"The breeze going through the eel trap gives a feeling of water flowing through the vessel with the feathers softly waiving as the water flows. My grandfather Nicholas Couzens and my uncles made eel traps to fish the Hopkins River - this is how my mother learnt the techniques which she passed on to me."Bronwyn RAZEM Gunditjmara/Kirrae Whurrong Bronwyn Razem is an Indigenous Australian basket weaver and painter. She is a Gunditjmara woman of the Kirrae Whurrong clan of western Warrnambool on the Victorian coastline. Bronwyn’s practice involves an exploration of her Indigenous heritage and identity, and she creates symbolic representations of places and events that are meaningful to her family. She integrates ochres, sand and other materials into her paintings, and her works also draw on the possum skin cloak traditions of her ancestors. In 2008, Bronwyn was chosen by the Australia Council for the Arts to be part of a delegation of Indigenous artists to attend the 10th Pacific Arts Festival in Western Samoa. Bronwyn’s mother, Aunty Zelda Couzens, was a well-respected basket weaver and elder who taught Bronwyn basket-making techniques. Bronwyn now regularly conducts basket weaving workshops with Victorian Indigenous communities in order to facilitate the revival of cultural traditions. She has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours at Deakin University, and in 2008 she was enrolled in a Master by Research degree at Deakin Institute of Koorie Education, Geelong, and was living in Ballarat. (https://www.daao.org.au/bio/bronwyn-razem/biography/, accessed 18 April 2016) This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 1000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.Bronwyn RAZEM (1953- ) Gunditjmara/Kirraw Wurrong A woven New Zealand flax eel trap with emu feathers. This work won the University of Ballarat Acquisitive Award for work reflecting Victoria's Western District. The judges were impressed by Bronwyn Razem's translation of the traditional eel trap into a sculptural form evocative of the flow of water and possible the passage of time. The design and technical knowhow which Razem inherited from her mother, uncles, and grandfather connects this work to the family;s life and traditions. She then enhances the simplicity of this very functional object by the addition of delicate emu feathers, creating a work that creatively and symbolically transcends its original form. art, artwork, bronwyn razem, razem, eel trap, aboriginal, indigenous, available

Laughing Waters is the name for a stretch of the Yarra Valley Parklands consisting of river flats and hilly riparian bushland. With Birrarung (Yarra River) flowing through, Laughing Waters has been an important gathering place for thousands of years. For the Wurundjeri, ‘Garambi Baan’ (the name for Laughing Waters in Woi wurrung) is an important site for growing and harvesting food. Significantly, Wurundjeri iuk (eel) traps remain at Garambi Baan to this day. The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People take their name from the Woi wurrung language word ‘wurun’ meaning the Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) which is common along ‘Birrarung’ (Yarra River), and ‘djeri’, the grub which is found in or near the tree. Wurundjeri are the ‘Manna Gum People’ and their Ancestors have lived on this land for millennia. The site on the Yarra River near the former Morrison property Killeavey was given a language name in 2015 at the instigation of Wurundjeri Elder, Dave Wandin. Garambi Baan means “laughing waters” in the traditional language, Woi wurrung. The site at Warrandyte was rediscovered by Campbell Beardsell OAM in 2007 and is one of only a few known remaining iuk (eel) traps on Country once found the length of the Birrarung (Yarra) and the Maribyrnong. Original Indigenous aquacultural infrastructure was dismantled, taken away from sites and used to build houses, fords and roads by Europeans. The difficult and restricted access to this site is thought to be one of the reasons for its survival. The iuk trap is located within lands managed by Parks Victoria. The Narrap team in partnership with Parks Victoria and Acacia Land Management have been improving the native vegetation with a program of woody weed removal, exclusion fencing and revegetation. Importantly, the team have restored the trap’s infrastructure and have demonstrated its effectiveness.” References: Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation - Laughing Waters. (2023, September 3). Retrieved from https://inplace.org.au/laughing-waters/ GARAMBI BAAN LAUGHING WATERS RESIDENCY CENTRE 2020 2024 Strategic Plan, Nillumbik Shire Council (2023, September 3). Retrieved from https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/files/assets/public/minutes-and-agendas/2020/09-sep/15-sep-cm/ocm.177-20-attachment-1-laughing-waters-arts-program_1.pdffay bridge collection, eel trap, laughing waters, yarra river, wurundjeri woi wurrung, garambi baan, 2023-09-06

Laughing Waters is the name for a stretch of the Yarra Valley Parklands consisting of river flats and hilly riparian bushland. With Birrarung (Yarra River) flowing through, Laughing Waters has been an important gathering place for thousands of years. For the Wurundjeri, ‘Garambi Baan’ (the name for Laughing Waters in Woi wurrung) is an important site for growing and harvesting food. Significantly, Wurundjeri iuk (eel) traps remain at Garambi Baan to this day. The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People take their name from the Woi wurrung language word ‘wurun’ meaning the Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) which is common along ‘Birrarung’ (Yarra River), and ‘djeri’, the grub which is found in or near the tree. Wurundjeri are the ‘Manna Gum People’ and their Ancestors have lived on this land for millennia. The site on the Yarra River near the former Morrison property Killeavey was given a language name in 2015 at the instigation of Wurundjeri Elder, Dave Wandin. Garambi Baan means “laughing waters” in the traditional language, Woi wurrung. The site at Warrandyte was rediscovered by Campbell Beardsell OAM in 2007 and is one of only a few known remaining iuk (eel) traps on Country once found the length of the Birrarung (Yarra) and the Maribyrnong. Original Indigenous aquacultural infrastructure was dismantled, taken away from sites and used to build houses, fords and roads by Europeans. The difficult and restricted access to this site is thought to be one of the reasons for its survival. The iuk trap is located within lands managed by Parks Victoria. The Narrap team in partnership with Parks Victoria and Acacia Land Management have been improving the native vegetation with a program of woody weed removal, exclusion fencing and revegetation. Importantly, the team have restored the trap’s infrastructure and have demonstrated its effectiveness.” References: Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation - Laughing Waters. (2023, September 3). Retrieved from https://inplace.org.au/laughing-waters/ GARAMBI BAAN LAUGHING WATERS RESIDENCY CENTRE 2020 2024 Strategic Plan, Nillumbik Shire Council (2023, September 3). Retrieved from https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/files/assets/public/minutes-and-agendas/2020/09-sep/15-sep-cm/ocm.177-20-attachment-1-laughing-waters-arts-program_1.pdffay bridge collection, 2015-05-16, eel trap, laughing waters, yarra river, wurundjeri woi wurrung, garambi baan

Part of the Mooney Collection held at Langi Morgala Museum. Wooden bowl carved by Australian Indigenous people. Long carved out boat hull shaped bow. It has carvings of water or an eel on the outside. Used to carry food or wood.Carvings of water or an eel on the outside of the bowl.

Born digital image (qty 1)ceremonies, eltham, killeavey, laughing waters road, wurrundjeri

Art pigments Boomerangs Woomera Natural resins and gums Separation of poisons from edible plants Aboriginal bush foods Stone tool technology Aboriginal inventors Aboriginal bush medicine Specific uses of technology by a community Seasonal calendars Games and toys Firestickscolour photographs, b&w illustrations, diagramsart, seasonal calendars, aboriginal social life and customs, stone tool technology, games and toys

Trevor Marriott, Creator / Artist created this poster with images and QR codes linked to voice media files. This poster has a unique way of trying an interactive approach of engaging youth with the history of Brimbank by means of QR codes. Garry the Growling Grass Frog refers to the Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis), one of south‑eastern Australia’s most iconic and now vulnerable wetland species. The name “Garry” is often used informally in education programs, frog census activities, and community conservation projects to make the species more relatable, especially for kids and local engagement. The short‑finned eel (Anguilla australis) is a native, culturally significant, and historically abundant species in the Maribyrnong River system, including the Brimbank stretch. It is one of the two major eel species in Victoria and was a key food source for Wurundjeri Woi‑wurrung people.This project, described as "Know Your Place - Animation", was undertaken by Trevor Marriott, with the sponsorship of Brimbank City Council and the generous support of the Sunshine & District Historical Society, who served as the project’s benefactor.Scan QR codes to talk to Garry the Growling Grass frog and other fun Where to get your free freddo Augmented Reality Harvester history See my friend Ellie the Short finned Eel Talk to Sunny about the Fair Go rulesunshine and district historical society, growling grass frog, short fin eel

Soft cover, thin cardboard photo of 2 soldiers on cover 295 pages with index and photo section in middle orange spine,On fist page in pen "Angeles Eeles 9/5/4 Br/KH " Mn May Hall"books, military history

This carving represents the eels and eel trap which was discovered by Cam in the Yarra below Killeavey and has been established to be ore European settlement. The Wurundjeri built the eel trap in an area where the eels gathered and has proven to still be highly effective today Heriitage Excursion - Kileavey Walk and TalkBorn Digitalactivities, eltham district historical society, heritage excursion, kileavey, parks victoria, laughing waters road, eltham, wurundjeri

The Upwelling Festival is a community celebration of the Bonney Upwelling. The Bonney Upwelling is a natural, environmental phenomenon which occurs each year where the spring winds shift to the south-east driving a change in ocean currents that power a seven month feeding frenzy of tuna, crayfish, giant crabs, squid, fish, sea birds, krill and blue whales. The Upwelling is at its greatest off the coast of Portland. The Festival features a parade, ocean and science talks, live music and artThe Upwelling Festival is an annual event in Portland which celebrates the unique environmental phenomenon happening off the coast of Portland. It is a community event of great significance. Poster advertising Upwelling festival in Portland, Sat. 29 October 2016. The poster features blue and green depictions of eels. The images are drawn. The top left features the title Upwelling Festival Portland with 'Presented by Rotary Club of Portland Bay Inc' typed next to it. The poster details a programme of events including the Song of the Eels Project. Logos to the bottom of the poster.portland upwelling festival, whales, whale, mammal, environmental, marine ecology, gunditjmara, portland

Viewed from the Warrandyte side opposite the Eel trap at Killeaveyfay bridge collection, 2016-06, laughing waters, yarra river

Royal Doulton as part of the Minton Miniature series produced this stork model in 2001. A limited edition of 1,793 pieces were made, and this stork is number 118. The stork is a scaled down model of the original life-size piece first produced by John Henk, c. 1870, as a walking stick and umbrella stand. A rare miniature stork demonstrates the artistry and skill required to produce Majolica ware during the 19th century and the present.A miniature white stork standing on one leg atop a rocky mound, an eel clasped in its beak, a frog beneath its foot, the stand formed by tall bullrushes & water-lily pads.Inscribed at the base Minton founded 1793, artist mark: 6, made in Englandminton & co., majolica, miniature model, flagstaff hill maritime museum, stoke upon trent, john henk, staffordshire

Documentary evidence records that in 1888 Henry Eeles, stationer, was the first owner and occupier of this two-storey mansion. At that date the building was given an N.A.V.of £275 and Eeles was recorded as the owner of the house until at least 1910, when the thirteen-roomed mansion attracted an N.A.V. of £190. The house is quite typical of time, and it bears a remarkable resemblance to 3 Molesworth Street, the architect of which has not been established. (Kew Conservation Study, 1988)Colour photographic positive of one of 'La Verna' (formerly 'Heathfield'). The house is two storeyed and clad in render. It is ltaIianate in styling and is dominated by a two storeyed loggia that spans two facades. At ground floor level it has rounded arches supponed on cast iron colonettes, and above, has colonettes that support stilted segmental arches. (Kew Conservation Study, 1988)heathfield -- sackville street --- kew (vic), la verna -- sackville street -- kew (vic.)

Documents, Bert Graham Collection, Bendigo East Swimming Pool, from Morris & Nova Austin of EEL Fabrication DLI Welding submitting a quotation for supply and fit 1 pair of gates at Eastern Park, their price for this work is $1,700.00.bendigo, clubs, bendigo east swimming pool

As part of the redevelopment of the Indigenous Coastal Trails, this work was commissioned by Bayside City Council as one of four prints produced in a limited edition of ten. This etching was produced in response to stories of the Boon wurrung people as written by Carolyn Briggs, Boon wurrung elder.Vicki Couzens, Women's journey 2010, etching, 28 x 19.5 cm. Bayside City Council Art and Heritage Collection. Commissioned 2010.etchingetching, journey, vicki couzens, yam, eel, bayside indigenous coastal trail, carolyn briggs

This booklet was collated and printed for the 2014 Lake Bolac Eel Festival, ‘Return to Country’. The author, Peter Bakker, has spent several years researching the part played by south western Victorian aborigines and this booklet details the results of this research. Several of the soldiers came from the Warrnambool area.This is a booklet of ten pages with printed material and black and white and colour photographs and a map.Front Cover: ‘Fighting For Country – Honouring Aborigines from South West Victoria who served Australia during War Time’ (plus other printed material) Back Cover: Map and List of Service Men and Women of Aboriginal Descent with connections to South West Victoria aborigines from south west victoria, return to country, lake bolac eel festival, peter bakker, world war one, world war two, korean war, vietnam war

Digital PDF Filenon-fictionThis story is about how the Maribyrnong River was, how it once ran wild, and how it has changed. You will glimpse the Indigenous connections to the river and the river’s passage through early settlement, industrialisation and modern times. All the while, reflecting on its worth, not through a commercial or residential lens, but through the eyes of recreational fishers who love the river for itself. From historical newspaper articles, through piscatorial societies and angling clubs, fishers have long stood up to protect the environmental values of the Maribyrnong River. By committing their licence fees to this project, anglers are again pressing for the recovery of this wonderful river.maribyrnong river, salt river, aborginal, aborigine, first nations

Raywood played their first football match against Inglewood 30/1/1904. In 1949, Kamarooka, Neilborough and Raywood combined to form Northern United Football club.Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2003. Premiers: Raywood football club members, 1922. Back left to right: Mick Kelly, Roc Wilson, Nev Smith, Harry Rick, Keith McKenzie. Third row: ?? Hutchinson, bill Clohsey, Jack Gaywood, Perc Johnson, Grahem O'Neil, B. Johnson. Second row: Syd Moorshead, Charlie Jackson, Edgar Johnson, Andy Scott, Dan Clohsey. Front: Ray Moorshed, Dip Hall (umpire), Eddie Pierce, Nipper Eeles. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

A number of names written on the back of the photograph match with names in the Ballarat School of Mines Annual Report 1897 and 1898. These are: Robert Allan; (Thomas E. or William T. ) Atherton; Percy Bailey, James A. Bass; Fred F. Bradford; William Brokenshire; Joseph Bryant; Cecil Eeles; Thomas Evans; William C. Gosman; John Hill; Edward P. Johnson; Duncan W. Kennedy; James Kidd; John W. Martin; Percy Osborne; J.A. Porter; Thomas Phillipson; Frank A. Steward; Robert G. Todd; Thomas A. Uthwatt A number of names are not matched: - Bollin, Curry, Morey, Mann. ThompsonBlack and white photograph mounted on grey card showing a number of students and instructors of the Ballarat School of mines. They are thought to be in the Ballarat School of Mines Materia Medica Garden (System Garden) for either a botany, chemistry or materia medica lesson, or as part of the Ballarat Field Naturalists group. The person at the front wearing an apron is George Porter Day.A number of names are written in ink on the back of the photo " Tom Evans, Osborne, Atherton, Phillipson, Eccles, Allan, Todd, Morey, Bradford, Curry, John Marian, Char Bailey, Uthwatt, John M. Sutherland, Kennedy, Mat Thompson, Hill, Steward, Martin, Kidd, Brokenshire, Gosman, Bollin, William D. Hill, "ballarat school of mines, science, material media, botanical gardens, system garden, ballarat school of mines botanical gardens, bollin, curry, morey, mann, thompson, james a. bass, fred f. bradford, william brokenshire, joseph bryant, cecil eeles, thomas evans, william gosman, john hill, edward johnson, duncan kennedy, james kidd, john martin, percy osborne, j.a. porter, thomas phillipson, frank steward, robert todd, thomas uthwatt, photography, foto, class, george day, george porter day, atherton, percy bailey, parks and gardens

The Upwelling Festival is a community celebration of the Bonney Upwelling. The Bonney Upwelling is a natural, environmental phenomenon which occurs each year where the spring winds shift to the south-east driving a change in ocean currents that power a seven month feeding frenzy of tuna, crayfish, giant crabs, squid, fish, sea birds, krill and blue whales. The Upwelling is at its greatest off the coast of Portland. The Festival features a parade, ocean and science talks, live music and artThe Upwelling Festival is an annual event in Portland which celebrates the unique environmental phenomenon happening off the coast of Portland. It is a community event of great significance.16 page booklet detailing the events of the 2016 Upwelling Festival. The booklet is printed in colour on thin paper. The front cover has the date of the festival to the left, next to the words, 'Upwelling Festival'. Underneath is an image of Portland foreshore with tens, people walking with kites and puppets as well as people in the water. The lower quarter of the front page has blue and green drawing depictions of eels and a wave design which contain the dates of the Rotary Club Art Show and the Upwelling Festival. The bottom right hand corner has the Portlan Observer logo. The back page features a full page advertisement for the Henty Bay Holiday Park.non-fictionbonney upwelling, blue whales, environment, portland, glenelg shire council, glenelg shire council cultural collection

Eaglehawk RSL Ladies Auxiliary 1952. Back Row. Mrs Day, Florrie Hutchinson, Mrs Makepeace, Bessie Lightfoot, Elaine Bull, Una Wright, Mavis Claridge, Mrs Morgan, Glad Bull, Betty Boston. Middle row. Fanny Cameron, Mrs Harding, Dolly Hutchinson, Mrs Steinhauser, Mrs .............., Mrs Finch, Mrs Wood, Mabel Neat, Mrs Birthisall, Mrs Murphy, Mrs Betts. Front row. Mrs Meighan, Mrs Boyd, Mrs Shelders, Mrs Trewartha, Mrs Eeles, Esma Wilson, Joyce Bull, Mrs Laurie, Mavis Williams, Mrs Smith, Miss Trevean, Mrs Bourke, Mrs Pearce, Fay Wilson, Doris Bull. Eaglehawk RSL Ladies Auxiliary. Refer Cat No 8111 for their Honor board also 8110.Dark timber frame with gold edgeing with B & W photo inside a white card inset, separate card inset with details. Shows 36 ladies seated and standing with 2 on the floor central."Eaglehawk RSL Ladies Auxiliary 1952"brsl, smirsl, ehrsl, auxiliary

Document. Various legal papers. 1 - 1920 - Farnell T W (Myers Flat) re costs Roberts. 2 - 1920 - Farnell Mrs Ester (Myers Flat) re costs Wilson Estate. 3 - 1920 - Eeles John (Kinypaniel) re costs Matthews. 4 - 1919 - Fitzpatrick John F (Shelbourne). Handwritten letter from John F Fitzpatrick. Payment for costs. 5 - 1920 - Lowe George Esq. (South Calivil) re costs Income Tax. 6 - 1920 - Leggo Arthur H (Bendigo) re costs Bendigo Amalgamated Goldfields. 7 - 1919 - 1920 - Laity G H deceased (Bendigo) re costs re Maher, Fox, Mumford. 8 - 1920 - Lowe Samuel (Bendigo) re costs Hamilton, Income Tax, A. P. A.cottage, miners, connelly, tatchell & dunlop, farnell t w, roberts, farnell mrs esther, wilson, eeles john, matthews, fitzpatrick john f, lowe george esq, leggo arthur h, bendigo amalgamated goldfields, laity g h, maher, fox, mumford, lowe samuel, hamilton

After the completion of the carvings of these 6 large Basalt Blue stone Boulders they placed in a permanent position on the Kororoit Creek Trail on the west side of the creek approximately halfway between Derby Road and Wright Street. |What is Walan-walan? Walan-walan is a sculpture project at The Bug Rug by Fiona Clarke & Kenneth McKean Walan-walan means circle /round in Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language. The circle has more than one meaning in First Nations cultures. In this case it represents the annual cycle of the year. Other important meanings include as a symbol for a meeting place or a body of water. The sculptures forming the circle are based on animal elemental signs of nature from local Aboriginal seasons. Wumangurruditj - Wombat, Ilk - Eel, Common Brown Butterfly, Gurrborra - Koala, Pied Currawong, Goanna and Buliyong - Bat. Many First Nations stories handed down over thousands of years often included mention of stars. Fiona and Ken have added glow in the dark resin to the artworks. This will gently illuminate them at night giving them a constellatory effect. The circle is relatable in many cultures. Walan-walan is a place where people come to sit and learn or simply to talk and rest in nature. It has many uses but will firstly honour the original First Nations Custodians past, present and future, who took extremely good care of this land for 60k + years. Ref: Friends of the Kororoit Creek3008.01 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Artists (L-R) Kenneth McKean & Fiona Clarke 3008.02 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Artists engraving a rock 3008.03 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Artists examining an engraved rock 3008.04 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Artists washing an engraved rock 3008.05 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Artist Fiona Clarke washing an engraved rock 3008.06 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Engraved rock 3008.07 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Engraved rock 3008.08 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Engraved rock 3008.09 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Rocks on palents prior to engraving 3008.10 - The Walan-walan 'Bug Rug' Sculptor - Collection of miscelleous photographsaboriginal, aborigine, first nation, kororoit creek, sunshine west

My Story by Bruce Myers – June 2001 Arthur Bruce Myers was born on Wednesday morning on the 29/4/1925 at Kelvin Grove Hospital Bacchus Marsh. Background Information: Prepared by Niece Wendy Barrie. The early life of Bruce Myers “Burnbank” Ballarat Road Melton. The family home was built by his grandparents Ann nee Dowling and Henri Miers in 1867. His father Frederick was born in 1877 in Melton the youngest of four boys. Bruce the fourth son of Frederick and Martha, brother Frederick the eldest was followed by Marjorie and Edna. His brother Max was the youngest child. Father Frederick Myers attended Melton State School No 430 enrolling in 1881 and leaving in 1888 gaining his Merit Certificate No 116343. Bruce enrolled in July 1931 and completed and gaining his Merit Certificate in 1937. In 1938 he travelled to Melbourne Boys High School. Bruce was taught piano by his sister Marjorie, a respected Melton music teacher. He entered many Piano competitions and at the age of 10 winning the radio cup in the Junior Cavalcade at 3AW at Latrobe Street. At Melbourne Boys High School during his lunchtime was allowed to practice the piano in the basement for his recreation. He was pestered by another boy (name I have forgotten) a teacher intervened telling him to leave Myers alone. As a young child when listening to music he was able to on hearing it identify the key it was written in, due to his perfect pitch. I remember “Mum” Myers telling about the time they went to see Artur Rubeinstein at a concert, when Bruce was a small boy, it may have been on this occasion that he had noted the key of the piano composition. Bruce writes – In my early teens Max and I frequently accompanied the Williams boys, Wally and Jim on expeditions up the Toolern Creek near where the Gisborne exit now crosses it. The dogs would chase the rabbits into their burrows after placing nets over the burrows a ferret would be let in to burrow, much excitement would be involved in the rush to grab the rabbits as they bolted into the nets. In the same area I used too accompany Dad on an evening rabbit shoot (summer time). After the heat of the day the rabbits would emerge from their burrows at dusk. We would his behind the tree in silence, a mark contrast to the ferreting scene. Dad with the shotgun cocked would wait until 2 or 3 rabbits were close together then fire (Bang!). Hopefully killing two rabbits. They would have to be killed outright, otherwise they would run back into their burrows. Needless to say, one deafening shot ended the event, also it only cost one cartridge. Our only swimming pool was hole in the Toolern Creek at its junction with the blind creek at the eastern entrance to Melton. Dad swum there in the 1880’s teaching many of the youngsters to swim. Females never swum there to my knowledge. The dressing shed consisted of a 4 corrugated iron nailed to a wooden frame about 4 metres by 3 no floor or roof. We always walked the kilometre in our bathers anyway. The swimming hole once dried up leaving about 2 ft of mud. We Melton boys had so much fun fossicking around with our hands and feet and yanking out numerous eels, some very bid. I don’t know what happened to them all. No doubt Dad would have skun one or two for Mum to cook after cutting them up into short lengths. They used to jump around the pan when they were cooking. Dad accompanied by Max and I, frequently fished for eels in the Gillespie’s waterhole just below our place using a rod, line, sinker, hook baited with a worm, and a white floater so as to easily see when an eel was on the hook, so that it could quickly be pulled before it could anchor itself on and under water snag such as a tree root making it impossible to catch, or causing the line to be lost. At about the age of 8, I suddenly discovered amazingly easily means of movement. One day when I was riding the bike on rough bluestone road near the Presbyterian Church [Uniting Church] in Melton when the front fork broke and I landed on my right knee and right eye gashing both, the knee severely. I have carried the scars ever since. I started getting mobile by riding a scooter with good leg on the scooter and swinging the right leg, keeping is straight because bending it was too painful.Childhood photo of Brucelocal identities

The Lake Condah Mission site includes bluestone ruins and a reconstructed timber building, as well as the cemetery which were part of the original settlement. With European settlement in the 1830s came conflict. Gunditjmara people fought for their land during the Eumerella wars, which lasted more than 20 years. As this conflict drew to an end in the 1860s, many Aboriginal people were displaced and the Victorian government began to develop reserves to house them. Many Aboriginal people refused to move from their ancestral land and eventually the government agreed to build a mission at Lake Condah, close to some of the eel traps and within sight of Budj Bim (Mt Eccles). The mission opened in 1867. The Mission was formally closed in 1918, and Aboriginal people were forced off the Mission, some moving to Lake Tyers. The Gunditjmara protested against the Mission’s closure and many continued to reside in the buildings until the majority of the reserve land was handed over to the Soldier Settlement Scheme in the 1940s. The mission was destroyed by the government in the 1950s in an effort to force the integration of Gunditjmara people with the general community but the Gunditjmara people continued to live in the area and protect their heritage. The mission lands were returned to the Gunditjmara in 1987. Lake Condah Mission is a place with special meaning to the Gunditjmara community - as a community meeting place, an administrative centre, a symbol of political struggle and a link to family histories. As a result the Gunditjmara community do not want open public access to this site. Key Features of Interest Ruins of stone cottages and plot remains of buildings such as the church Reconstructed dormitory building (https://www.budjbim.com.au/visit/cultural-sites/lake-condah-mission/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz6j36ZvF-QIV8ZhmAh2tmA3qEAAYASAAEgLxrvD_BwE, accessed 2022)Colour photographs of the former Lake Condah Aboriginal Missionlake condah, lake condah aboriginal mission, aborigines, aboriginal, gunditjmara, eumerella wars