The Barani website has been developed by the History Team at the City of Sydney with assistance from the City’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel.

The Barani website was first published in 2001, winning a NSW Premier’s History Award in the audiovisual category in 2002. The original website was designed by the Indigenous multimedia company, CyberDreaming, led by Brett Leavy. In 2013, the website was upgraded and redesigned and new content was added, much of it drawn from the Aboriginal history guide, Barani / Barrabugu (Yesterday / Tomorrow): Sydney’s Aboriginal Journey.

In January 2010, the City’s History Team engaged Steve Miller from Museums & Galleries to start the process of mapping historical sites that have associations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people in the local government area.

Steve and his team of researchers identified over 255 sites, which he presented to the the City’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel in June 2010. The panel was excited by his work and established a cultural mapping working group to advise staff on planning the Eora Journey. With their advice, the History Unit has drawn on Steve’s research to produce the Barani / Barrabugu (Yesterday / Tomorrow): Sydney’s Aboriginal Journey, and now, the upgraded Barani website.

The historical essays on the Barani website were written by Dr Anita Heiss, a Wiradjuri author and social commentator, in 2001. Additional historical research and writing was carried out by Terri McCormack and Steven Ross.

This project was first conceived and published in 2001. A number of people and organisations contributed to the development of the content, particularly around the essays. We’d like to acknowledge the following people:

  • Anita Heiss
  • Steven Ross
  • Terri McCormack
  • Department of Aboriginal Affairs
  • Wendy Brady (Aboriginal Research & Resource Centre, University of NSW)
  • Barrina South & Keith Munro (Australian Museum)
  • Allen Madden (Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council)
  • Ronald Briggs, Melissa Jackson, Richard Neville, Kevin Leamon, Greg McDonald, and Jodie Ward (Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW)
  • Tess McLennan (Tourism NSW)
  • Brenda Palma (National Aboriginal History & Heritage Council)
  • Ken Watson & Angela Martin (Yiribana Gallery, Art Gallery of NSW)
  • Lyne Syme (Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative)
  • Tracey Bradford (Heritage Centre, Parramatta City Council) Kirsten Thorpe (State Records)
  • Julia Mant, Yvonne Jackson & Kevin Cook (Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative College)
  • Steve Miller, James Miller, Fabri Blacklock, Ann Stevens, Ian Hickson, Kathy Hackett, & Elizabeth Pastor (Powerhouse Museum)
  • Margaret Campbell (Sydney Aboriginal Discoveries)
  • Melinda Hinkson & Library Staff (Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies)
  • Krys Green (Australian Local Government Association)
  • Vicki Barton, Graham Mooney & Daryl French (NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group)
  • Robbie Lloyd (NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs)
  • Paul True (Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union)
  • Nadia Iacono (Godden, Mackay & Logan)
  • Les Jenkins (Leichhardt Municipal Council)
  • Blackbooks
  • Kyrn Stevens (Gadigal Information Services)
  • Merrima Aboriginal Design Unit
  • Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation
  • Peter Murphy (Search Foundation)
  • Wayne Johnson (Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority)
  • Trevor Dodds & Nancia Guivarra (Radio National)
  • Ken Williams (Australian Railway Historical Society)
  • Pauline Clague
  • Father Frank Fletcher
  • Father Eugene Stockton
  • School of Oriental and African Studies, London
  • Paul Irish and Tamika Goward (Mary Dallas Consulting Archaeologists)

Aboriginal organisations

  • AAF – Aboriginal Australian Fellowship
  • ACTU – Australian Council Trade Unions
  • AECG – Aboriginal Education Consultative Group
  • AIATSIS – Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  • APA – Aborigines Progressive Association
  • ATSIC – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
  • Boomali – Boomali Aboriginal Artists Co-operative
  • CFMEU – Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union
  • DAA NSW – Department of Aboriginal Affairs
  • FCAATSI – Federal Council of the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders
  • GIS – Gadigal Information Services
  • ICERD UN – International Covenant on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination
  • NAHHC – National Aboriginal History and Heritage Council
  • NAIDOC – National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee
  • NAISDA -National Aboriginal and Islander Dance Association
  • NIAAA – National Indigenous Arts Advocacy Association
  • NPWS – National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Tranby – Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative College