Community ready for river challenge

Wimmera Aboriginal groups and community organisations will unite for a weekend of fun and learning at Dimboola as part of an annual Wimmera River Challenge.

The challenge started as a way of strengthening ties between the Aboriginal community and Victoria Police with an aim of combating domestic violence, but has expanded its scope to include many health and community groups.

It was revived last year after a temporary discontinuation and attracted more than 300 participants.

Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative’s Dean O’loughlin said this year’s challenge was shaping up to be even bigger.

“It brings a lot of services and partnering coops from Ballarat through to Warrnambool and Portland together,” he said.

“It is a great opportunity to showcase Aboriginal health services in the region and build partnerships with the community.

“It’s almost an end-of-year get together to celebrate the successes we’ve had.”

Mr O’loughlin said the two-day event would kick off with a corporate challenge on Friday afternoon after the success of the concept last year.

He said representatives from groups including Victoria Police, Grampians Community Health, Wimmera Southern Mallee Local Learning and Employment Network, Wimmera Primary Care Partnership, Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee and Barengi Gadjin Land Council, as well as local schools groups, would take part.

Participants will be split into teams named with traditional local Aboriginal names for native animals and compete in a mix of games and activities.

Representatives from Barengi Gadjin will also host a smoking ceremony, traditional dance displays and cook traditional meats, and there will be a tour of Dimboola’s Aboriginal history.

Members of the Aboriginal community from across the region will camp overnight before commencing the river challenge – a 14-kilometre paddle down the Wimmera River from Horseshoe Bend to Dimboola Rowing Club – in the morning.

Mr O’loughlin said there would be children’s activities and a movie screening that night.

He said the entire weekend helped to celebrate and promote Aboriginal culture in the region.

“We’ll all get together and have a good cookup and a good yarn,” he said.

“I think the most important thing is to celebrate our local Aboriginal community and the achievements that are still being made, and the work that is going into bettering the community.

“I think it’s very important to expose other services and the general community to our vibrant local Aboriginal community.

“The feedback we’ve had has been overwhelming. It helps break down barriers and educate people on the strengths of the Aboriginal community, and it’s a great way of doing it.”

“We’ll all get together and have a good cook-up and a good yarn. I think the most important thing is to celebrate our local Aboriginal community and the achievements that are still being made, and the work that is going into bettering the community” – Dean O’loughlin