Prior to European settlement, the Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri tribes moved up and down the river, using bark canoes cut from majestic red river gums. Fish, mussels, turtles, crayfish, snails, birds and wetland animals - the river and the wetlands were a rich and valuable food source for these people. Mussel shells also provided utensils such as knives, spoons and scrapers.

The activities of the Aboriginal people had an important impact on the Murray wetlands environment. Evidence suggests that the burning the Aboriginal people did in the Barmah forest aided the regeneration of the red river gums. Spreading the reed beds also helped maintain water quality, and expand the habitats and breeding areas of fish.

We can only dream what it must have been like in the past, when the tribes camped along the river. The following account gives us an insight into just how rich this area must have been.

Peter Beveridge, in 1889 noted: "On many occasions I have seen three and four hundred-weight of fish drawn from lagoons at single hauls, consisting of cod, perch, blackfish and turtle. It is quite a sight to see them all tumbling and jumping about on the grass; codfish from 50 pounds downwards and perch, both gold and silver, from 10 pounds down to 2 pounds" (from The Murray, Murray Darling Basin Commission, 1990).

"Wonga" is Wiradjuri for Black Cormorant, still one of the most abundant bird species in this area. The Wonga Wetlands was named to give recognition to the local flora and fauna, and the important relationship the Aboriginal people had with this environment.

Other Wiradjuri words include:

• Gunyuck - black swan
• Wargan - crow
• Bringen - red kangaroo
• Womboyne - grey kangaroo
• Munjar - murray cod
• Wangarang - turtle
• Coleen - water.