By Dongyun Kwon
Recognising the significance of the First Nations history and culture in the Yarra Valley, Healesville-Yarra Glen Uniting Church has opened a special space in front of the church after the worship service on Sunday 20 October.
The opening of special garden was led by Walking Together group which was formed within the church, aiming at walking together with First Nations.
Walking Together group member Margaret Blair said the group started in 2018, thanks to the funding from the Synod of Uniting Church Victoria and Tasmania.
“It’s taken various forms along the way. Basically, we’re a group of people who are not First Nations people who want to understand more about the First Nations people here and particularly with Coranderrk and Wurundjeri,” she said.
“We talked with the people and we did a lot of reading and we tried to come to a better understanding of what had happened in this district.
“What we discovered was very disturbing. We knew it would be but it was even more disturbing than we thought, the way that the First Nations people had been treated.”
As part of the projects, the group came up with an idea of a special reflective space.
Another group member Coral Jeffs, who is a horticulturist, said the garden project was a good way to bring back indigenous plants which grow in Healesville.
“We were aware that a lot of people used to use the church lawn or probably still do on the other side to sit and have a picnic,” she said.
“It was important for me to have what’s called a Coranderrk plant, the colonial name of it is the Victorian Christmas Bush.
“It was a signature plant from Coranderrk, so it was important for me to have a specimen of that in the garden.”
First Nations artist Aunty Kim Wandin created a binak [basket] for the garden.
“Chris Joy did a lot of the design work and the concept side of things and then Aunty Kim created a binak that is very significant to their culture,” Ms Jeffs said.
“The basket was a very used receptacle as a nurturing kind of symbol. She wove that out of the lomandra, Mat Rush leaves and then got dipped in bronze.
“We were donated the rocks, the Lilydale rocks. That was really important, really special to Aunty Kim too because she saw them as part of Bunjil’s creation.”
Healesville-Yarra Glen Uniting Church historically has a close link to Coranderrk as John Green and William Barak both were involved in the church and one of the windows in the church commemorating Anne Bone, who supported the First Nations people.
“One of the things we discovered was that John Green, who was the superintendent at Coranderrk. He ministered to Coranderrk and was a significant friend of the Coranderrk, the First Nations people,” Ms Blair said.
“He was also minister of this church so that was a link that we were pleased to find.
“We also discovered when we went back through our historical records that William Barak was listed as a member of this congregation, so we felt that was a great honour that had been the case.”
Yarra Ranges Ryrie Ward councillor Fiona McAllister attended the event to celebrate the significant step of reconciliation.
Cr McAllister said the garden is a very special place for the community.
“To have such a beautiful space, that sends a clear message of connection to country and connection to history with an artwork made by a beautiful local Aboriginal artist, is such a wonderful thing for the church to have done and also such a gift to the community,” she said.
“[Because the location of the space is on the main street of Healesville,] people will be curious, come, explore, and look to understand.”
