Timely honour
AT the beginning of this week I was honoured to unveil an Acknowledgment to Country plaque in the foyer at City Hall.
This was a small but important gesture recognising the traditional owners of the land, the Wadawurrung people, and the contribution they’ve made to the Geelong region over thousands of years.
We hope the plaque will help to create a welcoming and inclusive environment at City Hall, and will be another step in strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people here in our city.
The unveiling was a perfect way to open NAIDOC Week, and got me thinking about the many ways Geelong has been shaped by its strong and proud Aboriginal culture.
There was a momentous event in southwestern Victoria during the weekend when Budj Bim, a 6600-year-old aquaculture site near Portland, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It’s not as widely known as perhaps it should or could be, but we have a landmark with a similarly ancient history here in our own backyard.
Wurdi Youang, near Little River, is a human-designed astronomical site believed to be about 11,000 years old.
This makes it older than Stonehenge or the Great Pyramids of Egypt, and shows that local Aboriginal people were some of the world’s earliest astronomers.
Evidence of this type of knowledge was largely ignored or overlooked by European settlers, but now traditional owners, together with archaeologists and historians, are doing some excellent work to recognise and revive it.
As a result, when we speak about Geelong on the world stage as a UNESCO City of Design, we reference Wurdi Youang as the first example (by a long way) of our region’s history of design and innovation. Early in my time as a councillor I was fortunate to hold the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio and learnt a great deal about the complex local history and land stewardship systems.
Tandop (Uncle David Tournier) was a tremendous source of information and inspiration. He loved passing down the history of his people in the traditional way — through storytelling — and he was incredible to listen to.
NAIDOC Week is partly about encouraging more of these conversations, so that we can all gain a better understanding of each other and work together for a shared future.
Council is in the process of creating a new Reconciliation Action Plan, aimed at strengthening our relationships with the traditional owners and the local Aboriginal community.
We’ve recently invited public feedback on this plan and we were encouraged by the amount of input and positive ideas we received. Now it’s about turning those into action.
It’s pleasing to see a real appetite to recognise our Aboriginal heritage wherever we can, and this will certainly be something the council will consider as part of any new projects or initiatives.
I’m hopeful there will be opportunities as part of our new civic precinct, and perhaps in future stages of the Green Spine.
The recent renaming of Stewarts Reserve in Armstrong Creek to Dooliebeal — the Wadawurrung word for the native red gums in the area — was one example. That particular reserve, like many other areas in our region, holds some very important Aboriginal culture and history.
The Reconciliation Action Plan will result in a series of priorities — based on the community’s wishes — that will help build respect and understanding between Aboriginal and non-indigenous people, and also create opportunities.
Last month we took an important step when we updated our Procurement Policy to give us the option of adding criteria for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses or individuals. This is a tangible way the council can contribute to achieving better social and economic outcomes.
Geelong has much to be proud of in the way it celebrates the many different cultural backgrounds that make up our community.
They all contribute something unique to the rich fabric of our city and region.
NAIDOC Week is the time to celebrate the very first people who set foot on these lands — their history, culture and achievements.
Bring your family to City Hall between 6 and 11 each night to see the incredible Aboriginal art projections, or attend one of the many events across the region.
You’ll be showing your support for our Aboriginal community, and there’s a good chance you’ll learn something as well. Bruce Harwood is Mayor of Geelong.