KIM-BARNE WADAWURRUNG TABAYL
(Welcome to Wadawurrung Country)
We acknowledge our Ancestors and our Elders past and present.
We acknowledge that our Ancestors nurtured and cared for Wadawurrung Country for tens of thousands of years.
We acknowledge the hardships, the horror and the harm that they suffered following colonisation and the devastating impacts of that, which are still evident and felt today.
The fact that Wadawurrung People and Culture have managed to survive and thrive demonstrates enormous strength, resilience and adaptability.
Wadawurrung People are determined to see their unique cultural heritage protected and respected. Wadawurrung aims to restore Traditional knowledge and authority over the management of Wadawurrung Country for the betterment of those living on, prospering from and/or simply enjoying its land, waterways and coastal areas.
Wadawurrung people are the Traditional Owners of this land (see map below). Our family have looked after and cared for this country for over a thousand generations, and are still caring for it to this very day.
The Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (WTOAC) is the Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) for Wadawurrung country, with statutory authority for the management of Aboriginal heritage values and culture, under the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act, 2006.
In support of our above responsibilities, we provide a wide variety of services to organisations, assisting them in compliance with the aforementioned Act. We provide field representatives to assist with the discovery and repatriation of cultural heritage artefacts and ancestral remains. Our induction programs help to acquaint individuals and organisations with our heritage.
The Wadawurrung people
Wadawurrung Country stretches from the Great Dividing Range of Ballarat, to the coast from the Werribee River to Aireys Inlet, including Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast
We acknowledge that our ancestors nurtured and cared for Wadawurrung Country for tens of thousands of years. Wadawurrung People are determined to see their unique cultural heritage protected and respected.
The Wadawurrung vision is Wunggurrwil gupma bengadak Wadawurrung wurring-wurring baap dja (All people working together to make Wadawurrung Country and Culture strong.)
Wadawurrung aims to restore Traditional knowledge and authority over the management of Wadawurrung Country for the betterment of those living on, prospering from and/or simply enjoying its land, waterways and coastal areas.
Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation is the representative body for Wadawurrung Traditional Owners. The Corporation works to support their aspirations and protect Aboriginal Cultural Heritage in accordance with the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation was appointed in May 2009 as a Registered Aboriginal Party under the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
Wadawurrung’s RAP area covers over 10,000 square kilometres on the western side Melbourne and including the major regional cities of Geelong and Ballarat. This area incorporates the activities of 11 separate local councils – including many that are experiencing very high rates of growth in terms of population, infrastructure, commercial and residential development. Wadawurrung Country also incorporates the start of the Great Ocean Road, one of Australia’s most iconic and popular tourist destinations.
Paleert Tjaara Dja (Healthy Country Plan)
The Wadawurrung Healthy Country Plan has the vision of All people working together to make Wadawurrung Country and Culture strong.
Principles
Wadawurrung are a proud first nations people committed to working with our members, neighbours, government agencies, land and water managers and the broader community as we protect and heal Country together for all people.
Paleert Tjaara Dja – Let’s make Country good together 2020-2030 – Wadawurrung Country Plan invites a respectful working, learning and committed sharing together approach based on cultural knowledge and practices.
The principles that guide our partnerships in Caring for Country are:
- Respect and Acknowledgement for Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and our cultural, ancestral, spiritual and historical connections to Country.
- Wadawurrung people’s right to access and care for Country as an expression of our cultural obligation, responsibilities, connectedness, our well-being and as our economic basis.
- Country is interconnected, alive with dreaming and creation stories, imprinted with our cultural values and social history – there is no separation between cultural and natural resources and people.
- Free, prior and informed consent requires genuine engagement from the beginning of decision-making or project planning in a way that is relevant to us, providing timely information and processes that support cultural governance.
- We seek partnerships that are genuine, are of benefit to Wadawurrung people, are in the spirit of reconciliation, that address past negative impacts and enable self-determination and real outcomes.
- Providing appropriate and equitable resourcing for Wadawurrung people to participate in their obligation of care and management of Country.
- Open and honest relationships that sustain effective working partnerships.
- Wadawurrung Traditional Owners are the holders of cultural knowledge.
- Respect for and appropriate protection of our intellectual and cultural property rights in sharing information.
The Healthy Country Plan can be viewed in its entirety by clicking here
A summary version is also available
There is also Healthy Country Plan video
Major threats and drivers of change
Water
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The upper Barwon/Moorabool, Yarowee and Leigh rivers or Barre Warre Yulluk catchment (including 94 tributaries) covers 5,380 km2. These rivers provide the majority of the drinking water for Geelong and Ballarat. Water is extracted from rivers and underground aquifers to supply town water, farming and industry. To hold water in sections for use there are many weirs and barriers placed into our waterways.
This results in less water going into our rivers, wetlands and estuaries, affecting the water flows and availability. This harms our plants, animals, their homes, the nurseries for species such as wetland birds, fish and shellfish. This also affects their ability to feed, breed and impacts our cultural values and stories.
Biodiversity
Many types of plants found on Country are non-indigenous species that have come from other places. Some do very well and become weeds spreading rapidly, causing harm and stopping our native plants from thriving.
This can also include the many plantations like pine plantations in our inland country. Once these weeds start to grow, they can be spread by wind, water, by attachment to animals, humans and machinery, inclusion in mud, soil, fodder and mulch, ingestion as a food source or intentionally by humans.
When we take fire out of the landscape over time, we see thicker forested areas and dry sclerophyll matter build up over time. This creates higher intensity bushfires and very little stands a chance to survive. Wadawurrung want to reduce that risk, keep our people safe and eliminate the damage to culturally significant places, native plants and animals.
Rabbits establish warrens where suitable soil conditions allow and quickly establish breeding populations. They cause loss of plant cover and soil erosion through eating native plants and digging burrows. They can stop native plants from growing back after a fire because they eat all the seedlings.
Foxes and cats are pest predators that kill our native mammals like boo (bandicoot), spotted-tailed yoorn (quoll), birds like orange-bellied parrot and reptiles. Foxes and cats have contributed to some native species becoming extinct on Wadawurrung Country.
Land
Much of our Country has been substantially modified by urban development, particularly in those areas centred on Geelong and Ballarat. Our country is experiencing the largest urban growth corridor in Victoria.
The G21 Regional Growth Plan predicts that the population of this region will increase from its current 294,000 people to 433,000 by 2041.
The Central Highlands Regional Growth Plan predicts that the population of the Central Highlands region will increase from its current 169,300 people to 247,500 by 2041.
As the population grows there will be greater pressure to develop more land for housing, commercial and industrial purposes
Coast and Marine
Sea surface temperature is projected to increase in the range of 1.6 to 3.4 °C by 2090 under high carbon emissions. This poses a significant threat to the marine environment through biological changes in marine species, including local abundance, community structure and enhanced coral bleaching risk. The sea will also become more acidic proportional to emissions growth.
Sea level rises due to climate change will lead to inundation of coastal areas and loss of cultural sites. By 2030 the projected range of sea-level rise for the region’s coastline is 0.08 to 0.18 m above the 1986 – 2005 level, with only minor differences between emission scenarios. Under certain circumstances, sea level rises higher than these may occur.
Community
The Wadawurrung today are the seven family groups, the descendants of John Robinson our apical ancestor, numbering approximately 600 people. John was the son of Wadawurrung Elder, Canobeen – Queen Mary of Ballarat (or Borriyallock ) and John spent much of his time in the 1800s on the Terrinallum, Booriyallock, Mt. Emu and stations near Skipton in the north-west of Wadawurrung Country with his parents and people.
A key driver for the Wadawurrung community is the – Let’s make country good together 2020-2030 – Paleert Tjaara Dja – Wadawurrung Country Plan. It is our collective dream and direction for the future of our people and Country. It tells the story of what is important to us, and what we need to do about it. It will be a guide for building upon our cultural heritage management work and progressing our broader Caring for Country aspirations.
Many land managers do not recognise Wadawurrung people as the Traditional Owners and custodians of Wadawurrung Country. We are often excluded from decisions making processes regarding what happens on Country. There is lack of education around the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act and our role as the legally recognised corporation to work with in protecting cultural heritage.
This is disempowering and not best for Country. By recognising us as the traditional owners and working with us to take care of Country we will all benefit. We will continue to seek formal recognition through all means available.
It is our cultural obligation to look after Wadawurrung Dja but there are only a few people who have jobs taking care of Country. To be able to work with the many land managers on Wadawurrung Country we need support for more Wadawurrung people to build the wide range of skills needed to be able to combine both current natural resource management techniques with traditional knowledge and practices.
Desired outcomes for the future
Water
Taken from Healthy Country Plan
WTOAC1: By 2030, there is enough water in the waterways of our main river systems Barwon/Moorabool, and Leigh rivers that flows through the system, without barriers and is clean enough to drink.
Biodiversity
Taken from Healthy Country Plan
WTOAC2: By 2030, the current extent of volcanic grass lands and woodlands is increased by 5%.
WTOAC3: By 2030, no more of our native animals have become threatened.
WTOAC4: By 2035, at least one threatened species is no longer threatened.
Land
WTOAC5: By 2030, 60% of Wadawurrung people who want to work on Country have jobs or businesses.
Coast and Marine
Taken from Healthy Country Plan
WTOAC6: By 2029, native vegetation extent remains or increases and cultural places are protected.
WTOAC7: By 2030, the sea life in species, the seaweed and water quality remains at 2020 numbers and levels.
Community
Wurrgurrwilwa gupma bengadak Wadawurrung wurring-wurring baap dja – All people working together to make Wadawurrung Country and Culture strong is the shared Vision of the Wadawurrung people.
A key driver for the Wadawurrung community is the – Let’s make country good together 2020-2030 – Paleert Tjaara Dja – Wadawurrung Country Plan. It is our collective dream and direction for the future of our people and Country.
The plan will also help us strengthen our people’s cultural knowledge and education to be able to develop our land and sea management program, pursuing purchases, access and co-management arrangements for Country. This can provide our people and future generations a foundation for protecting our culture and Country and have culturally appropriate social, cultural and economic development opportunities.
We are already providing some opportunities for Wadawurrung families to learn language and culture. We will provide dedicated ongoing opportunities year-round so that all Wadawurrung People can be on Country to share and learn and strengthen our cultural identity and family connections. Healing and building our Wadawurrung nation so we can continue to care for Country and share our rich culture with the broader public.
To provide connection to cultural knowledge and better understanding of Country in residents, visitors and lands managers. We will provide a safe place for our young people to learn and practice culture, so they can stand strong, proud and lead with this cultural knowledge.
WTOAC8: By 2025 70% of Wadawurrung Traditional Owners have strong cultural connection and knowledge, we are practicing culture and speaking language.
WTOAC9: By 2029 Wadawurrung people are involved in the management of all known cultural sites and places.
WTOAC10: By 2030, 60% of Wadawurrung people who want to work on Country have jobs or businesses.
WTOAC11: By 2030, there is enough of Wadawurrung People’s favourite bush tucker.
WTOAC12: By 2021 we have established an ongoing cultural strengthening program for Wadawurrung people.
WTOAC13: By 2030 our younger generations are leading cultural practices.
Priority directions
9 areas
- Respect and Acknowledgement for Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and our cultural, ancestral, spiritual and historical connections to Country.
- Wadawurrung people’s right to access and care for Country as an expression of our cultural obligation, responsibilities, connectedness, our well-being and as our economic basis.
- Country is interconnected, alive with dreaming and creation stories, imprinted with our cultural values and social history – there is no separation between cultural and natural resources and people.
- Free, prior and informed consent requires genuine engagement from the beginning of decision-making or project planning in a way that is relevant to us, providing timely information and processes that support cultural governance.
- We seek partnerships that are genuine, are of benefit to Wadawurrung people, are in the spirit of reconciliation, that address past negative impacts and enable self-determination and real outcomes.
- Providing appropriate and equitable resourcing for Wadawurrung people to participate in their obligation of care and management of Country.
- Open and honest relationships that sustain effective working partnerships.
- Wadawurrung Traditional Owners are the holders of cultural knowledge.
- Respect for and appropriate protection of our intellectual and cultural property rights in sharing information.
