THE sixth annual Wimmera River Challenge is set to be the biggest yet.
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The event at Dimboola on December 8 and 9 aims to celebrate culture and strengthen community partnerships, with its centrepiece being a rowing challenge involving various community groups.
Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative runs the event, with support from other organisations including Victoria Police.
Senior Constable Les Power has been involved with the event since it started.
“It started out as a Grampians Indigenous Family Violence Regional Action Group project, and it’s grown bigger and bigger,” he said.
“It’s designed to get the community involved in sport, and also to celebrate the river, which is very important to indigenous people. It’s about getting people down to the river, on the river, and camping along the river.”
Goolum Goolum health and well-being programs manager Dean O’Loughlin said culture was a large part of the weekend, which for the first time would start with a corporate and community day on Friday.
“Last year we had about 65 people involved, and this year we’re anticipating about 100 people,” he said. “It’s gone gangbusters.
“On Friday we have a welcome to country from an Aboriginal elder, presentations from Aboriginal role models, games, boomerang throwing, and a dance performance.”
Friday will also include cultural walks and outdoor movies. Saturday involves teams rowing from Horseshoe Bend to the Dimboola Rowing Club.
Mr O’Loughlin said the event was not a race, but an opportunity for young Koorie people and their families to get to know and feel confident with others, including police.
“It’s about building stronger families in a fun and safe environment, as well as creating a platform for promoting and networking with community and support services,” he said.
The Indigenous Family Violence Community Initiative Fund finances the project.
The Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Wimmera Southern Mallee Local Learning and Employment Network, and Wimmera Primary Care Partnership are partners.