Wugularr, Northern Territory#Attractions

Wugularr (pronounced woo-gah-larr){{Cite news |date=2024-08-01 |title=‘Great importance’: Why Beswick, Pigeon Hole has been officially renamed |url=https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/nt-government-confirms-beswick-pigeon-hole-renamed-wugularr-nitjpurru/news-story/1db8cbd1465bf97d647306f7bd330e28#:~:text=This%20week%2C%20the%20NT%20government,home%20to%20about%20600%20people. |access-date=2024-08-04 |work=Northern Territory News| url-access=subscription}} is located {{convert|116| km}} south-east of Katherine and {{convert|31|km}} from the Barunga Community.{{cite web | title=Wugularr (Beswick) | website=Indigenous.gov.au | date=5 October 2016 | url=https://www.indigenous.gov.au/community/wugular | access-date=25 January 2020}} Access is via a sealed road,{{cite web | title=Walking with Spirits | website=The Australian Shakespeare Company | url=https://www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au/shows/walking-with-spirits | access-date=15 March 2025}} the Central Arnhem Road. A permit from the Northern Land Council is usually needed to access the community.

The name is a Jawoyn language word that refers to the country where the land sits. The earlier name, Beswick, was adopted from the former pastoral lease of the area, known as Beswick Station. It was formally renamed in August 2024 by the request of the Bagala (Jawoyn) people, who are its traditional owners.{{Cite web |title=Wugularr (Aboriginal Community) |url=https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=581 |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=NT Place Names Register}}

A DC-3 (Dakota) belonging to the Dutch Air Force crash-landed near Beswick (or Beswick Creek, now Barunga?) in 1947.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49980609 |title=Dutch Dakota Crashed East of Katherine Gorge: Search Party on Way |newspaper=Northern Standard |volume=2 |issue=14 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=3 April 1947 |access-date=10 August 2016 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} All passengers survived, with four crew travelling about {{convert|100|mi}} down the Katherine River to get help. After running out of food they killed one of two dogs they had with them.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49980571 |title=Crew Of Crashed Dakota Eat |newspaper=Northern Standard |volume=2 |issue=14 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=3 April 1947 |access-date=10 August 2016 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} The wings were eventually removed and the remains of the plane were towed to Katherine.{{cite web |title=Aeroplane |website=Territory Stories |type=Photograph |url=https://hdl.handle.net/10070/6369 |hdl=10070/6369 |hdl-access=free |date=1949|last1=Evans|first1=Ted}}

The waterfall known as Malkgulumbu (formerly Beswick Falls) is nearby, generally accessible only with a guide.{{cite web | title=Melkulumbu (Beswick Falls) | website=Djilpin Arts | url=https://bookings.djilpinarts.org.au/sales/culture-on-country-tours/falls| access-date=15 March 2025}}

Djilpin Arts is a community-owned, not-for-profit cultural centre founded by actor and musician Tom E. Lewis around 2001, after moving back on country with his wife Fleur Parry, and is regarded as his greatest legacy.{{cite web | last=Thompson | first=Jesse | title=Actor, musician and cultural leader Balang TE Lewis farewelled in Beswick ceremony | website=ABC News | date=29 May 2018 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-29/balang-lewis-star-of-jimmie-blacksmith-farewelled-in-beswick/9811018 | access-date=12 March 2025}}{{cite web | last=Sebag-Montefiore | first=Clarissa | title=The inflatable screen taking Indigenous film back to the Top End | website=The Guardian | date=9 June 2018 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/09/an-inflatable-screen-and-8000km-the-film-festival | access-date=12 March 2025}}{{cite web |title=Djilpin Arts – Indigenous Culture and Community Life |url=https://djilpinarts.org.au/ |website=Djilpin Arts |access-date=20 December 2021 |language=en-AU}} It houses the Blanasi Collection, a permanent exhibition of culturally significant artworks in the West Arnhem painting style created by dijeridu master, David Blanasi, held in the centre since 2008. The centre also sells art created by local artists.{{cite web | title=NitNit Dreaming Two Gorge Tour | website=Welcome To Country | date=13 July 2022 | url=https://welcometocountry.myshopify.com/products/beswick-falls-cultural-tour | access-date=15 March 2025}} The collection was begun in 1996, when a group of senior artists and elders, led by Blanasi (who was also a painter), wanted to showcase the art and culture of their community. Over 50 of the paintings intended for the collection were destroyed in floods in 1998; the 38 paintings on canvas survived because they happened to be in a touring exhibition that was in Darwin at the time. There are 12 of Blanasi's artworks, which are all large acrylic paintings on canvas using intricate cross-hatching that tell the stories of his Mayali clan.{{cite interview | last2=Wilson | first2=Evangeline | first1=Moodie | last1=Georgia | title=Blanasi Collection showcases West Arnhem art | website=ABC Radio National | date=22 September 2014 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/listen/radionational/archived/booksandarts/blanasi-collection-showcases-west-arnhem-art/5759530 | access-date=16 March 2025| format = audio + text}}

Also founded by Lewis is the annual "Walking with Spirits" festival, organised by Djilpin Arts and held at Malkgulumbu / Beswick Falls{{cite web | last=White | first=Tierney | title=Walking with Spirits Festival | website=Off The Leash | date=27 July 2015 | url=https://offtheleash.net.au/features/festivals/2015/06/walking-spirits-festival | access-date=15 March 2025}} in July each year since 2002. The road is a dirt road, requiring a four-wheel drive vehicle, and camping is allowed on site for the weekend. No alcohol is allowed. At the festival, the Wulugarr community share their songs, stories, dance, and music.

In 2015, the 15th edition of the festival was presented by Djilpin Arts in partnership with the Australian Shakespeare Company, whose artistic director Glenn Elston had met Lewis in 2003 and had started the tradition. At this edition, the local Billabong Boys performed, and traditional corroborees from around Arnhem Land were performed.

In 2017, Coloured Stone performed at the festival, and invited Emily Wurramara on stage with them.{{cite web | last=Nally | first=Alicia | title=Songstress Emily Wurramara reflects on some of her key influences | website=cairnspost | date=3 July 2017 | url=https://www.cairnspost.com.au/entertainment/songstress-emily-wurramara-reflects-on-some-of-her-key-influences/news-story/3815e262023ec3e9caf320100159fb0f | access-date=15 March 2025| quote=My career highlight thus far would be ... having the opportunity to jump on stage with Coloured Stone at the Walking with Spirits festival at Beswick Falls in the Northen Territory.}} Musicians from Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Timor were also invited. This was the last festival directed by Tom E Lewis, before his death the following year.{{cite web | last=Nicol | first=Emily | title=Walking With Spirits Festival: An invitation to celebrate and connect to culture | website=NITV | date=6 June 2017 | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/walking-with-spirits-festival-an-invitation-to-celebrate-and-connect-to-culture/5yk0rc5tc | access-date=15 March 2025}}

The community has had books published about local stories.{{cite book |author1=Thompson, Liz |title=The mermaid and serpent |date=2010 |publisher=Pearson Australia |isbn=978-1-4425-2603-7}}

In 2014 the hour-long documentary film about David Blanasi, Kundirri: The Life and Legacy of David Blanasi, was released.{{cite journal| url=https://anka.org.au/assets/Archive/Arts-Backbone/Backbone-Vol-14-Issue-1-Aug-2014.pdf| title= Djilpin Arts, The Company of People| first= Fleur| last=Parry| p=3| journal= ANKAAA Arts Backbone| publisher= ANKAAA| volume =14| issue =1| date= August 2014}}{{cite web | title=Kundirri The Life and Legacy of David Blanasi | website=AustLit | date=15 October 2014 | url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/7937665 | access-date=16 March 2025}}{{cite web| url=https://www.rmkcrew.com.au/media/Julia_Morris_RMK_CV_feb2018.pdf| title=Julia Morris| publisher=RMK Crew| access-date=16 March 2025}} The film was co-written by Tom E. Lewis and his wife Fleur Parry, co-directed by Lewis and Julia Morris, and co-produced by Parry and Morris. The Documentary Australia Foundation, which funded the film, wrote: "The current day thread of the storyline is set in Beswick/Wugularr, home of Blanasi and now once again a healthy and active community. Since his disappearance in 2001 from a dysfunctional and unhealthy Beswick, the community, with the drive of Tom E. Lewis... and his wife Fleur Parry have worked hard to rebuild a place that is active in cultural, artistic and community life. The filming coincides with the 10th annual Walking with Spirits Festival participants in Djilpin Arts, where the presence of Blanasi's legacy is always felt".{{cite web | title=Kundirri The Life and Legacy of David Blanasi | website= Documentary Australia Foundation (archived) | via= Trove | date=21 March 2012 | url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20120320195935/http://www.documentaryaustralia.com.au/index.php/films/details/1513/kundirri-the-life-and-legacy-of-david-blanasi | access-date=16 March 2025}}

The NITV children's television show Barrumbi Kids was filmed there in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2021/06/nitv-greenlights-new-kids-series.html/|title=NITV greenlights new kids' series | TV Tonight|first=David|last=Knox|website=tvtonight.com.au/}}

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• [https://www.indigenous.gov.au/community/wugular Wugularr (Beswick)]

{{Localities and communities of the Roper Gulf Region|state=collapsed}}

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Category:Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory