Bayungu is an Australian Aboriginal language traditionally spoken along the coast in the north-west of Western Australia. The traditional country of the Bayungu is located along the coast north of the present-day town of Carnarvon, and including Cardabia Station, which is owned by the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation. Today there are only a few people who can speak the language and they primarily live in Carnarvon, Exmouth, or Cardabia.
Originally, Bayungu country stretched from Middalya station in the east, north to Winning station, west to the Indian Ocean at Cardabia, Warroora, Gnaraloo, Quobba, Lake Macleod, and east to Minilya and Manberry stations. There are many important places in Bayungu country and most of them have taken their English names from their names in the Bayungu language. Some of these places are:
- bunurrba Boolara station
- garamarda Cordamuda Well
- gulgilya Coolkilya
- gunjarrajaga Mia Mia station
- gunjayindiya Cardabia station
- jimarniny Manberry station
- malarribarndi Wandagee station
- midalya Middalya station
- milgin Cardabia Pool
- mithirriny Lyons River
- mugulu Moogooloo Hill
- murlanda Maude landing
- ngabariyarra Gnabbarryarra
- ngarrulhu Gnaraloo
- warrura Warroora
The Nganhurra Thanardi Garrbu Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC acts as trustee for the native title rights and interests of the Baiyungu and Thalanyji People, recognised in Peck on behalf Gnulli Native Title Claim Group v State of Western Australia [2019]. The determination, over the Ningaloo Coast, Western Australia, recognised exclusive and non-exclusive native title rights and interests.
I began studying the Bayungu language in 1978, and have had access to previous research by Geoffrey O’Grady carried out in 1958, 1960, and 1967. In recent years I have been working with Hazel Walgar and the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation, supported by a grant from the Indigenous Languages and Arts Programme (ILA), to prepare reference materials and books for language learners on the language and culture, and to participate in workshops teaching Bayungu language and culture. The most recent workshops were at Cardabia and Exmouth in September 2026.
I been involved in preparing the following materials:
- Austin, Peter K. 2025. A Reference Dictionary of Bayungu, Western Australia. SOAS, Manuscript;
- Austin, Peter K. 2026. Bayungu Wanggara: Let’s Talk Bayungu SOAS Manuscript;
- Walgar, Hazel and Peter K. Austin. 2026. Banga gamuwardubaju. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Perth: Indigenous Literacy Foundation;
- Walgar, Hazel and Peter K. Austin. 2026. Read and write Bayungu. Perth: Indigenous Literacy Foundation;
- Walgar, Hazel and Peter K. Austin. 2026. Yinhaya Ngatha. Perth: Indigenous Literacy Foundation;
- Walgar, Hazel and Peter K. Austin. 2026. Nyinda jagulyarrima? Perth: Indigenous Literacy Foundation.