This story touches on a fascinating and important issue: the appropriation, alteration, and misrepresentation of Aboriginal stories and culture, especially in tourism and popular media. The legend of the Three Sisters, as it's widely known, was indeed marketed as a traditional Aboriginal tale, despite being a fictional creation by Patricia Stone, a non-Aboriginal woman. This highlights a broader problem where cultural narratives are often reshaped or distorted, sometimes for commercial reasons or to fit external narratives that may not fully respect or reflect the traditions of the communities from which they originate.

Sharyn Halls' remarks at Echo Point in 2013 shed light on the lived reality of many Aboriginal communities who have witnessed their cultural stories being diluted, reinterpreted, or completely altered over time, often by outsiders. This is a direct result of the historical processes of colonization, forced assimilation, and cultural erasure.

The Gundungurra people's perspective, as shared by Halls, is significant because it acknowledges that while external stories may have become widespread, the true stories—those passed down through generations—are not for others to reinterpret. Instead, only the community itself should have the authority to tell its own stories. This reflects a broader cultural philosophy of ownership, respect, and responsibility for one's heritage.

It also highlights the complexities of "storytelling" in indigenous cultures, where stories are not just for entertainment, but are tied deeply to history, identity, and connection to the land. The way in which a story is told can reflect much more than its surface-level narrative—it can encapsulate spiritual beliefs, social structures, and cultural values. When these stories are co-opted, there's an inherent risk of misrepresenting or oversimplifying the culture they come from.

In the case of the Three Sisters, many people—including the Gundungurra—may have seen it as a harmless or amusing fabrication, but the issue of who controls cultural narratives is much more serious. As Halls points out, the breaking of continuity in traditional storytelling has far-reaching implications, especially when it's mixed with other, often conflicting, stories or presented in ways that misalign with the original meaning.