Must of had value?

[Ian]

ausjulius is correct about these being throwing sticks primarily. They could conceivably have been used as clubs, but (as I have noted here before) indigenous Austrailan clubs are actually uncommon and were found mainly in coastal regions. Whether such clubs were actual weapons, tools, or symbols of authority/prestige has been debated. Spears were the preferred weapon across the country. This differs from Maori tradition, of course, where clubs were common. There is sometimes a tendency to translate Maori customs to indigenous Australian groups. Two very different cultures from different periods of human development.

Routine practice in killing kangaroos, for example, was to start a grass fire that would cause the animals to flee while hunters lay in wait with any old stick to hit them as they ran past. Manufactured clubs for this purpose were not used as far as I know. Hunting at a distance was done with spears and a woomera (a notched stick used to aid throwing the spear). Throwing sticks (boomerang)--usually straight of slightly curved--were also used for hunting at a distance. The more deeply curved boomerangs that return to the thrower are essentially toys. Such light fast objects were occasionally thrown into a flock of birds to bring some of them to ground.