YARAAN STEWART-BUNDLE

Yaraan Stewart-Bundle is a Keerray Woorroong and Gunditjmara Whale Dreaming Custodian, with a long connection to Koontapool (Keerray Woorrong language), the Southern Right Whale. Yaraan is a leader of Southern Ocean Protection Embassy Collective (SOPEC) – Gunditjmara First Nations People’s Ocean defenders. 

As a staunch, knowledgeable advocate for ocean protection, including opposing currently-proposed seismic testing in the Southern Ocean, she feels a great responsibility to protect the species.  

“Our song lines are interconnected with sky, land and sea. We’re tied to those creation Songlines as women especially – and directly linked to those song lines,” she says. “Those creation song lines are part of that responsibility. We care for species ranging from bent-wing bats to blue whales. They come and frequent our country at different times of the year. Southern Right Whales calve around our country too.”

Yaraan will particpate in the Whale Dreaming Panel in the Aunty ALice Moore stage during Giiyong Festival 2025.