Sacred women’s business: the Hindmarsh Island bridge affair

In 1988 developers Tom and Wendy Chapman decided to expand their marina on Hindmarsh Island in the mouth of the Murray river which people usually accessed by ferry. But to get the development approved they needed to build a bridge from the mainland. Opposing them were the Ngarrindjeri women on the basis of what became known as ‘secret women’s business’.

The island, which they call Kumarangk, was for them a place of birth, burial and sacred ceremonies. The Hindmarsh Island bridge affair would go on to become of the most controversial disputes over Aboriginal heritage in modern Australian history.   Premiering at the Adelaide Film Festival this weekend is a new documentary about the scheme which would embroil the developers, the women, a lot of lawyers, both the state and federal governments and the media, in protracted battles spanning decades.

Guests:  Tracey Rigney, writer/director KUMARANGK: Sacred Women’s Business and Steve Kenny, one the lawyers who represented the Ngarrindjeri people.

Producer:  Catherine Zengerer