This hunting boomerang, or throwstick was made out of Mulga, a dense desert hardwood. I acquired it in 1998 from Rob Croll, a well known collector from Melbourne. This is a large boomerang with ochre applied to the surface on both sides. The bent end is decorated on both ends with ceremonial ochre paint. The shape runs with the grain and construction was completed with metal tools as file marks are visible on the surface. The decorated end has some edge chips that were probably made during construction. There is a very small chip on the inside of the other arm. A couple of closed cracks run throughout the length of the boomerang. This is common on most of the larger hardwood boomerangs as a result of moisture loss over the years. It is still a very nice artifact that was made for Aboriginal use instead of the tourist trade. My best guess is that this one was made in the mid 20^th Century.