Before the appearance of Europeans to the region now called 'Discovery Coast', the area was the hunting grounds of the Meerooni tribe of Aborigines. Their territory extended from the southern coastal boundary at Baffle Creek along the coast to the north at Rodds Bay. Their neighbours were the Gurang Gurang tribe in the south and the Toolooa tribe in the north. The Meerooni tribe's main camping area was centred at what is now known as Bustard Bay.

Axe flakings and remains of shell fish (called middens) can still be observed on Middle Island, Eurimbula, Round Hill Creek and Agnes Water as evidence that these were camping grounds of the Aborigines.

For inter-tribal communication, travelling routes were laid down by all tribes. These routes were used for annual visits when weapons and materials were exchanged and news passed on. However, if a member of another tribe was found outside these routes in all likelihood he would be attacked.

At the beginning of white settlement in the district the estimated population of the Toolooa and Meerooni tribes was about one thousand men, women and children in each tribe.