AN area home to many generations of Wotjobaluk people is the subject of a new cultural and environmental initiative.
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Barengi Gadjin Land Council and Wotjobaluk traditional owners marked the anniversary of their 2005 Native Title Consent Determination by returning water to The Ranch Billabong at Dimboola on Friday.
The activity involves pumping 20 megalitres of water from the Wimmera River into the billabong – one of the most culturally significant sites along the river – to improve tree health and water quality, and encourage the re-establishment of plant life.
The watering will increase the prevalence of Old Man Weed – known also as Sneezeweed – a native wetland plant used by Wotjobaluk people for medicinal purposes.
Wimmera Catchment Management Authority and the Victorian Environmental Water Holder are supporting the prokect, with the water coming from the holder’s Wimmera and Glenelg rivers ‘water for the environment’ allocation.
Barengi Gadjin Land Council owns and manages the billabong on the western side of the bridge at Dimboola.
The council’s water officer and Wotjobaluk traditional owner Stuart Harradine said restoring the billabong was something the community had wanted to see for years.
“The council has received funding to help achieve some of its goals for the site such as restoring native plant and animal habitats, and having water is a key part of this,” he said.
“We are also improving access and knowledge sharing at the site with tracks and interpretative signage.”
The Ranch Billabong was home to Wotjobaluk people before European settlement and increasingly after Antwerp’s Ebenezer Mission closed.
Wimmera Catchment Management Authority chief executive David Brennan said the billabong’s condition had deteriorated significantly in the past few years.
“Red gums are showing signs of stress, water quality is poor and there is a lack of aquatic and fringing plants, which provide habitat for fish and bugs,” he said.
“The watering is expected to improve the health of stressed red gums, encourage re-establishment of plant life and improve water quality.
“This is an exciting project that will have cultural and environmental benefits.”
Mr Brennan said the project was a result of extensive community consultation and planning.
Wotjobaluk people participated in a consultation session on Friday to discuss ideas and actions to further improve the site.
The watering program is funded by the state government and its Aboriginal water program.
