Mick Quilliam

The word Tara is the Tasmanian Aboriginal word for Blue Gum. Mick was drawn to go to the Bicheno Blow Hole in Tasmanian. The spirit of his Grandmother told him this was an important place for the Rageorappa story. The surrounding region is the home of many Blue Gum trees. When the sea breeze in Oyster Bay is very rough one of the ancestors Tolia said it was Rageorappa trying to drive away the gods who came down to Trowenna to gather jellyfish. These winds blow through the blue gum trees which is the home to the fire tail finches. Moinee, the great god-star crashed to earth and hundreds of flaming sparks flew from the melted mass. When the sparks met the cool air, they turned into tiny flying birds. Today you seem them in the cool valleys where they hang to the blue gum trees.