Wadawurrung Traditional Owners secure funding for work at Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk

The Victorian Government has granted Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation nearly $450,000 for works at Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk, the site of Barwon Water’s former Bellarine Basin, which is being transformed into 30 hectares of public open space.

Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation Interim CEO Liam Murphy said the organisation was thrilled to receive the funding for the important project, that would go toward improving the local environment in line with Wadawurrung values.

“Working with Barwon Water on the exciting Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk project has given us the opportunity to apply for this funding from the Nature Fund, which we will put towards pest and weed control, the formation and running of a friends group for the area that will help care for Country on site, and towards a carpark and walkways (towards which the majority of the funding will go) so people can safely access the site without damaging the native environment.

“I am so pleased with the strong partnership between Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Barwon Water. Truly working together has meant that there has been significant input from Wadawurrung in the design process and in working towards an operational space for our Natural Resource Management team, which is very exciting and an example that other organisations can follow.”

The new friends group, which is being coordinated by Bellarine Catchment Network (BCN), has held two weeding days at the site on the corner of Grubb and Swan Bay roads.

Friends of Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk will meet on the first Wednesday of the month, with the wider community welcome to attend and be an exciting part of bush regeneration process from that beginning.

BCN’s Matt Crawley said he was excited by the formation of the group, which had already got to work removing invasive plant species from the site to support aims of the project to care for Country.

“The turnout for the friends’ group has been really strong, which shows how passionate local people are about this project and protecting and enhancing the Bellarine’s natural values.”