Indigenous Connections
Over the past 40 years, significant advances have been made in recognising and supporting the Traditional Custodians who were dispossessed and displaced due to brutal practices and policies associated with European colonisation. These advances are in part to growing respect within the wider community for the care for country over many thousands of years; and the trauma suffered by ‘First People’.
However, this societal shift would not have occurred without the emergence of strong organisations representating the different First Nations language groups. The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation was established in 1985, followed by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation; and, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and Boon Wurrung Land and Sea Council in the 1990’s.
EcoCentre acknowledges each of these organisations has legitimate anscestral links to their respective language group. We respect their continued commitment to cultural lore, and heartily recommend the following links to all with an interest in strengthening community and nature connections.
- Wurrundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aborignal Corporation https://www.wurundjeri.com.au/
- Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation https://www.wadawurrung.org.au/
- Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
https://www.bunuronglc.org/ - Boon Wurrung Land and Sea Council
https://biikbundjil.com/
Humans have long been entrusted to protect Nairm (Port Phillip Bay). In this short film, with subtitles in ten languages, N’arweet Carolyn Briggs AM PhD, Boon Wurrung Elder, shares the Time of Chaos story which tells how Nairm was formed and why we must continue to protect it.
The EcoCentre respectfully acknowledges the Yalukut Willam Clan of the Boon Wurrung / Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional and continuing custodians of the St Kilda region, where the EcoCentre is located. We recognise their culture has survived for more than 60,000 years.
We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded; and that the arrival of Europeans brought massive trauma to the First Peoples. We commit to respecting and protecting Aboriginal sacred sites and significant places.
‘Once as it was’
The beautiful ‘Once as it was’ A1 poster shows the ancestral family estates of Melbourne’s First People. It features information on pre-colonial areas, such as Birrarung River and Point Ormond, with cultural approvals by N’arweet Carolyn Briggs. This map is perfect for school classrooms and offices. Contact us if you’re interested in ordering this resource for your home, school, or workplace. ($5 per poster)
Best Practice Guidelines for Protecting Cultural Heritage Sites
Working closely with the Boon Wurrung Foundation for guidance, we’ve created a flowchart that encapsulates Best Practice Guidelines for Protecting Cultural Heritage Sites. This project outlines how to empower local land managers and Aboriginal groups to proactively protect Cultural Heritage sites from gradual destruction from erosion, weed invasion and unmanaged human foot traffic.
