The Three Sisters Legend

Long ago in the Blue Mountains, three aboriginal sisters named Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo, lived with their witch doctor father,Tyawan. They lived happily in the mountains but they shared one fear-the bunyip that lived in a deep hole nearby. So to protect his daughters when he was a way, Tyawan would leave them high on a cliff behind a rock wall.

One day, after waving goodbye to his daughters, Tyawan descended into the valley. However, when a large centipede appeared on the cliff top sanctuary,it so frightened Meehni that she threw a stone at it. But the stone rolled over the cliff. Suddenly, all the animals were silent and the rock behind the three sisters split open, leaving them isolated on the thin edge. There was a rumble below and all the creatures began to flee yelling `quick, here comes the bunyip!, Horrified, the three sisters huddled together. The angry bunyip, which had emerged from his sleep, looked up to see what had rudely awakened him.When he spotted the sisters, perched on the thin ledge,he lurched furiously towards them. In the valley, Tyawan heard the commotion and looked up to see that the bunyip had almost reached his daughters. Frantic, the witch doctor pointed his magic bone at his daughters and turned them into stone. It would keep them safe there until the bunyip had gone, after which Tyawan would return them to their former selves.The bunyip became even more enraged when he saw what had happened. He turned on Tyawan and chased him, While fleeing. Tyawan became trapped by a rock which he could neither climb nor circle, so he changed himself into a lyrebird and disappeared into a small cave. But alas, although everyone was safe, Tyawan had lost his magic bone! After the bunyip returned home, Tyawan crept out of the cave to search for his magic bone. And he is still looking for it to this day. Meanwhile, the Three sisters stand watching silently watching from their mountain ledge, hoping he will one day find the magic bone to bring them back to life.