The history of Indigenous people on the Dampier Peninsula is thought to date back as far as 5,000 years and the communities on the north tip of the peninsula include those of the Bardi (land) and Jaawi (island) coastal Indigenous groups. These local people retain a particularly special relationship with their land and sea that encompasses in-depth knowledge of bush foods and medicine and traditional hunting and fishing practices.

The Dampier Peninsula is a large, remote and rugged wilderness dotted with many Aboriginal communities and homes as well as a handful of privately-owned properties, Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm being one of them. The northern half of the Peninsula is Aboriginal-owned country, locally known in the local language as ‘Ardi’ meaning ‘heading north’. While there are various Aboriginal communities throughout the Peninsula who welcome visitors, please avoid travelling on unmarked tracks as they may lead to sites of traditional significance and sensitivity.