Saturday, 9 August 2025 | 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Barak Bushlands, Eltham

Meet at the William Barak sign along Diamond Creek Trail – off Falkiner Street; parking on Falkiner Street or at Eltham High School rear, Ely Street

Tickets are FREE, but registration is essential to book your tree-planting spot: Book now via TryBooking →

Let’s Celebrate Together: William Barak & Barak Bushlands

Join the Nillumbik Reconciliation Group and Friends of Biodiversity Hahnes Hill, proudly supported by Nillumbik: The Green Wedge Shire, for a morning of reconciliation, community and culture as we mark two significant milestones:

• Honouring William Barak, the last traditional ngurungaeta (leader) of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung—a respected leader, artist, diplomat, and truth-teller (1823–1903)
• Celebrating 21 years since the naming of Barak Bushlands—formerly Falkiner Street Reserve—on 15 August 2004, signifying Nillumbik Council’s commitment to Indigenous reconciliation. Read more about Barak Bushlands in our Special Places section

What’s Happening

• 11:00 – Gather & Welcome
  Meet at the Barak Bushlands sign; join us for a traditional Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony led by Wurundjeri Elders.
• Ceremonial Tree Planting
  Continue a legacy of care—over 20,000 native trees, shrubs, and grasses have been planted here through volunteer efforts since 1988. Help protect local wildlife, including the platypus in Diamond Creek.
• Djirri Djirri Performance
  Enjoy a culturally rich dance by the only all-female Wurundjeri group, Djirri Djirri (“willy wagtail”)—led by artist and cultural mentor Mandy Nicholson, celebrating ancestral stories through song and dance.
• Yidaki by Ganga Giri
  Be moved by the Yidaki’s (didgeridoo’s) powerful resonance performed by Ganga Giri, a Palawa artist and global ambassador for the Yidaki—described by Peter Gabriel as “taking the didgeridoo places it has never been before”.
• BBQ & Community Time
  Enjoy a free community BBQ thanks to Eltham Lions Club—an opportunity for reflection, conversation, and connection in our shared lands.

Why You Should Come

• Reconnect with Country through traditional ceremony, song, and storytelling.
• Honour William Barak’s legacy, remembering his leadership, artistry, and dedication to justice
• Take meaningful action by planting native species that support local ecosystems.
• Experience Wurundjeri culture in living, evolving forms through dance and music.
• Be part of our reconciliation journey, reinforcing a local foundation for deeper national change.

Acknowledgements

This event is presented by Nillumbik Reconciliation Group in collaboration with Friends of Biodiversity Hohnes Hill. BBQ by Eltham Lions Club. Supported by Nillumbik Shire Council. It builds on decades of community-led reconciliation—including the original 1998 Wingrove Park ceremony and Council’s 2004 naming of Barak Bushlands

Join us in planting seeds—literal and metaphorical—for reconciliation, culture, and community. Let’s celebrate our shared heritage and continue this journey together.