Animals have played a fundamental role in the cultures and spiritual beliefs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for over 65,000 years. An integral part of relationships with Country and within the community, animals are fundamental to identities, economies and sustainability. Over many millennia of coexistence, and further to their importance as a food source, animals have been enmeshed into law and culture as images of totemic power, and into the ancestral creation stories that link people, creatures and Country.

The Dreamings depicted here outline ways of being in the world, often defining responsibilities and laws regarding the protection of habitats, who can eat which kind of animal, and how and when to eat each animal to ensure the species’ continued abundance. The introduction of stock and working animals, and the establishment of the cattle industry, forever changed the landscape and lifestyles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; as did the arrival of domesticated dogs, which have been embraced by communities and enveloped into stories, lore and artworks alongside their dingo cousins. Their legacies are also explored here.