Ceremonial smoke hangs over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as thousands of people took part in the 75th anniversary celebrations. Photo copyright Brendan Read.

  A truckload of Hunter Valley eucalyptus leaves had star billing at the 75th anniversary celebrations for the Sydney Harbour Bridge in March.

The leaves, which normally lead a sedentary and unremarkable life ensuring that each tree looks pretty much like another, were collected from Watagan State Forest just a few days before the celebrations by the Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation from Singleton.

“The leaves came from the heads of trees, felled in a normal Forests NSW timber harvesting operation,” said Forests NSW Central Region harvesting forester, Peter Tarjanyi. “Their moment of fame came in a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony, staged at sunset.”

According to organisers of the anniversary, the ceremony was held to pay respect to previous generations on both sides of the bridge, honouring the space as a special place of meaning, while the smoke cleansed those who walked through it.

The ceremony was directed by Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Stephen Page, and cultural consultant Phillipa McDermott, and recognised the unique contribution of Australia’s indigenous people to our culture and history.

Elders, children, leaders and community members of the Gadigal, and other language groups, lit 90 drums of smoking eucalyptus leaves, running the length of the bridge.

The smoking signalled the beginning of the evening’s celebrations and aimed to share with everyone a traditional and important part of Aboriginal culture.

This article appears in the Winter 2007 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.