Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Search unearths aboriginal heritage

Evidence of aboriginal culture and heritage prior to white settlement has been unearthed in a search underway at Macedon Ranges Shire located a short distance north of Melbourne.

New evidence includes an old letter and painting, artefacts which have resided with some local families for generations and anecdotes passed down about camping and corroboree grounds.

"The search has become like a self generating flow of information from people, some of whom are now quite removed from the area," said long time resident, Don Alexander.

Don Alexander chairs a working party overseeing a unique research project aimed at identifying and assessing the significance of all known Aboriginal archaeological sites in the surrounding district. The project will, where appropriate, nominate sites discovered in the Macedon Ranges for inclusion on Australia's Register of the National Estate.

It will also, for the first time, put information about Aboriginal culture and heritage onto modern maps of the Macedon Ranges region. The study is being undertaken by Macedon Ranges Shire Council in conjunction with consultants, du Cros and Associates via a grant from the National Estate. Its recommendations will be incorporated into the Shire's planning scheme. According to consultant Hilary du Cros, the project is quite unique.

"For the first time in Australian history, Aboriginal heritage and culture will be mapped onto the local planning scheme as a cultural landscape in much the same way as the landmarks of European settlement in this area were mapped as a result of an earlier 1994 study," she said.

Assisting in the research and interpretations are three Aboriginal groups associated with the study area- the Melbourne based Wurunjeri Elders Council, the Bendigo based Dja Dja Wrung Aboriginal Association and the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative. The project was recently nominated for a National Reconciliation Award.

For further information contact Peter Gaschk, telephone (03) 5422 6999.

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