A sacred Indigenous site symbolic of a special meeting place for women has been defaced, sparking a manhunt in Victoria’s King Valley.
The rock face is part of a 31metre-high waterfall at Paradise Falls, located about 300km northeast of Melbourne in Victoria’s alpine region.
Police were alerted to the incident on Monday and have launched an investigation.
Photos of the graffiti were shared by advocacy group Always Was, Always Will Be, Bpangerang Country alongside a strongly-worded statement.
‘Some absolutely thoughtless, knuckle-dragging, entitled grubs decided Paradise Falls in the King Valley was the appropriate place to leave their amateur and unremarkable tag,’ the post read.
‘Paradise Falls is a sacred women’s place and much loved by all that visit. If you know who this tag belongs to, let them know they need to return and clean up their mess.
‘They’ve got some nasty, nasty juju coming their way for this disrespectful vandalism. Ancestors know who they are, ain’t no hiding from what’s coming.’
The group’s Facebook page states that it campaigns for ‘Bpangerang tribal lands [to be] re-instated on the Indigenous Map of Australia and corrected signage throughout North East Victorian National Parks.’
A sacred Indigenous site symbolic of a special meeting place for women has been defaced, sparking a manhunt in Victoria’s King Valley (the graffiti is pictured)
The rock face is part of a 31metre-high waterfall at Paradise Falls, located about 300km northeast of Melbourne in Victoria’s alpine region (pictured)
The post was met with severe backlash.
‘Abhorrent behavior destructive disrespectful, this scared place has been here for thousands of years the people who desecrated it will be gone in a whisper of time,’ one person wrote.
‘This makes me so so angry. Why? Why would someone do this? Need to do more than just clean it up. Absolutely disrespectful’ another said.
Victoria Police confirmed the investigation is ongoing in a statement.
‘At this stage of the investigation, it is not believed that the incident is targeted,’ a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
Paradise Falls is a popular tourist spot, and is part of the Falls Walking Track, a 7km return trip that leads hikers up to McMillan’s Track Lookout.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Always Was, Always Will Be, Bpangerang Country for further comment.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
