“The words from Call to Country translate from woiwurrung to English as ‘come together as one, in the healing of our hearts’. The purpose of the Call to Country is to call everyone to ceremony – the spirit of our Ancestors, Elders, everyone, so that we can begin ceremony.” 

– Chenile Chandler

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For all their natural beauty, the Dandenong Ranges have also been a place of violence, loss and destruction.  

The impacts of colonisation continue to reverberate across the generations of Wurundjeri woiwurrung people who suffered violence, loss of Culture, wurrung (Language) and biik (Country). Thanks to the resilience and strength of Wurundjeri Elders, including ngurungaeta Wiiliam Barak and Granny Jemima, and today’s contemporary leaders, Wurundjeri people are still connected to biik and Culture and are able to tell their own important stories of survival and resilience through leadership, art, advocacy and community. 

Forces of nature, from catastrophic bushfires to wild storms, have also shaped the region, and with the increase in human activity, as well as the changing climate, these events will only increase in intensity. 

The inspiring artistic, political and community responses to natural and human-induced crises in the area demonstrate the resilience, connectedness and resourcefulness of the people who live in the Dandenong Ranges.  

woiwurrung translations by Wurundjeri woman Brooke Wandin. 

Stephen N

Wurundjeri people

Generations of Wurundjeri, 2020

acrylic on canvas

51 x 75 cm

This artwork was created through The Torch, a not-for-profit organisation that provides art, cultural and arts industry support to First Nations people currently in, or recently released, from Victorian prisons.

Resilience trails connect Ferny Creek, Tremont and Upper Ferntree Gully.

Along these trails you will discover stories, signage and an Architectural Node (coming soon) that speak to the theme of ‘Resilience’.

Whenever you’re visiting our national parks and state forests, please always check changes to trail conditions, and weather warnings, before beginning your walk. Be sure to take enough water and wear suitable clothing for the conditions.