Noongar

The Noongar are Indigenous Australians who traditionally inhabit the southwest corner of Western Australia. The term Noongar refers to a collection of language and cultural groups that share a common identity, speaking Noongar languages that form a cluster within the Pama–Nyungan language family.

Traditional Noongar country covers the southwest corner of the state, from coastal areas around the Perth region to the south coast and inland toward the Wheatbelt. The Noongar people are organized into several language groups with defined country, kinship systems, and responsibilities to the land and rivers.

Noongar culture centers on a strong connection to country, expressed through ceremony, story, song, and art. A six-season calendar—Birak, Bunuru, Djeru, Makuru, Djilba, and Kambarang—guides seasonal movements, food gathering, and traditional practices. Trade networks historically linked Noongar communities across the region, helping to sustain cultural exchange and interdependence.

European contact began in the late 18th century and intensified with the establishment of the Swan River Colony in 1829. Colonization brought dispossession, disease, and conflict, though Noongar people maintained cultural knowledge and social structures, and many communities continued to practice traditions and languages despite disruption.

In recent decades Noongar people have pursued native title recognition and land rights. A landmark settlement with the Western Australian government established a framework for recognition, land, and cultural funding, supporting language revival, cultural programs, and land-management initiatives. Noongar communities continue to revive language and culture, participate in education and the arts, and contribute to broader public life in Western Australia.

Today Noongar communities are active in urban and regional Western Australia, maintaining distinct identities within the broader Noongar Nation while engaging with contemporary governance, education, and cultural initiatives.

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