climate changed; includes facts about travelling long distances and trading with other language groups; reproduction of petroglyph; provides a list of "things to do" and a time line; inclusive of present-day Aboriginal people living near Lake Menindee and the Darling River at the time of writing (1982); some terms that would be considered offensive.