Amongst the amusements of the men, wrestling always takes a pre-eminent place and is also practised during ceremonial meetings. According to native legends this game was common among the mythic ancestors. Another game is performed with a ball consisting of pieces of wallaby or possum skin, tightly rolled and sewn together with sinews. Before the game starts two or three parties are formed, each of which consists of those men and women who belong to a particular range of companions. The ball is thrown in the air and the aim of the game is to keep it continuously moving without touching the ground. When somebody catches the ball he throws it to one of his party, while the opposing team tries to catch it in mid-flight. The game continues until the people are tired or become too hot.

Wity wity throwing is another game. The wity wity is made from an oblong piece of wood, five or six inches long and one inch thick in the middle, petering out towards both ends into a point. A thin, tough rod about 20 or 30 inches long was fixed to one end with string or gum. The player throws the wity wity in such a way that it touches the ground a few feet before him and then jumps away for some distance in the grass. The person who is able to throw his projectile the furthest in that way is the winner. Often a nulla nulla [club] was used as a wity wity and the game played in exactly the same way.

Spear exercises are conducted as follows: a disc of green, hard bark, about a foot in diameter, is removed from a tree. The participants are placed in a row, all facing the same direction and one strong man takes his place about 10 or 15 yards in front of one end of the row. When all men are holding their spears in balance a signal is given and the man throws the bark disc on its edge over the ground in front of the participants and parallel to them. When it is rolling along like a boy’s hoop, every man hurls his spear at it as soon as it passes his sight line. The best hit is rewarded by the applause of the audience.

During the warmer months of the year swimming in deep waters offered a good pastime. Most of us have entertained ourselves as boys by seeing who, during diving, could stay longest under water. The young blacks do the same as well. On a given sign the competitors dive at the same time, while some old men wait for their resurfacing. The blacks always dive with their feet ahead, just the opposite to the European way of diving.