Kooyang – late summer – season of eels

Late January to late March

Kooyang is depicted by eels, galaxia, baby animals, mistletoe as well as eeling and fishing.

The lifestyle for the Gariwerd communities during kooyang:

Eel trapping is common during this season, a favourite food of the Gariwerd people.

Stone huts could be seen on Salt Creek for the eel harvest.

Herbal medicines are available:

• Old man weed for cold and chest complaints
• Tannins from gums and wattles for stomach complaints and burns
  

The stars were used for navigation with star formations having creation stories.

For the woodland areas of the Gariwerd, kooyang brings the following:

Plants

Some plants continuing to flower including mistletoes, messmates and the long leafed box.
The flowers of river red gums attract honeyeaters.

Mammals

Mammals emerge during kooyang.
Boxing kangaroos can be seen during this time.

Birds

Red wattle birds flocking and fantails scurry down bush gullies.
Young birds are emerging during this season.

Amphibians

Tree frogs can be heard squeaking.

Reptiles

Snakes are seen basking in the sun.

Insects

Many insects can be seen in larval form or beginning to hatch:

 labyrinth butterflies hatch
 longhorn beetles emerge from wattle trunks
 gum emperor moths emerge
 spitfire grubs of sawfly wasp eat new leaves on seedling gums
 stick insects eat treetop leaves
 featherhorn beetles emerge

Butterflies are frequent:
 imperial white butterflies can be seen
 symmons skipper butterflies are common
 brown tailed moth butterfly found on mistletoe

Flies are pesty during kooyang and robber flies often cruise along bush tracks.

For the wetlands areas of Gariwerd, kooyang means the following:

Plants

Ribbon weed and swamp lily flowering.

Birds

Second brood of swamp hens are running.

Fish

Galaxias (small native trout) move downstream to estuaries to spawn.
Kooyang is the peak time for eel.

Insects

Water boatmen migrate from drying ponds.

Elodea waterweed stems break and migrate.

Many aquatic insects emerge as adults, attracting swallows and martins.