Truth Telling, Healing And Creating For Community On Djaara Country
The “Truth Telling, Healing and Creating for Community on Djaara Country” project has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 LGPro Award for Excellence in the First Nations Partnership category.
The award nomination emanates from the partnership between Central Goldfields Shire Council and DJAARA for their collaborative work on the Indigenous Interpretive Garden at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery and the Welcome Stranger Digital Animation at the Central Goldfields Visitor Centre.
With National Reconciliation Week being celebrated from 27 May – 3 June, the whole community is invited to enjoy these two wonderful, free experiences in the Shire.
Central Goldfields Shire Mayor Councillor Grace La Vella said it was an honour for Council to be selected as a co-finalist in the First Nations Partnership category.
“This nomination recognises the strong partnership between Council and DJAARA and we are very proud to now have such valuable cultural assets as a result of these collaborative projects.”
“The Welcome Stranger film has been recognised as an outstanding example of truth telling, revealing the obvious devastation of our early history, while the Indigenous Interpretive Garden brings a healing presence to the middle of town, right opposite our newly redeveloped Maryborough Hospital”
The Welcome Stranger Digital Animation Film is activated automatically as visitors enter a theatrette in the historic Maryborough Railway Station. The film is free to enjoy and is a permanent installation at the Visitor Centre.
It traces the origin and discovery of gold, the economic boom in the region and how it impacted the lives, culture and Country of the Traditional Owners of our area, the Dja Dja Wurrung people. It also shares the positive message of how the people of the Central Goldfields are working together with the Traditional Owners the Dja Dja Wurrung to restore Country and to recognise and celebrate the value of Djaara culture and knowledge.
garingilang gatjin wii means water and fire garden in Dja Dja Wurrung language, and is a public garden space next to the Central Goldfields Art Gallery inviting the whole community to come together to understand and celebrate Dja Dja Wurrung Culture. The garden was designed by Dja Dja Wurrung Elders and artists to share their knowledge and story.
The Garden features culturally significant elements, including rock wells and grinding grooves traditionally used for ochre, axe and spear head grinding. The design and artwork were developed through a “Wartaka” (“coming together”) process with Djaara members.
Dja Dja Wurrung Group CEO Rodney Carter said, “Through this collaboration, Dja Dja Wurrung People are sharing culture with the broader community.”
“Practising Culture is healing for Dja Dja Wurrung People, and creating this space will help the healing of Country while providing a beautiful natural space that benefits all communities.”
The LGPro Awards for Excellence will announce a winner on Thursday 5 June in Melbourne and will be a fitting finale to National Reconciliation Week, which runs 27 May to 3 June 2025.
The garden and animation were jointly funded developments in partnership with Central Goldfields Shire Council and the Victorian government over the past two years.
https://www.centralgoldfields.vic.gov.au/Whats-Happening/Latest-News/Media-Releases/Award-Nomination-for-Truth-Telling-Healing-and-Creating-for-Community-on-Djaara-Country