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Wurundjeri MarkerPrint Page 
Darebin Council has unveiled a monument to recognise the traditional owners of the municipality’s land.
Mayor Gaetano Greco said the Wurundjeri Marker was revealed during Wurundjeri Week celebrations, and the striking artwork was a reminder that the council supported the indigenous community. “It will serve as a significant reminder to the community that this land has a long history going back 40-60,000 years,” he said.
The unveiling included a traditional smoking ceremony conducted by Ian Hunter welcomed the marker and said Darebin Council was at the forefront of honouring multicultural rights. “It is a positive move, but there is still a lot more educating to be done,” Mr Hunter said.
The unveiling was followed by a panel discussion on the history of Batman’s Treaty.
Wurundjeri elders and members of the Wurundjeri Council discussed the significance of the treaty, which was the only treaty ever signed between European settlers and the Aboriginal people. “It is believed the treaty was signed very near here at a location on Merri Creek, so there is a strong local link,” Cr Greco said. “We have one of the largest concentrations of people of Aboriginal descent in metropolitan Melbourne, and we also have many indigenous services based in Darebin, so it is an important aspect of our community.”
Cr Greco said the forum discussions talked about Batman’s Treaty, which was voided just weeks after it was signed, and whether or not similar treaties could be effective in the future. “The first and second tiers of government don’t talk about treaties, but we looked at whether local government could play a role in initiating conversations with Aboriginal clans about land and whether we would in fact need that,” Cr Greco said.
Herald Sun (Vic), 14 August 2014.
Location
| Address: | 274 Gower Street, Darebin City Council, Preston, 3072 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.740421 Long: 145.004841 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Indigenous |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | August-2014 |
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The City of Darebin
acknowledges the
WURUNDJERI people
as the traditional owners of
this land and pays respect to
their Elders past and present
