Jawun update
It has been a while since I have posted a blog about my Jawun secondment with Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation (YYNAC).
This past week we launched the facebook page and had a great start with 50 likes the first day and now after 5 days we have over 260 likes! You can check it out at www.facebook.com/yynac. There is some brilliant content on the page – heaps of YouTube clips that explore Yorta Yorta culture, research and collaboration projects. With some help from some of the peeps at Yorta Yorta and Parks Vic it is looking good and people are already giving some great feedback. This latest post about “Joining forces: Traditional knowledge & science conserving Murray Freshwater Turtle” featuring Lee Joachim, is a great example of the fantastic work YYNAC has been doing.
In addition to the facebook page the YouTube channel is ready to go, hopefully I will put the link on the facebook page tomorrow.
It has been fantastic to work on this project, especially to see the positive responses from facebookers and lovely feedback from people at YYNAC.
The last couple of weekends have been full of adventures. The weekend before this one, my son and husband came to visit and we had a wonderful time together in Echuca. We even went on a paddle steamer – the Pevensey – the paddle steamer that was used in the Australian television mini series All the rivers run. Incidentially, Echuca is a Yorta Yorta word, which means the “meeting of the waters”.
While we were in Echuca my darling hubby gave me a little buddy to keep me company while I am away from home. Euki is a emu with an identity crisis – he thinks he is a cassowary!
This weekend Marty and I stayed close to Shepparton while most of the secondees went for an adventure to Dalyesford. We had a great time exploring Violet Town markets on Saturday, and then Girgaree Farmer’s Markets on Sunday, meeting up with some of our new friends from Shep. After the market we visited one of our friends farms. There were chooks, ducks, geese, sheep, cows and my favorite – these adorable little minature horses – they are so cute!!
Today we went exploring – visiting Murchison, Rushworth and Tatura.
Murchison is known as the “River Bank Garden Town” and is located on the banks of the Goulburn River.
Rushworth has some interesting old buildings, the picture below is the Shire Hall.
It was a great way to spend the last weekend in Shepparton and I must say it is easy to fall in love with this region. This part of Victoria is so interesting – so much rich history (particularly of the Yorta Yorta people), plus the myiad of towns dotted around – each with its own stories and style. The flood plain country also has its own special beauty, which is very different from the mountains and coasts I am familar with.
I can’t believe our time here as secondees is almost over – there is still so much to learn and share. I hope that friendships and conversations started here will continue long into the future.