Fact sheet
Aboriginal books about water
A wide range of books retelling Aboriginal Creation stories are available. They include:
Water Witcher
Jan Ormerod, ISBN 978 1 92 104951 4
This story of one family, tells of the experience of
Cecilia Egan, illustrated by Elizabeth Alger,
ISBN 978 0 97 751143 3
drought-stricken rural Australia during the Depression, as
This is another version of Tiddalik, a giant frog. He isn’t
seen through the optimistic eyes
just big, he’s enormous! He is the largest frog ever
of Dougie.
known. His bulging eyes look over treetops, over hilltops,
The Rain Flower
Mary Duroux, illustrated by Karen Briggs,
ISBN 978 0 85 575467 9
even over some low clouds.
Luurnpa the Magical Kingfisher
Bai Bai Napangarti, ISBN 978 1 87 628824 2
Night and day bush animals live happily together in a
This is a traditional Dreaming narrative, belonging to Bai
beautiful valley of sweet grass and cool water. But, one
Bai Napangarti from the Balgo Hills region of Western
spring the rain doesn’t come and their waterhole dries
Australia. It tells the story of Luurnpa, who saves the
up. This delightful adventure story tells of a journey to
Kukatja people from dying of thirst by showing them his
find the Rain Flower that will fill the waterholes of the
magic rock hole full of water.
bush.
Big Rain Coming
Katrina Germein, illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft,
ISBN 978 0 14 350045 2
Wunambi: The Water Snake
May L. O’Brien, illustrated by Sue Wyatt
ISBN 0 85 575500 8
This is a story of the time when the earth was young
Everyone and everything is waiting for the rain. Rosie’s
and the land was being created. It tells of a powerful and
kids, the panting dogs, the fat green frogs and Old
awesome water snake called Wunambi. The Wongutha
Stephen who predicts its arrival. But when will the big
People of the Eastern Goldfields area of Western
rain come?
Australia say this huge creature roamed the earth, and
Walking with the Seasons in Kakadu
Diane Lucas and Ken Searle, ISBN 978 1 74 114471 0
This is a story that has to be told to Gundjeihmi children
so they know Country – no good just sitting in classroom
the great tracks it made became creeks and rivers we
know today.
Crow and the Waterhole
Ambelin Kwaymullina, ISBN 978 1 92 169682 4
all day! Get outside and discover bush, feel the changes,
There was once a crow that lived in a tree by a waterhole.
see what’s there. Using Gundjeihmi language in this
Each morning she stared into the water and saw a crow
story shows people our language is part of our Culture,
staring back. Hoping to become as wonderful as crow-
our lives.
in-the-waterhole, Crow flew away to seek her destiny.
Tiddalick: The frog who caused a flood
Robert Roennfeldt, ISBN 978 0 14 050349 4
This popular story is about Tiddalick, the greedy frog,
who is so thirsty he drinks all rivers and billabongs in the
land. The other animals work out, in order to get water,
they need to make Tiddalick laugh.
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The Frog Who Wouldn’t Laugh
Fact sheet
Gadiman Jawal
Rainbow Serpent
Children, ISBN 978 0 73 091540 9
ISBN 978 0 20 717433 9
Once, the billabong at Gadiman was the only place
A timeless classic from the Dreamtime. Innumerable
where turtles were found. The story is told in both
names and stories are associated with the Rainbow
English and Bardi language of NW Australia.
Serpent (which has different names in different language
Sandy and Esther Paddy, illustrated by Bardi School
Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo
Alison Lester, ISBN 978 0 73 362105 5
When Ernie goes to live in an Aboriginal community
in northern Australia, the people, climate, plants and
animals are all new to him. His letters to Clive, Nicky,
Rosie, Frank, Tessa and Celeste, describe the life he
discovers with his new friends in their wild and beautiful
land.
You and Me: Our Place
groups), all of which communicate the significance of this
being within Aboriginal traditions. Dreamtime stories
tell how the Rainbow Serpent came from beneath the
ground and created huge ridges, mountains and gorges
as it pushed upward. The name also reflects the snakelike meandering of water across a landscape and the
colour spectrum sometimes caused by sunlight hitting
the water.
Paintings of the Rainbow Serpent first appeared in
Arnhem Land rock art around 8000 years ago. Today the
Leonie Norrington, ISBN 978 1 87 628884 6
Rainbow Serpent is associated with ceremonies about
Every morning Uncle Tobias goes fishing. Sometimes
community and keeping of peace.
he’s joined by two little boys. Together they spend the
day moving from one place to another: from the beach,
to the bridge, to the mangroves on the outskirts of the
city, and back to the edge of the city. Along the way
they meet other friends of Uncle Tobias: Auntie Ruby
and Old Isaac, and listen to stories about Uncle Tobias’
ancestors, and other times. You and Me: Our place is
about difference, old and new cultures that exist side by
side, but more importantly it is about sameness.
fertility and abundance, as well as organisation of the
The Little Corroboree Frog
Tracey Holton-Ramirez and Angela Ramirez (2013)
ISBN 978 1 92 124881 8
The Little Corroboree Frog gently introduces the serious
plight of one of Australia’s most endangered species.
Jet the corroboree frog, is happily taking care of tadpole
ponds when the water starts to dry up and his family’s
eggs are threatened. He goes to visit Grandmother Frog
The Mark of the Wagarl
to find out why, and she tells him about summers that
ISBN 978 1 92 124841 2
rubbish around. When a boy and his father arrive to go
Maadjit Walken is the sacred Rainbow Serpent. She’s
to show them how humans are threatening the very
the Mother Spirit and creator of Nyoongar Country in
existence of his species.
Lorna Little, illustrated by Janice Lyndon (2012)
the south-west of Western Australia. She formed the
landscape and the waterways, and made her first child,
Maadjit Wagarl, the sacred Water Snake, guardian spirit
of all rivers and fresh waters. The Mark of the Wagarl
is the story of how a little boy dared to question the
wisdom of his elders and why he received the sacred
Water Snake for his totem.
Janice Lyndon’s pastel illustrations resonate with cultural
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Dick Roughsey, P Trezise (1900)
power of Maadjit Wagarl and the landscape of the
south-west.
are getting hotter and careless humans who leave their
fishing in the nearby river, Jet seizes the opportunity
Molly, the Grey Kangaroo and
the bush Clean up Crew
John Lewis Clark, (2004), ISBN 1 86334 010 6
Award winning writer and illustrator, John Lewis Clark
tells a story about what happens when it starts to rain
and the people leave the bush.