Thread on the destruction of #Djabwurrung cultural heritage and it's historical background. I grew up and lived most of my life on Djab wurrung country and as a historian have researched and published on European-Djab wurrung history in western Victoria.

Djab wurrung country is extensive, from Stawell to Horsham, and from Halls Gap to Lake Bolac. It includes the eastern Gariwerd ranges. At the time of colonisation there were up to ~4900 Djab wurrung people in about 41 local estate groups ('clans'). It is beautiful countryside.

When Thomas Mitchell visited the area in 1836 he renamed many landscape features, including Gariwerd. The process continued until Djab wurrung placenames had almost been entirely lost. Attempts to revive them in the late 1980s caused deeply acrimonious debates.

Pastoralists followed Mitchell into Djab wurrung country. Owing to rich natural resources and effective land management, Djab wurrung people built villages of large houses (huts). A conurbation of villages up the swampy plains east of Gariwerd was likely host to thousands

These structures were described but abandoned and destroyed. Sometimes, the base mounds can be found. They are huge.

Also ploughed over were extensive fish farms rivaling the size and complexity of Budj Bim, including this one described near Mt Willialm in 1841 now lost

Djab wurrung people were also prolific artists. 90% of Victorian rock art is on Djab wurrung and neighbouring Jardwadjali country especially in Gariwerd's protected rock shelters. One of the most significant sites in SE Australia is Bunjil's Shelter in the Black Ranges.

Sites like these however were regularly vandalised. Only five over over 200 sites in Gariwerd are open to the public for this reason.

Bunjil was so vandalised that it was struck from the archaeological register in 1980 until chemical analysis revealed traditional ochres underneath all the house paint. A 9m ground drawing of Bunyip, Bunjil's rival, used be found near Challicum. It has disappeared.

These are just some examples of the loss of mostly physical cultural heritage. Not exhaustive. Not to mention consistent resistance since the late 1830s, whether against the taking of land by pastoralists or in the revitalisation of Djab wurrung language, for instance.

I cannot really speak directly on the Djab wurrung trees. The documentary evidence when it comes to Djab wurrung women is very scant. It is more an area for archaeologists and traditional owners. (There is WHOLE other story here about the nature of history demanded by the state).

The Djab wurrung trees are part of this longer story. It's also highlighted continued issues within the processes designed to protect heritage, including the Vic. Aboriginal Heritage Council and the system of Registered Aboriginal Parties. (I'm not in a position to go into that).

TL;DR Djab wurrung country is stunning, has a rich cultural heritage and history that Victorians should learn about, but has been actively destroyed and not well protected.

[ For more on Djab wurrung history and culture the Wikipedia page is actually very good. Ian D Clark and Jan Critchett's works deal extensively with Djab wurrung-European encounters. Find out about the current campaign here: https://dwembassy.com/  ]

[ Errata: Stawell to Hamilton, not Horsham.]