Wayne:
I think Roland is correct. This is a heavy throwing stick designed to bring down large game or people. They are sometimes called "non-returning boomerangs," to distinguish them from the more common returning variety. The Australian indigenous people throw these horizontally and a blow from one of these heavy ones can bring down a kangaroo (or man) quite easily. Although spears were preferred for warfare, they did use these heavy throwing sticks in conflicts with each other, and they did use clubs which tended to be a straight piece of hardwood and many had sharp stones imbedded in them.
Ian
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