Wilgie Mia, known by the Wajarri Traditional Owners as Thuwarri Thaa (the place of red ochre), lies in the Weld Ranges of Australia. It is the largest and deepest underground Aboriginal ochre mine in Australia and the world’s oldest continuing mining operation. Its’ rich red ochre was first extracted more than 30,000 years ago and is still used today in Aboriginal Law, art, ceremony and healing practices throughout the Western Desert and its fringes.
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The Rich Ochre Seams of Wilgie Mia
Wilgie Mia is characterized by large open-cut pits, excavated caverns and underground galleries that follow ochre seams in red, yellow, and green. But it was the red ochre that was most prized by the Wajarri people. The lustrous sheen and the ‘glow in the dark’ properties of this particular ochre, made it among the most sought-after ochre in the country, used for thousands of years in ceremonies, rock art, and for trade.