During 2010 Catchment Programs at Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) received grants from The Ian Potter Foundation and The Council of Australian Museum Directors to develop and deliver programs to highlight Indigenous cultural heritage of the Merri Creek catchment.
The indigenous biodiversity that MCMC works to conserve is, for the Traditional Owners of this country, the Wurundjeri, inseparable from their ancestral stories. For example, the Wurundjeri Creation story features Bunjil and Waa (the Wedge-tailed eagle and Crow), fire, yams and a kangaroo skin bag. The story holds essential traditional clan knowledge about kinship, marriage partners and social responsibilities.
Through our Indigenous, Indigenous project we worked with old friends, made new friends and worked together in new ways. We visited wonderful creeks, grasslands, valleys and wetlands in the Merri catchment as well as Melbourne Museum’s Bunjilaka (the place of Bunjil). We found ways to get to know more about Indigenous cultural heritage and indigenous flora and fauna by spending time creatively. Together we printed indigenous plants, made paper Sacred Kingfishers, created banners, twined grasses, drew, dug and explored.
The following ‘movie’ tells a story of Indigenous cultural heritage and indigenous flora and fauna - Indigenous, Indigenous.
MCMC has gained funds to commence works at two sites where we haven’t previously worked. Kalkallo: The Department of Sustainability and Environment has granted $9,900 for restoration works amongst stony knolls in the part of Kalkallo Common south of Donnybrook Cemetery. We will assess the site and control weeds around significant plant species. Campbellfield: Hume Council has contracted MCMC to commence weed management and planting along the Merri Creek escarpment east of the Bolinda Rd Tip site, which is being converted to public open space.
Congratulations to Coolaroo South Primary School’s Leap Frog Squad who have won a place at the International Kids Teaching Kids River Conference in Adelaide in October 2011. The squad made an outstanding contribution to the recent 2011 Melbourne Water Kids Teaching Kids Conference, where students delivered quality workshops to other students. More details in our August Merri News(411KB pdf file).
The intriguing Galada Tamboore area of Merri Creek can now be explored via a new shared cycling and walking trail recently completed by Parks Victoria.
The trail runs from Somerset Road in Campbellfield, along the top of the creek escarpment, then crosses the Merri Creek via a new footbridge which is roughly in line with Barry Road. It then links, via a gravel trail, to the footbridge across the Hume Freeway which leads into the Whittlesea Public Gardens in Lalor.
The project has been achieved in collaboration with Merri Creek Management Committee, the Cities of Hume and Whittlesea and Melbourne Water.
Wurundjeri Elders joined staff of Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) in an ecological burn of Bababi Djinanang (Jukes Rd) Native Grassland in Fawkner on 17 March. We were honoured to have Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Apples, start the burn and Uncle Ringo to assist.
The Wurundjeri people are the Traditional Owners of the Merri and burning of Native Grassland is a traditional cultural practice.
MCMC has been burning Native Grasslands for 20 years to help to sustain their biodiversity. This is the first time that Traditional Owners have joined MCMC for a burn. We are looking forward to Wurundjeri joining us for more burns and other activities. Next up is Ngarri-djarrang Grassland in Reservoir, followed by Kalkallo Grassland in Kalkallo.
Contact
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at MCMC for more information (9380 8199).
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