Walking the walk
When Bruce Hammond first laid eyes on the Breakaways at Evelyn Downs, he saw an opportunity to support the protection of one of the most significant parcels of Country for Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people.
Wurreka: to yarn, to talk.
Galkangu: to build together, make together, make things happen together, more connected to Country.
We gratefully acknowledge Djaara (the Dja Dja Wurrung people), the Traditional Custodians of Djandak (Dja Dja Wurrung Country) in central Victoria, for over 14 years of partnership.
Together, we are ngulumbarra (gathering together), sharing wurrekangurrak (our talk, our story), striving for Dhelkunya Dja (healing Country) and murrun dhelk (living good health).
We womin-dj-ka: welcome others to share our journey.
Through this partnership, we are working to uphold Bundjiyl’s lore in returning good health and spirit to Djaara, Djandak and Gatjin (water). This is the vision of our co-developed Wurreka Galkangu Shared Strategic Plan, which has been brought to life through a right-way process of deep listening, learning and authentic sharing.
More broadly, it reflects the mutual ambitions we hold for healing Country together.
– Bam Lees, Aboriginal Partnerships Manager“We listened to what Djaara was telling us, simple as that! It meant that Djaara were fully informed and engaged in the process – in healing Country.
"We had the same aspirations and values; the journey has been flexible and not constricted or bound by organisational and historic ways.”
Last year, after seven on-Country workshops between 2021-23, multiple on-Country days with Djaara members at Bush Heritage-managed reserves on Djandak, and the dedicated efforts of a regular project group, we edged ever closer to finalising the Wurreka Galkangu Plan.
It includes the ecological and cultural targets we wish to protect and improve, the healing strategies we will implement, and the challenges we might face as we walk together to heal Djandak.
