ngurrak barring | RidgeWalk was first conceived in 2017 by Yarra Ranges Council, and a Masterplan was commissioned in 2018. Yarra Ranges Council has led the project in partnership with State and Federal Government, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Parks Victoria, residents, artists, businesses, schools, cultural and community organisations. Indigenous culture, the environment, heritage and creativity were the key local values identified during this early conceptual phase and they continue to underpin all subsequent project activities.

COMMISSIONED STUDIES

Given ngurrak barring’s strong emphasis on narrative, two cultural studies were completed to inform the project.  These studies outline the stories that will be brought to life through the project’s dynamic creative program. 

RidgeWalk: A History of Culture, Artists and Creativity in the Dandenong Ranges 

In 2017, Yarra Ranges Council commissioned “RidgeWalk”: A History of Culture, Artists and Creativity in the Dandenong Ranges. The report was developed by Bronwyn Hanna History and Heritage in collaboration with local history groups.  

Featuring: 

– Three brief historical accounts of the Dandenong Ranges — natural history, Aboriginal history and colonial/postcolonial history.

– A stand-alone illustrated catalogue with 30 entries on the life and work of locally distinguished individuals and five accounts of local creative households 

Aboriginal Cultural Values Assessment Report 

In 2019, Yarra Ranges Council worked with the Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, and Extent Heritage to create an Aboriginal cultural values report. The report provides a greater understanding of Aboriginal culture and history in the Dandenong Ranges.   

Key themes that emerged from discussions with Elders included: 

– Identity and Custodianship 

– Telling the truth about dispossession and survival 

– Cultural routes 

– Seasonality and resource use 

– The importance of water 

– Mountain Ash as holders of memory 

– Significant past Elders 

– Living and working in the twentieth century 

These themes will continue to be developed in conjunction with Wurundjeri and local Aboriginal community members to determine how they might be conveyed within the ngurrak barring experience. 

CONSULTATION

The ngurrak barring Indigenous Project Advisory Network 

Given the strong emphasis on First Nations stories throughout ngurrak barring, a Project Indigenous Advisory Network was created to maintain strong cultural leadership throughout all implementation stages of ngurrak barring.  

The Network consisted of Traditional Owners from the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, and members of the local Aboriginal Community, including two members of the Yarra Ranges Council Indigenous Advisory Council.  

Outcomes for the Network included: 

– Ensuring the ngurrak barring interpretation experience is culturally relevant, sensitive and reflective of the Traditional Owner and local Aboriginal communities, their culture and history.

– Ensuring ngurrak barring is exemplary in ethically telling Indigenous stories and commissioning Indigenous design. 

– Bringing the ngurrak barring Interpretation Plan and Curatorial Framework to life 

– Facilitating an experience that engages a wide local, national and international audience with a deep sense of Country and history of place. 

Community 

Throughout 2018 and 2019 project staff and Master Planning consultants explored ideas about art, history, transportation, recreation, parking and tourism with the community to help shape ngurrak barring.  

Community engagement served a critical role in the project’s development.

A draft of the Masterplan was open for public comment in June 2019, and after amendments were made, re-released to the community for further feedback in early 2020. The project suffered set backs during the COVID-19 pandemic and the catastrophic storms in 2021. Following that period, significant advances were made, with several artworks and signage installed, and pedestrian crossing works completed. Installation of the Architectural Nodes will be completed in 2026.

Consultation took place with bodies such as the National Gallery of Victoria, Tourism Victoria, Creative Victoria, RMIT, Deakin University, The Highline (New York), and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, in addition to the Project Indigenous Advisory Network, as well as specific workshops with artists and environmental groups.

ngurrak barring is a Yarra Ranges Council initiative supported by the Victorian State Government and the Commonwealth Government in partnership with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and Parks Victoria.